An interview with Christian ReisterAn interview with Christian Reister
copy right- Christsian Reister
RH: Who is Christian Reister? Christian Reister has been living and working in Berlin for almost 20 years. The city and its inhabitants are the main inspiration for his photographic work which sits somewhere between documentary, street, and portrait photography.
Copy right-Christain Reister- Berlin nights Planning
RH: What attracted and inspired you to your current documentary project? CR: My Berlin Nights series started when I switched from color to black/white photography around the year 2011. I chose film and simple point+shoot cameras and tried out a lot in the beginning. I always had the small cameras with me and took a lot of pictures at night. After a year or so I realized by looking at what I got, that this may be my “new project” and I focused more on my night photography.
RH:Can you talk us through the planning stage for your project? CR:There isn't much planning. I just had the camera with me wherever I went and took a lot of pictures. I had a wild mixture of documentary photography, city scapes, portraits, blurry abstract thing etc. The most creative part for me is always the editing process when I throw out tons of images to get the core and create a good series.
RH: Is there anything you wish you had done differently? CR: No. I may be doing things differently with other projects and series but it is always a learning by doing process and that's essential. I believe, you learn the most by making mistakes and not being afraid to fail.
Copy right-Christain Reister- Berlin nights Implementation and Completion
RH: How have you dealt with any challenges and difficulties within your project? CR: The series took many years and I was putting together several exhibitions and books with that imagery. When you are working such a long time with your own images, it is good to involve other people along the way. People whose work you like and who are better than you in different fields (designers, curators, publishers...)
RH: How long do your projects tend to take from start to finish? CR: Between 3 days to 10 years (and still going....)
Copy right-Christain Reister- Berlin nights Editing and Sequencing
RH: Do have several images to edit of one fleeting moment or do you have one well-constructed precise image that you have captured? CR: Both. And anything inbetween. It depends.
RH: Within the editing stages, have you felt the project has taken on a different narrative than first envisaged? CR: The project was always developping and changing, that's why I do it. It's all in flux. An like I said - there wasn't much planning anyway.
Copy right-Christain Reister- Berlin nights
Tips and hints
RH: What would you recommend for people starting their own photographic project? CR: Take your time! Good work takes years or decades. Try out a lot, make mistakes and learn from them. There is no need to hurry.
RH: Does the camera really matter? CR:You should be happy with your working tool, whatever it is. That matters I think.
RH: Any books you would recommend reading to get the creativity started? CR: It really depends on what project and style you are working on. I always learn a lot by looking at other people's work, exhibitions and books. The big names of course, but also the local scene, people working in other fields of art, underground stuff.
RH: Would you recommend attending photography workshops? CR: Yes. Especially in the beginning and at the hobby stage it can help you lot to learn from good teachers and to get to know like-minded photographers. If you take it more seriously you should look for long time seminars on photo schools. I had a 2 years course with Andres Rost and 2 years seminar with Ute Mahler/Ostkreuzschule Berlin about 15 years ago and I think I still profit from both. Both, photographically and personally. My links:
NEW BOOK:
Christian Reister - Berlin Nights
https://hoxtonminipress.com/products/berlin-nights
Copy right-Christain Reister- Berlin nights
Copy right-Christain Reister- Berlin nights Copy right-Christain Reister- Berlin nights Copy right-Christain Reister- Berlin nights Copy right-Christain Reister- Berlin nights
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