Q: Can you provide some background information on these images?
A: In creating the images for my book I just tried to escape from the regular 9 to 5, to free my mind and to soak up the energy of a different country.
Everyone who’s done some travelling before knows what I’m talking about – not all who wander are lost. It’s just amazing what can happen when you just get up and see where the day will take you.
Q: How would you characterize the images in this portfolio?
A: Restless, wild and irrespective.
Q: Are you a full-time photographer or would you describe yourself as a serious enthusiast?
A: I’m a full-time photographer.
Q: When did you first become interested in photography as a mode of expression, an art form, or as a profession?
A: When I was a teenager. I was 15 and started to take photos while I was involved with skateboarding.
Q: Did you have any formal education in photography, with a mentor, or were you self-taught?  Was there a photographer or type of photography that influenced your work or inspired you?
A: I did three years of training in a photographic studio in Germany, eight years ago.

Q: In what genre or genres, if any, would you place your photos?
A: Mainly lifestyle, but sport is always a big influence.
Q: How did you first become interested in Leica?
A: My grandfather had a Leica and ever since then I have always used Leica products.
Q: What approach do you take with your photography or what does photography mean to you?
A: As I said before, my main goal is to mediate feelings and to affect people.
Q: You used a Leica M and a Leica S for your book project titled, “Self Discovery Travel”, is that correct? If so, how would you describe the subject and focus of the book, what country were you discovering, and will the book be published in print or online?
A: Yes that’s correct, I borrowed a Leica M and a Leica S for this book. I decided to travel to Portugal after I separated from a long-term relationship and needed to clear my head from that and from the stressful daily workload. So I took on this trip with the two Leica cameras and documented it. The result is the printed book “Self Discovery Travel”.

Q: You mentioned that you use a Leica M and a 28 mm f/2 Summicron M. What specific features and characteristics of this camera do you find especially useful in executing your work, and can you say something about the performance of the lens and why you chose that particular focal length for this project? Incidentally did you use the Leica S to capture any of these images — I noticed that the S is being held in someone’s left hand in one image which was obviously shot with another camera, presumably the M, held in the photographer’s right hand. Is that you, by any chance?
A: Leica has always amazed me as a camera manufacturer. Both cameras, the M and S, have the perfect travel size and the natural image characteristics of a Leica camera aren’t really comparable to any other brand. I chose the 28 mm because it’s my favorite focal length, which I also mostly use in my daily work.
Yes that’s me in the photo showing me holding the Leica S. This image was taken with the Leica M. All the portraits in the book were shot with the Leica S and the 45 mm lens.
Q: You describe your creative process as freewheeling— “jumpin’ on a vibe,” trying to “catch a feeling,” escaping from routine, and soaking up the energy of a different country. And you characterize these images as “restless, wild, and irrespective.” In other words, you seem to have an approach or mindset rather than a specific theme or goal, and that you want to capture the feeling of being in that place at the moment in time that you pressed the shutter release. Is that a fair statement, and do you think these images accurately represent what you were trying to achieve?
A. Yes that’s exactly what I wanted to capture and what the images actually represent for me.
Q: How do you think your experience of three years of training in a photo studio in Germany has influenced your work or helped you to articulate your vision? On the whole do you think it was a positive or negative experience with regard to being a creative lifestyle and sport photographer?
A: The training definitely helped as it gave me a solid base, especially when it comes to relating with other people, which naturally is the case in pretty much any people-related photo shoot. Although I have to admit that, during my training, the way I worked was totally different than today. I wouldn’t say that has been a negative experience as I believe that everything you learn is just taking you one step further.
Q: You stated quite emphatically that your main goal is “to mediate feelings and affect people.” I think it’s fair to say that most artists want to engage with their audience and connect on an emotional level, but what exactly do you mean by “mediate feelings,” how do you go about creating images that affect people, and does it matter to you how they are affected by specific images?
A: Basically I want to put the viewer of my image into the exact situation, the exact moment and the exact feeling I had when I took that photo. I think it’s safe to say that for every photographer it matters how people are affected by specific images we take.

Q: The book cover image is the perfect embodiment of the concept of “Self Discovery Travel” because it literally invites the viewer (and reader) to enter upon the path of an unknown and unseen world just around the next bend. Also, it’s printed in brown or sepia tone that enhances its timeless quality. Do you agree, and where was this picture taken and what does it mean to you personally? Finally, will you please provide the tech data including camera, lens, ISO, post-production, etc.
A: I absolutely agree. This is the last road before you reach the beach in Porto. As this was the last station of the travel and I was pretty exhausted after walking about 600km, being fully wet standing in the rain in that moment, this image pretty much displays my situation in that exact moment.
The image was taken with the Leica M 240, 28 mm, f 2/0, ISO 400, 1/800 and the post-production was simply done using gradient curves in Photoshop.

Q: Within this portfolio is a mini-portfolio of head-to-chest black-and-white images of athletic young men facing the camera wearing what look like black cycling or sports jerseys of some kind adorned with a variety of logos. Why did you decide to shoot these striking vertical portraits in exactly the same way, and what is the meaning of this group in the context of the overall portfolio. By the way, what drew you to the black-and-white medium for this series and how did you create the black-and-white image files?
A: These were people I met during the course of my travels and I took their portraits with the Leica S. The black-and-white conversion was done in Photoshop.

Q: I think anyone who has taken a long flight can relate to this image that shows just the feet of three passengers aboard a plane. The cramped quarters of the aisle and body language of the passengers suggest discomfort and boredom. What were you thinking, and where were you headed when you pressed the shutter release?
A: This was taken on the plane from Berlin to Lisbon and unfortunately the seats are too small for one being 194cm and therefore I put my feet on the aisle.

Q: There are a number of beachside images in this portfolio where the sky is basically blown out or overexposed. All these images seem to have shallow depth-of-field with soft backgrounds as well. Why did you decide to present them in this way since it was obviously a deliberate choice, and what emotion or feeling were you striving to express with this technique?
A: This is my way of working which you will find in most of the images in my general portfolio.

Q: I really like this image because the form of the surfboard and the surfer’s body integrate so perfectly with the small sections of beach, sea, and clouds in the background. What made you decide to take this picture and was it a grab shot or did you pose the subject?
A: This was a grab shot taken from my hip because the guy was on his way surfing and I already had been at this beach trying to capture surfers so I just tried to capture this moment.

Q: Here is another picture where the form is really the subject – a beachscape shot from above where the successive curved layers of surf, sand, and buildings exist in a natural harmony. Where did you capture this beautiful image and what do you think it says about the locality and its culture?
A: This was taken in Nazare, a place with the highest waves in Europe. It’s a small, old town basically just containing the lighthouse.
Q: You are evidently freelancing for a number of leading lifestyle advertisers including Sennheiser, Adidas, Red Bull, Northface, Olympus, and Puma. How do you plan to integrate this commercial side of your work with your free-spirited approach to life and photography in general, and do you think it’s a natural fit or will you feel constrained when you have to prioritize the needs of your clients when creating images?
A: For me it’s normal to follow the needs of my clients on a commercial shoot because I am basically a service provider and not an artist.
Q: How do you see your photography evolving over the next three years, and do you have any projects you plan to execute with the Leica S going forward? Do you intend do continue shooting personal creative work alongside your commercial assignments, and do you think that is necessary in order to maintain a fresh eye both professionally and personally?
A: Both professional and personal projects will be executed with the Leica S in the future because the feeling and quality of the camera is simply inspiring. I think working on personal projects is important for any photographer wanting to fulfill himself.
Thank you for your time, Christoph!
– Leica Internet Team
To see more of Christoph’s work, check out his website and Instagram.