by Yvette Depaepe
Published the 4^th of July 2022

Stephan Rückert  loves Architecture minimalism and graphical photography. He explores the world around him and always strives to discover new structures and shapes, people and their natural surroundings.  He captures everything he found interesting and – in a certain way – shapes it.  He is fascinated by details and his goal is to reduce them to the essence.  Let's learn more about Stephan through this interview... Enjoy!

"elegant curve“

Like many here at 1x, I'm a photo amateur. My professional career as a teacher and head of a school has ended since 2018. Heilbronn, located in Baden-Württemberg, is my home town and is surrounded by beautiful vineyards. The city offers a high quality of life for its citizens. Since this year, I am in charge of the local photo club, trying to promote the exchange of photographic experiences, techniques and digital skills. Bring a photo club member has strongly affected my own abilities and I can only advise to join such an inspiring community.

Today, photography has almost become a profession for me as I spend so much time on this hobby, which I have been pursuing increasingly intensive since 2012. During my professional career, there was not much time left for photographing. But since my retirement, I have been involved in photography almost every day. I like to collect motifs from my immediate surroundings, my home town Heilbronn, as well as big cities like Berlin or Frankfurt. At home, I experiment with the digital tools of my editing software with the same intensity.

A technically clean and perfect representation that objectively corresponds to reality is the side of photography that I am constantly working on. The other and, in my opinion, increasingly important side of photography is the communication of one's own subjective perception through the subsequent processing of the composition.

"Between the giants“

Andreas Feininger already quoted: "By imaginatively using the creative sides of photography, a photographer can lead us to previously unnoticed beauties." He related this statement to the technical possibilities of analogue photography and spoke of exposure time, aperture, colour and perspective.

Today, however, digital image processing opens up far more possibilities to convert photographs into images that express exactly what we photographers have in mind. I try to discover exactly these possibilities and I have to determine that they seem to be almost limitless. 

"Facade abstraction“

Originally, I came to photography through videography. I have acquired my knowledge self-taught, by reading photo books and by looking at an infinite number of pictures of other photographers. Professor Harald Mante's thoughts on image design have particularly influenced me. His works, which are characterized by perfectly designed minimalism, inspired me.

"Staircase Banister“ 

Architecture, a few details in a façade, lines and structures, the meaning of which is often not immediately visible, attract me just as magically as ordered surfaces and colour combinations. 

"red & green“

I acquire my enthusiasm for photography through the interaction with other photographers, through exhibitions or photo tours and through the work in the Photo Club Heilbronn where I always find motifs and motivation. Through self-critical consideration of my own work and new developments in digital photography, I am constantly making progress and finding new challenges.

Anyone can take pictures these days. Composing images that captivate the viewer and to stand out from the mass of technically good images one has to work hard.

"Shopping-Mall“

I've always been very tech-savvy. Technology was also one of my subjects at the university. In the craft in general, as well as in the construction technology, a certain order is required in the work, as well as in the design. Architecture impresses me by the structures and colours. In architectural photography, I rarely show complete buildings, but I am always looking for details and unusual or regular compilations of communicating lines and shapes. These lines and surfaces can be real or shadows. The inclusion of objects from the environment also plays a crucial role in my pictures again and again.

As I become increasingly involved with a building, I often discover many things that other people do not even notice. That's why I often spend a very long time in the vicinity of a building, walking up and down several times, looking at it and exploring it. I often visit the same building several times to study it's shape in different lighting conditions and always discover new motifs in it.

"Colourful Facade“

My graphic, architectural and minimalistic pictures don't really tell stories. It is about perception of form, colours and generally about optical stimuli.

Technical perfection is always important. It is part of the craft. Even images that look blurry at first glance should be technically perfect. I don't really leave anything to chance.

"Station MUSEUMSINSEL“

I tend more and more to carry as little equipment as possible. Almost always I have my small Sony RX100 with 24-200mm (based on full frame) with me. With its 1-inch sensor, this camera can master almost any situation to my satisfaction.  And it almost fits in every pocket. Then, depending on the project, I use a Nikon D750 and I have several mirror less Sony cameras with APS-C sensor and interchangeable lenses.

Lately, I also like to shoot with the DJI mini drone. This is double fun - flying and taking pictures.

I work exclusively with LrC and PS. I often jump back and forth between the two programs.

To improve the workflow I have a Loupedeck CT console in use. This allows faster work with repetitive actions in LrC and PS and can also support other programs.

"U5 Station Berlin“

My advice on architectural photography is this: take your time and study the building. Breathe in the surroundings and let everything work on you in peace. Leave enough space around the selected motif. If the section is too narrow when taking pictures, it becomes more difficult to edit the photo at home. By aligning the lines and equalizing, space is lost.

About my favourite photos, that's a hard one. Usually my current works are on the foreground. But of course, I have pictures that I'm particularly proud of.

“Minigolf minimalist”

“Hello, your future looks shitty!”

“Lightpath”

“On the role”

“Shadowlight”

                              "Poppies by the wayside“                    

My favourite photographers or mentors whose work has influenced my photography are:

Andreas Feininger; Prof. Harald Mante; René Groebeli.

I would like to photograph people more intensively and take street photos. Unfortunately, I let the GDPR stop me too much from doing so.

To end this interview, I would like to say that 1x is a wonderful platform to me, making my pictures accessible to a wider public. At the same time, 1X is an endlessly bubbling source of inspiration.

Stephan Rückert

https://portfolio.fotocommunity.de/lastsamsons-sammlung