Questions for Hans Wichmann
These photos where taken in Aviles / Spain. The building is part of a cultural area designed by the architect Oscar Niemeyer
When did you start your photography?
I got my first camera at the age of 10. When I was 18 years old, I bought my first SLR camera – a used Voigtländer Bessamatic.
Is photography your hobby or your profession?
I am an amateur photographer.
How and where was the image that you entered into the competition taken? Is there a story about it?
The photo was taken in Aviles, Spain. The building is part of a cultural area designed by the architect Oscar Niemeyer.
The boy with the bicycle made his rounds on site and passed this building again and again. To me, a wonderful composition became apparent with the yellow wall, the blue sky and the boy’s red shirt.
Who and/or what inspires you most?
I am inspired by black and white photographers like Michael Levin, Gabriele Croppi and Joel Tjintjelaar.
I am fascinated by the infinite shapes of buildings and landscapes, which appear different depending on light. The contrasts between light and dark and the abstraction of forms increase emotions and the picture’s effect.
Administration building in Düsseldorf / Germany. Photographed at a steep, upwards angle with an extreme wide-angle lens. The reduction in black and white and the curved lines of the building are impressive.
Modern mosque in Cologne. Distracting details were removed and picture elements (roadway, sky…) were changed and optimized.
What’s your photographic focus?
At the moment, my focus is on architectural photography and long-exposure photography.
During the last few years, I’ve rediscovered black and white photography.
What’s your next photo project, your next challenge?
Actually, my plan was to travel to Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Due to Corona, it had to be postponed to next year (hopefully).
Do you include color management in your photographic workflow?
I work with a 32″ monitor that I regularly calibrate with Spyder 5.
What do you do with your photos? Do you print them, post them on your social media accounts or your website or do they simply stay on your hard drive?
Now and then I create a photo book. I regularly take part in photo competitions and publish the images on my website.
What’s your photographic goal? What do you dream of?
I would like to continue to take part in photo competitions and hope to be able to continue taking photos for a long time.
The photo was taken from the deck of a cruise ship on the Nile in Egypt. It is a random scene on the banks of the Nile. I always had my camera with me while I was on the deck. After a few seconds this scene was gone. It evokes a sense of time from thousands of years ago.
The building is a student residence in Utrecht / The Netherlands. It is called Casa Confetti in vernacular. The colors of the passer-by are taken up again in the upper windows.
About the Author – Hans Wichmann
I was born in 1949 and live in Cologne.
I have been participating in photo competitions for 30 years and am a member of the photo club "Die Lichtjäger" and DVF (Deutscher Verband für Fotografie).
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