Looking back to 2021

Looking back to 2021

Last year my review of the year was a bit frugal. It was almost only about Corona. 2021 wasn't that much different and felt a bit like a year to forget. Actually, my annual review is therefore more of a look back at the fourth quarter of 2021. But at least that was special.

 

I'm sitting in a café right now and I'm drinking a courtado. The sky is clear and the sea laps gently in the background. Besides that it's very quiet here. I only wear a t-shirt and feel very comfortable at 23 degrees Celsius outside temperature. The place for writing and end of the year article couldn't be nicer than this, I guess.

Me waiting at FRA early in the morning

Back on track

I flew again — for the first time in 23 months. It's December 14th, 2021 and I've just successfully completed three productions in Tenerife. They have been long and tough days, but it felt so good to finally be able to go back to work. I drove almost 700km around the island and mastered roads with a 28% gradient and a meager 2.50m width.

Finally sunshine
A steep road

 

 

 

 

It's a wrap

All models have appeared, which is not self-evident in times of daily changing regulations. My planning and preparations for the shoots were good. The styling suited all the girls and they looked gorgeous.

Everything was very harmonious and the models even liked the food I cooked. It was an enriching time for me! I felt alive again.

In total, I have produced around 290 GB of data. There is a lot of work waiting for me when I get home.

The pandemic was (and unfortunately still is) a really shitty time.

Planning was hardly possible until the summer. Some shootings were canceled a few times because the rules suddenly changed. For example, it was suddenly no longer possible for models to enter the country as they had the wrong vaccine — Sputnik was not recognized in the EU.

Another time, a model has a positive PCR test and couldn't come to the shoot. To be honest, I was happy about the testing as I was not vaccinated back then.

Due to the chaotic structures in Germany, I was only allowed to be vaccinated in August. And so the months before that practically just splashed past me. Of course, I also worked in the middle of the year, each time with a Corona test before the shoot.

But it's not as trouble-free as it sounds, because actually I'm trying to create an intimate mood with an unknown woman in just a few hours and with the virus as topic number 1, this is not so easy.

So I was even more excited about my Playboy releases in April and August. Those were both productions from 2020 and it's always nice to finally see the photos in print and to be able to talk about them.

Playboy April 2021
Playboy August 2021

My art work "Entrance to the Forest" had been a complete success. That really got me excited and also helped a bit through these difficult times. I would like to thank all buyers.

My photo art

Also thanks to all buyers of my calendar, which was sold out within only four days this year. For 2023 I would like to consider accepting pre-orders. I had to disappoint too many people this year because they would have liked to have a calendar but I ran out of copies so quickly.

After I got my second jab, I thought, now life is starting again and Corona is over, so to speak. As we all know, this is unfortunately not the case. But somehow I had to work again.

Paris

I made my first trip to Paris in November. I was there for the Paris Photo Fair and directly combined it with two shoots and a visit to a vernissage. The fair is always interesting because it gives a good overview of what is going on in the art market. Somehow it's a shame that the fair takes place in November. Because Paris is just as ugly in November as Frankfurt. Wet, cold and dark. Just disgusting.

Reflection on art
Mixed feelings in Paris

Every time I arrive in Paris, I also have the feeling that the city is a little further neglected. More criminals on the streets, more elbow society. Maybe it's simply because I'm getting older, but it means to me that the city is becoming less attractive. It's too loud, too hectic and no longer a place to feel good at.

Not to mention the terrible prices. The price-performance ratio is simply no longer ok. Paris has never been cheap, but when a 0.33l beer costs 7.50 EUR, I feel ridiculed.

Not thirsty anymore
Beauty of nature

This year I had enough time to think about life, quality of life and my future. It has now become clear to me that light plays the most important role in my work life.

I just can't cope with the darkness in Germany in winter. The seasons are also apparently not distributed fairly. We have about 7 months of bad weather in Germany and only the remaining five months from May to September are good for me.

The only thing that Frankfurt can really score with is the transport links in the center of Europe. It's easy to get away from here. No matter whether by train, car or plane.

I don't yet know how exactly I can get my work life going again. I will probably have to wait a little longer until the pandemic situation calms down further. But I finally have goals and dreams again and I will work towards them.

Now, 2021 is over and somehow I'm more happy about it than usually.

I wish you all all the best for 2022. I said it last year and I just repeat myself again: Next year can only get better! To a great 2022!

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