WHO?
My name is Birka Wiedmaier. After living for over 20 years abroad, we moved at the end of 2020 back to Germany, where I now live in Berlin. I discovered my love and passion for street photography while living in Moscow.
I came to street photography by accident. During my time in Moscow, I started taking photos on my walks. Over time, however, I had the feeling that the pictures were lifeless, which did not correspond to life in Moscow at all. So it happened that more and more people could be seen in my pictures. The images became vivid and I was so intrigued by the genre that I stuck with it.
WHAT?
I love to photograph people, their different expressions and gestures. I am fascinated by normal everyday scenes, preferably when people do not notice that I have photographed them.
WHEN?
I actually take pictures when I feel like it. I don’t really care what time of day or what day of the week it is. I don’t necessarily allow myself to be influenced by the weather either. You can find beautiful motifs anywhere and anytime.
WHERE?
As already mentioned, I lived in Moscow. There, the immediate city center and the Moscow Metro were particularly interesting. In Istanbul, where I lived for one year, I loved shooting on the ferries, in the markets and old streets. There was something new to discover everywhere. In Berlin I’m still in the process of finding my way around. I am sure with time I’ll find my favorite places there as well. I also love to take pictures while traveling, so, I pretty much like to photograph wherever I am.
WHY?
First and foremost, I take photos for myself; there is something meditative and calming about photography. I’m interested in people’s daily life; small everyday scenes in markets, in parks, in public transport, etc.
I find it exciting to observe people from different cultures; despite cultural differences, we are very similar as individuals. That’s what keeps me going.