Arles is considered a mecca for photographers — at least since the southern French town hosted the largest photo festival in the world. Every year, image lovers, artists and experts meet here to present their works in picturesque alleys and historic locations, to exchange ideas and to provide new impetus for photography.
That I speak as a speaker for LEICA in this inspiring environment as part of a series of events and my TAXI project was an absolute highlight in my photographic career.
In dialogue with my highly esteemed colleague Klaus Mellenthin, I was able to talk about experiences and motivation for my international taxi project. It is the special atmosphere in taxis and people all over the world that fascinates me: A fleeting moment — only for a heartbeat — that is permanently captured in my pictures. It was precisely this fascination that I wanted to convey in this conversation.
Later I was allowed to have another Workshop for Leica guide. In the workshop, we focused on storytelling in photography: How do you manage to tell a whole story with just a few pictures? How do you get emotions across and create excitement — whether on the street, in the studio or in a taxi? The participants came with very different ideas and backgrounds, which made the exchange incredibly exciting for everyone.
Leica gave me the opportunity to dive deeper into this creative exchange, meet like-minded people from all over the world and gather new ideas for my TAXI project. I'm excited to see how the next chapters of my photographic journey develop — and I'm already looking forward to the next time in Arles.
