Anselm Kissel Berlin, Germany

Anselm Kissel

Anselm Kissel was chosen by photographer Wanda Orme

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Laatikkomo’s interview with Anselm Kissel May 1st, 2016

L:  Where are you from? Or what cities, and/or countries have you lived in – what places have influenced you?

AK: I’m from Germany. Before coming to Berlin I lived in Paris for 7 years where I started shooting reportages.
The 2 years before Ii moved to Paris I worked on ships and traveled around the whole world which influenced me a lot.

L:  What is your first memory of photography?

AK: My first photography memory I was about 10 years old. I toke pictures of my sister and brother with the minolta of my father in Spain. On slide film.

L: Apart from documentary and street photography you are also interested in portraiture and architectural photography. Are these three different ways of photographing or do you find that they are merely different facets of the same process?

AK: For me it’s the same way of taking pictures.
The classic architecture photography is a different kind of photography than documentary but today you can mix the styles and do architecture photography or food photography in different ways. Also in a documentary way.

L: Your images seem to be a collection, as an on-going series compiled over time. Do you have one all encompassing focus to your photography as a whole or is this a pleasant coincidence?

A: It always needs time, telling a story and showing the topic in my way of work and photography. And most of the reportages need a realy long time for preparation and getting in contact with the protagonist and asking for permissions….. .
Also if it’s quickly done I’m not unhappy.

L: Browsing through the images on your website, I noticed that almost every project is photographed in a different country however the differences are not always all that apparent. Are you purposely bringing the similarities of the pancontinental community together or has globalization really shrunk our cultural differences?

AK: Because I have a constant style in my images, it doesnt matter (not for the subject) in which country im taking photographs. It’s a unique and „globalised“ image you can say. What I’m not purposely directing. And yes, the globalization is the fact that each country is loosing a lot of there culture and character. Good for some peoples money.

L: Do you work on missions or what inspires you to photograph in a specific location? 

AK: The right and interesting location inspires me. The ambience and atmosphere in which i’m taking the photographs is very important for me. Sometimes I need to create these ambience in form of communication whith the protagonist but mostly it is the right atmosphere relating to the content of the reportage. Coincidence?

L:  Could you list 5 (or more) words that you were thinking about when you made this work (shown in Laatikkomo)?

AK:  God save the queen
I’m at the army now
If the ship go’s down you better be ready

Thank you so much Anselm!