Volker Birke

profile

representation

Portrait

Most appreciated work

Members choice

personal data


Account type	PREMIUM - Unlimited
Subscribed since	May 2, 2011 at 11:26pm
Account expire	Aug 16, 2012 at 11:44pm, in 91 days 8h
Profile viewed by members	7634 times
Profile viewed by visitors	7600 times
Overall creations seen	745156 times
Received comments	1558
Sent comments	3025
In the forums	0 message
Followed by	215 persons [ Who? ]
Invitations	0 person


Artist	Volker Birke
Gender	Male
Age	49 years old
Status	Semi-professional photographer
Country	Germany
RSS Volker Birke

Information

Landscape photography has always been my favorite subject (viewing landscape paintings also, especially paintings from the German landscape painter Caspar David Friedrich created in the late 18th and early 19th century), however I do like a lot of other genres in photography, such as street photography, very much as well.

Among a variety of other excellent photographers, I like the photos of Jean Guichard, Alain Briot, Harald Mante, Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Andreas Feininger.

Took my first shot using an Agfa Box at the age of around 10, a bit later I used a Zeiss Nettar and Zeiss Ikon, a Yashica FX-1 from the 70ties on. Today, I frequently employ Canon DSLRs and some Canon L lenses, filters etc. Love my EOS 5D which delivers images of outstanding quality IMO.

True to this day (for myself):

"I'm learning to see. I don't know what it's about, but everything is
entering me at a deeper level and doesn't stop where it used to.
There's a place within me that I wasn't aware of. What's going on
there I don't know."
(Rainer Maria Rilke)

"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed."
(Albert Einstein)

According to the Professor of Photography Harald Mante, once I learnt: any image can be evaluated at two different levels: firstly, regarding content and message (rational recognition and emotional reaction) and, secondly, quality of composition / design (including arrangement and color management). A content of an image is chiefly evaluated by the viewer whether it delivers a certain information content and according to his / her interest in this information. In order to generate / get good image contents experience and / or chances (also sheer coincidences) and / or good concepts comprising creative / original ideas are required. It is remarkable that image contents can even be recognized if there is a poor technique and composition to be found merely. Therefore, a good technique and compo is primarily required to facilitate and support the recognition process.

I especially like photos where content and message generate a strong rational recognition and also emotional reaction - for instance, if a special perspective and situation can prompt a couple of questions. If a certain information content is conveyed by a photo, may be not completely, then it attracts in a manner that I'm not only interested in this information but in getting more, that is, thoughts are being generated while viewing what could have happened exactly, simply, to get the full story. In conclusion, I especially like images provoking at a higher degree curiosity, which is very often important to an excellent photo.