Portraits of Freedom, the project.

I find it difficult to put myself forward and express my opinion. It was easier for me when I was younger, and for many years I took on a leading role in various contexts. I was always more concerned with the cause itself than with my own wishes and needs. I always saw myself as part of a larger whole and believed that improving the world would also improve my own life. I was and still am an idealist.

My life has taught me many lessons, especially that there is no light without shadow and no simple truths. I have also learned that the viewer's perspective can make the same object appear different. 

In recent years, I have discovered photography as a means of expression. It allows me to share my perspective on people, nature, and things. The unique quality of photography is that each viewer interprets what they see in their own way. My goal is to create images that touch the viewer and have the power to change our reality for the better.

After taking my first steps in photography and developing a basic understanding of the technology, I began to realize my ideas visually. This year, I photographed the trilogy"CONTROL, ILLUSION, AUTONOMY – Three Mirrors of Self-Presentation." Since I enjoyed this project so much, I soon started looking for a new topic.

I wanted to continue focusing on portrait photography and drew inspiration from the current political situation for the following guiding principles:

• Many people believe that they are being cheated out of their present and future by those in power and their puppets, but feel helpless. That is why I wanted to show that there have always been people who have rebelled against the establishment and the prevailing circumstances and have at least contributed to improving them.
• History has always been written by victors and powerful figures, as developments in the United States, China, and the Russian Federation demonstrate. However, there are many other interpretations besides the prevailing one. In addition to the official heroes who created, defended, and increased the wealth of the few, there are also those who had the wealth of all in mind. I would like to commemorate these heroes.

In short, those in power are trying to rewrite the future and history by isolating us and making us believe that there are no alternatives to their plans for the future. Musk's attack on Wikipedia should be understood in this context. He is trying to replace this encyclopedia of knowledge, which is compiled according to publicly available rules by a community of independent editors, with his own alternative, compiled according to his specifications and those of his company.

After thinking about my idea for a while, I reached a point where I asked myself how far my specifications should go and how detailed I would need to be in developing my concept. In my previous shoots, I have found that a unique dynamic often develops between the model and the photographer, leading to unexpected results.

I decided to make the project as open as possible and wrote the following briefing, which I published on various channels. Here is an excerpt:

The aim of the project is to bring the idea of anarchism and its influential representatives back into the public consciousness—and to preserve their reputation. The set consists of a table with a chair, a portrait in a golden frame, and a black flag.


The project is open-ended: ideally, you will contribute your personality—through your pose, clothing, and your own props (e.g., books, symbols, text fragments, or objects from your everyday life).
 We build a visible bridge to the viewer—from you to the portrait: your gaze, your gesture, or a prop connects you to the person in the frame and invites the audience to follow this line.


AIDA principle: Attract attention, deepen interest, trigger desire, lead to action. Together—you as a model with your creativity and me as a photographer through composition and lighting—we create an image that captivates the viewer, arouses curiosity about the portrait and the idea of anarchism, and ideally triggers the desire to become part of the project yourself (e.g., with your own photo) and share the result.

Please choose a portrait of a famous anarchist from my website: https://www.living-free.de/13-portraits-der-freiheit/. I will have the portrait printed on canvas and it will become part of our set.

It would be great if you could answer the following questions in writing before the shoot:

1. What is your personal motivation for participating in this project, and what is your connection to anarchism?
2. Why did you choose this particular anarchist?
3. What is your personal wish for a better future?

I was surprised by the response, both in terms of quantity and quality. The first shots are in the can, and the next shoots are planned for January and February.