Sebastian Franke

My name is Sebastian Franke, I am a filmmaker and photographer from Leipzig/ Germany. I was already very enthusiastic about photography as a child and teenager. I started to take photography seriously with the first films I shot. Analogue photography in particular is very helpful in teaching your eyes for film projects as well, in order to capture a scene, a moment in a certain and aesthetic way. Communication and finding a common film language with the cameraman on a film set or for a documentary film is less complicated if you have a reasonably good understanding of composing an image, shot sizes, perspectives, focal lengths, etc. I am currently preparing a documentary film project with a cameraman. For the development of the visual concept, my knowledge of photography is very helpful for the numerous talks between the cameraman and me. In my photographic work I am focused on people. For my photo documentaries, I am always looking for stories of strong personalities whose inner character touches me and reveals the complexity of human nature. I often meet people who, in a certain way, show me a deeper view of human togetherness in a way I have not seen before. For my long-term photo project about the drag scene in Eastern Europe, it is so interesting to have a look to the people behind the drag characters. Then I photograph quite often people from the queer scene. I always try to treat people with respect in front of the camera. And the trust that builds up between me and my protagonists allows me to get very close to these interesting personalities and to photograph them. For my photographs, always on film, I never use additional light sources, reflectors or anything else. For my shots, I always let myself be guided by the natural surroundings of my protagonists. For both colour and black-and-white photography, my pictures are very much characterised by light, shadows and contrasts, and I use the available light conditions and see how I can use the space around me and the lighting conditions photographically for my shots. Of course, working in this way has its special charm, as you have to adjust to a completely new light and colour situation for every photo shoot, which you can only influence indirectly. You learn something new every time.

Instagram: @sfotoanalog