Photography between presence and resonance

Hello,

I am Thomas Berlin. Based near Frankfurt am Main, Germany, I am a portrait and fine art photographer with international exhibition experience, as well as a photobook author and host of creative talks.

The human being stands at the heart of my visual work. Moving between authentic and staged representations, I aim to capture closeness, intensity, dignity and fragility. Essential to me are freedom of expression, sensitivity and respect for the people in front of my camera.

Because our experiences and values are unique, viewers create their own emotions and stories when engaging with my work – and I deeply value this diversity. I do not engage in rigid genre categorisation, nor in the division between clothed and unclothed portraits. To separate them would elevate nudity to a genre of its own and foster false expectations, from sensationalism to voyeurism. For me, nudity is not a theme in itself, but one of many expressive elements within my visual language.

Ideally, the entire creative process is completed through interaction between the subject, the photographer and the viewer when encountering the printed image in the form of a print or photobook. While digital forms of presentation, such as websites and social media, are necessary, I reserve my best works for books and prints, as these provide the framework that best reflects my vision.

Photobooks are works of art in their own right. The rhythm, sequence and materiality of the images create their own narrative. With my first published book, On Every New Day, which has now sold out, I experienced first-hand the powerful impact of this medium in making images not only visible, but truly experiential. Please subscribe to the newsletter to receive information about my new photo books.

My approach to photography is intuitive, with a free choice of subject and independence of process. Photography is my passion, but not my profession. This is why I don't accept commissions, preferring to devote myself entirely to my own projects.