You have always refused to call yourself a photographer – now you are presenting your second photo exhibition… Does Konrad Langer still reject the label photographer?
As far as my exhibition is concerned, you can certainly speak of photography. I myself still find it difficult to use the label of photographer, as you call it.
I think you have achieved an admirable mastery in mobile photography and everyone on your stream can study how to create a photographic appeal with simple means. What trick always works?
Being diligent always works. Finding new places, developing ideas and implementing them also works. Of course there are motifs that work well on Instagram on their own, either because they are graphically appealing, trigger positive associations or contain elements of surprise, but these are not found in large numbers at the push of a button.
With a few exceptions, your stream is very urban. You show the emptiness, the individual surrounded by architecture and patterns of modern housing. What fascinates you about the subject of the city - compositionally and in terms of content? And do you think that you capture the spirit of the times with this?
Hehe, I'm usually happy if I meet any ghosts at all. Seriously, there's so much that appeals to me about it. The contrasts, the surprises, the traces of history, in other words the very places where the city becomes tangible. Large modern housing estates fascinate me because of their visuality but also because of the feeling of melancholy that often surrounds them. The more urban and impenetrable a city appears, the more exciting I find it to photograph.
For some photographers a city may be a collection of sights – what is it for you?
A state of consciousness. A place of opposites. A playground.
What criteria must a spot meet in order to be photographed by you?
I like places that have a structure. This can be provided by architecture, for example, but also by contrasts of light and shadow, patterns from a bird's eye view or negative space. Surprise is another criterion, or if it is possible to alienate the context and deliberately create an illusion.
You also travel mainly to cities - I think Hong Kong really impressed you and you brought back some great pictures - how do you prepare for your trips? Do you have a plan in advance or do you just go with the flow? What role do the local Igers play?
I really like traveling to cities, and Instagram has helped me add one or two destinations to my list. If everything goes perfectly, I have no obligations and the whole day to explore. I usually plan a rough outline of places I want to see and see where I like it. Especially when I'm in a city for the first time, I like to just walk around on my own. That's when I'm most productive and curious. Of course, I also meet Instagrammers on site. This has led to many great contacts and memories. I'm really grateful to this community.
Berlin is your home base. What would you show friends here, what are your #hiddenplaces?
Things like this always happen spontaneously for me. I don't really have a set program for friends who come to visit. Many of them already know Berlin pretty well.
What are your plans for 2016?
In any case, I have some trips planned again and I am also working on developing myself further within my interests and abilities.
You once told me that mobile photography appeals to you precisely because of its limitations. Nothing distracts you from composing a good photo - doesn't it still appeal to you to switch to a professional camera at some point?
To be honest, this appeal is not just an appeal, but at a certain point it becomes a necessity if you want to develop further in the field of photography. Anyone who has taken this step at some point can certainly confirm this. Nevertheless, I like the look of many cell phone cameras and have adapted my imagery to their technical requirements. I enjoy getting the best out of my smartphone photos and even surprising some people with them. My personal Instagram account is therefore still mobile only.
