Snapshot 69: Reduction to the essentials
From the new snapshot: "Orange"
A walk through the city offers unique impressions if you just keep your eyes open. For example, exciting scenes of urban life, nature in parks and impressive buildings - or details thereof - beckon. It is precisely these details that Ralf Pollack looks for and finds everywhere. His style: a mix of minimalism and modern architecture.
by Jana Blank
Photo: Ralf PollackIn search of his abstract structures, Ralf Pollack likes to drift through the streets and corners of Berlin. Sometimes with, sometimes without a destination. An open eye is important here. This is the only way to train the photographic eye, which becomes more and more perfected over time. When scanning the surroundings, the photographer never ignores details and thinks about how individual details might work. He loves the symbiosis of shapes, colors and attention to detail: "What I love about minimalist photography is the 'reduction to the essentials'. Finding and seeing details and capturing them effectively is absolutely fascinating. And minimalist motifs can actually be found (almost) always and everywhere." What he also finds particularly exciting about this type of photography is that you never know exactly what you will end up with.
Photo: Ralf Pollack
Photo: Ralf Pollack
Photo: Ralf PollackRalf finds shapes, lines and colors everywhere on his forays, as in these pictures in orange. He skillfully leaves out the superfluous, usually including people. In his photography, he tries to abstract rather than document. This results in unique photographs whose strong colors and sharp contours invite the eye to discover. The brain quickly begins to ponder where the pictures might have been taken and what the building might look like as a whole.
Ralf is actually constantly on the move, which he finds wonderfully decelerating in a hectic world. "I often find my motifs by chance. I let myself drift, take the train âanywhereâ, get off and explore the area for exciting facades. But I also visit some spots deliberately and repeatedly. The Berlin government district, Berlin Adlershof, the area around Potsdamer Platz, for example. Industrial areas and shopping centers are also real treasure troves for minimalist motifs," he tells us.
The light at different times of day, at different seasons, the play with angles, positioning and the unpredictable situations also make his type of photography very special. The same photo spots can always be captured from a different angle.
Photo: Ralf Pollackmore info and more works by the artist:
Ralf Pollack
Instagram: @ralfpollack
www.ralfpollack.myportfolio.com
