CAN YOU FIRST INTRODUCE WHO YOU ARE, WHERE YOU COME FROM AND WHERE YOU LIVE? A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL BACKGROUND.
Hi! I'm Leonie, 31 years old. I'm originally from East Westphalia. After finishing my studies in late summer 2016, I went through various stops and quite spontaneously ended up in Greifswald on the Baltic Sea. I've been living here with my husband ever since and I feel very comfortable.
WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A LIVING AND HOW DOES IT RELATE TO YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY?
I studied landscape architecture and work in a planning office. We work on a wide variety of projects there and design open spaces, mostly in urban environments. These can be playgrounds, parks, urban squares and much more. I came to landscape architecture through my love of nature, but also through my passion for design. To me, it sounded like the perfect combination of these two things. It turned out, however, that there is much more to it. Landscape architecture is a very interdisciplinary field.
In terms of photography, my studies have taught me to look closely, to perceive moods and to change perspectives. I really enjoy capturing landscapes that have a different effect on me depending on the weather, the time of year or even my own state of mind.
HOW DID YOU START YOUR CAREER AS A PHOTOGRAPHER? HOW HAS YOUR PERSONAL STYLE DEVELOPED OVER THE YEARS?
Even as a child, I loved browsing through photo albums. Both my parents took a lot of analogue photos at times. I think I already had a certain perspective back then. When I got my first digital camera, I started shooting on my own. But I quickly became frustrated by the poor quality and so I eventually bought my first SLR camera. At the same time, Instagram came along and I loved being able to create my own "gallery" there and be inspired by others. Back then, I saw Instagram more as a photography app and less as a selfie platform. But over time, I started taking more and more photos with my iPhone.
It's hard for me to say exactly how my personal style has developed. I've always been drawn to small, everyday motifs that I then put in a calm frame. These compositions are usually bathed in soft, warm light. When I scroll through my gallery, the style has hardly changed. However, I've become more consistent in my choice of motifs and know more precisely what works well in which way.
But to this day, photography is just a hobby for me. I have earned (almost) no money from it so far.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU AND WHY?
Nature continues to inspire me the most. It is where I feel closest to myself and where I can find peace. Although it can be so rough and unpredictable, it is one of the most healing places for me. Nature brings forth beauty and wonder in the most unexpected moments. If I am lucky, I experience such moments and capture them.
YOUR PHOTOS APPEAR MINIMALIST AND SHOW CONSIDERED COMPOSITIONS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME ARE VERY ATMOSPHERIC – HOW DID YOU DEVELOP THIS STYLE?
This style was created completely intuitively. When I took a series of photos, I often liked the ones with the most reduced detail the best. At some point I noticed that I often work with the golden ratio and that was also more of a gut feeling. I also usually take photos in very clear light conditions. I love deep blue skies and dramatic cloudscapes. My place of residence on the coast often works in my favor.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM YOUR FEED, YOU ENJOY TRAVELING, HAVE A SENSE FOR SOFT COLOURS AND A LOT OF COASTAL LOVE IN YOUR HEART – HOW DO YOU BEST COMBINE THE EVERYTHING?
I have already discovered a few favorite places for myself up here, but I am far from finished exploring the Baltic coast. Capturing these places photographically often motivates me even more. For me, the coast has a lot of potential and the soft light is often there by itself. But there are also times when I just want to enjoy without taking the photographer's eye with me.
DOES WHERE YOU COME FROM OR CURRENTLY LIVE HAVE A BIG INFLUENCE ON THE PHOTOS YOU TAKE? IF SO, TO WHAT EXTENT
Totally! If I lived somewhere else, my gallery would look completely different. If you scroll back a few years in my gallery, you will find a lot of photos from Berlin, for example. I lived there for a few years and that influenced my photos just as much as my current life on the coast. So I photograph what surrounds me quite clearly. Nevertheless, I feel that my nature photos are stronger than urban photos. Nature simply touches me more.
WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL POSITIVE DISCOVERIES, EXPERIENCES AND DEVELOPMENTS THAT YOU HAVE MADE DURING THE PANDEMIC?
I realized how privileged I was. I was able to continue doing my work in a safe environment. When things got too much for me during this time, I had the empty beaches on my doorstep to take a breather.
We also bought a small garden near water shortly before the pandemic. There we could indulge in gardening, make plans and clear our heads. That was an absolute blessing! I recently created a small, second Instagram account for this purpose.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE IG COMMUNITY YOU HAVE BUILT? DO YOU EXCHANGE INFO WITH OTHER IGERS OR HAVE YOU EVER MEET UP? HAVE ANY SPECIAL COLLABORATIONS sprung up?
I'm not the type of person who maintains close contact with his community. Of course, I'm really happy about lovely comments and I like to share them myself when I see something great. But the bottom line is that for me it's more about inspiration than exchange. Nevertheless, here and there, lovely contacts have been made that I'm very happy about. I also took part in one or two Insta meetups a while ago, for example a boat tour with @nordlotsen through Rostock harbor. But that's not my main focus at the moment.
Collaborations have not played a role for me so far. I think my number of followers is too small for that. Fortunately, that doesn't play a role at all with PICKMOTION, where the focus is simply on the photos. I'm really happy that after the first postcard, we're now moving on to the next round!
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE PHOTO YOU HAVE TAKEN AND WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND IT?
One of my favorite photos shows the Amrum lighthouse peeking out from behind a dune and illuminated by the sun, with a dramatic cloudy sky behind it. Amrum is a very special island for me. I lived there for a year after graduating from high school while I completed a voluntary ecological year. It was an intense year that had a big impact on me.
During my studies I returned to the island for a few weeks. At the time I was in the final stages of my master's thesis. To clear my head, I went on a stroll around the island. This photo was taken while I was there.
DO YOU STILL SEND POSTCARDS YOURSELF?
Absolutely! Usually for special occasions or when on vacation. Pretty classic. I'm always happy to receive postcards myself. They're just small, personal gifts.
DID YOU KNOW PICKMOTION BEFORE OUR COOPERATION? AND IF SO, FROM WHERE?
I've known about PICKMOTION for quite a long time. If I remember correctly, I first heard about it in a bookstore. While browsing through the cards, I suddenly discovered that some of the photos were from Instagrammers I follow. That's how I became aware of PICKMOTION.
CAN YOU TELL US THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE IG ACCOUNTS?
I've been following @Lindaberlin for a long time. I love her style and her subjects. She captures some really great spots, especially in Berlin. That always reminds me of my time there.
@kraut_kopf moved from Berlin to Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, just like me. Unlike me, they moved to the countryside. The way they created a new home for themselves there and a beautiful garden was very inspiring. Not to mention that they are amazing photographers!
For me, @minusgold is a very impressive woman who gives an honest insight into herself and her life, and she doesn't leave out the dark sides either. She is a great author and occasionally shows analogue photographs, which I really like.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE, AN ANECDOTE OR FUNNY STORY YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US? WE'D BE HAPPY TO HEAR ANYTHING.
When it was slowly possible to meet people again this year after the big lockdown, we had a visit from good friends. We spent a beautiful summer day on the beach. Back at home, I noticed that my wedding ring had disappeared. We looked everywhere, but it was simply not to be found. I must have lost it on the beach - there was no hope of finding it there. I was sad and a little angry with myself that I could lose the ring after less than a year of marriage.
A few days later I came home from work in the evening. I actually wanted to go straight to a friend's house, but my husband Max wrote to me that I had to wait for him. When I got home he proudly gave me my wedding ring.
What had happened? He had borrowed a metal detector from friends of friends and searched the beach for over an hour. After dozens of bottle caps and other treasures, he actually held my ring in his hands. A small miracle!
We love the stories that pictures and people have to tell. Do you too? Would you like to find out more about the photographers behind the motifs of our products? Then check out all the other wonderful and interesting #pckphototalks .
