Berthold Steinhilber—a freelance photographer and longtime friend of our managing director, Mirko Oesterhaus—visited Consulting4IT. He brought along one of his works, which has since been adorning another of our offices. We took the opportunity to chat with him.
Berthold, how long have you been a photographer, and how did you get into it?
“I developed an interest in photography at an early age, which is why I trained as a photographer in my early 20s and then went on to earn a degree. That gave me a solid foundation, but I also quickly realized that traditional studio photography just wasn’t for me.”
What didn't you like about it?
“I’m someone who likes to work creatively and freely. Studio photography doesn’t give you enough leeway to do that.”
How did you go about fulfilling your desire for more freedom?
“Over time, I was able to land more and more assignments from magazines. On various projects, I was given a great deal of creative freedom, which suited me perfectly and which I truly appreciated.”
We’re familiar with your photo series, some of which are on display here in the building. Many of them feature landscapes, artfully lit buildings, objects, and abandoned places—fascinating images. The photos in the “Light Works” series are particularly outstanding. How did you manage to capture these images?
“I started taking this kind of photo quite early on. My first experiments were done with analog cameras and long exposures, some of which lasted up to 48 hours. Now I usually take these photos with an exposure time of about 4 hours, during which I illuminate the subject from different angles using a lamp.”
How do you feel about portrait photography and photos of people?
“Working with people is completely different. It’s challenging and always exciting because everyone is different. Plus, when taking portraits, you usually have very little time, which can make it difficult to capture genuine, authentic shots.”
What makes a good photo for you?
“To me, good photos are those that tell a story—photos that are rich in expression. Such shots usually only turn out well when you’re fully immersed in the moment and shoot with passion.”
Berthold Steinhilber is a photographer through and through—this is evident in every single one of his striking photographs, which can be admired in various coffee-table books and, time and again, in exhibitions and galleries. He also offers some fascinating insights on hiswebsite.
