Spotlight
Oliver Stegmann Portfolio Contest Winner
Words: Dean Brierly
Candles, Bahia, Brazil, 2015
No matter where his travels take him—India, Mexico, Cuba, Brazil—Oliver Stegmann has a knack for fitting into disparate environments, earning the trust of his subjects and capturing images of uncommon depth, insight and empathy. Influenced initially by classic documentary photographers, he started to develop his own visual imprint when he realized that it wasn’t enough to just create a series of images to describe a place or event. Each photograph had to be strong and interesting enough to stand on its own.
“I asked myself why I liked particular images and what they have in common,” he explains. “I figured out that it always came down to a surprise, a question, an uncertainty. It can be a look, a single element, a subject that doesn’t fit its surroundings. The not-so-obvious, not-so-clear pictures are the most interesting ones to me.”
While this ambiguity manifests in many of Stegmann’s photographs, that’s not to say that they don’t tell stories, merely that they tend to be open-ended narratives that can go in multivalent directions. What’s unmistakable is the strong sense of community and commonality Stegmann evokes in his work, which is one reason he likes to photograph rituals.
“I asked myself why I liked particular images and what they have in common,” he explains. “I figured out that it always came down to a surprise, a question, an uncertainty. It can be a look, a single element, a subject that doesn’t fit its surroundings. The not-so-obvious, not-so-clear pictures are the most interesting ones to me.”
While this ambiguity manifests in many of Stegmann’s photographs, that’s not to say that they don’t tell stories, merely that they tend to be open-ended narratives that can go in multivalent directions. What’s unmistakable is the strong sense of community and commonality Stegmann evokes in his work, which is one reason he likes to photograph rituals.
Swirling, Bahia, Brazil, 2015
“Although you can find rituals all over the world and they have certain aspects in common—they usually follow strict rules and processes—they are a good representation of the culture of a particular place and its people. Rituals ask and symbolize the basic questions of human existence. Rituals help people handle complex life situations. Rituals are very exciting and have become a thread connecting much of my work.”
Stegmann possessed a keen sense of curiosity as a child and developed a love of travel from an early age. He feels it is important to have some sort of connection to the places and people he photographs; he always arrives in a different country with some idea of what he wants to document based on research into events, ceremonies and other types of social gatherings. Although he’s an obvious outsider in some countries, he finds ways to allay potential mistrust.
“It depends on the situation,” he says. “Often there is the language barrier. If you cannot communicate verbally, the time spent with people is automatically reduced. However, establishing trust so that you can take pictures does not always require verbal communication. A smile or a look or sign language can do the job. The longer you stay and the more interest you show, the more access you get. Good pictures happen when people no longer pay attention to you. In most cases, it’s a kind of collaboration between the subjects and me.”
Stegmann possessed a keen sense of curiosity as a child and developed a love of travel from an early age. He feels it is important to have some sort of connection to the places and people he photographs; he always arrives in a different country with some idea of what he wants to document based on research into events, ceremonies and other types of social gatherings. Although he’s an obvious outsider in some countries, he finds ways to allay potential mistrust.
“It depends on the situation,” he says. “Often there is the language barrier. If you cannot communicate verbally, the time spent with people is automatically reduced. However, establishing trust so that you can take pictures does not always require verbal communication. A smile or a look or sign language can do the job. The longer you stay and the more interest you show, the more access you get. Good pictures happen when people no longer pay attention to you. In most cases, it’s a kind of collaboration between the subjects and me.”
Getting Prepared, Bahia, Brazil, 2015
Stegmann is thus able to capture interpersonal drama (“O Capitão”), complex social groupings (“Keep on Watching”), private reverie (“Swirling”) and unusual visual perspectives (“Candles”)—the latter taken in Bahia during the festivities for Yemanja, the goddess of the sea. “Before sunrise, worshippers pay homage to her by lighting candles at the beach. When the sun is out, they throw flowers and other gifts into the sea and pray for her. I liked the naked feet, the white dresses and the candles—they almost form an entity. This particular framing makes the photo more mysterious than if I had also included their faces.”
Born in Basel, Switzerland, Stegmann took what he calls his first “serious pictures” at the age of 18. Although he graduated college with an economics degree and works in the upper levels of the automotive industry, he has dedicated himself to documentary and street photography in his spare time. He continually strives to improve his skills, and has participated in workshops by the likes of Mary Ellen Mark, Ernesto Bazan and Anders Petersen. He found the latter to be particularly inspirational.
“I met Anders in 2009 and took a workshop with him in 2016. It’s very interesting to learn how he makes contact with his subjects. In his workshops, he challenges you to break out of your comfort zone and enter ‘new doors.’ It’s about being in touching distance with your subjects when you photograph them and being able to reveal what’s behind the mask.
Born in Basel, Switzerland, Stegmann took what he calls his first “serious pictures” at the age of 18. Although he graduated college with an economics degree and works in the upper levels of the automotive industry, he has dedicated himself to documentary and street photography in his spare time. He continually strives to improve his skills, and has participated in workshops by the likes of Mary Ellen Mark, Ernesto Bazan and Anders Petersen. He found the latter to be particularly inspirational.
“I met Anders in 2009 and took a workshop with him in 2016. It’s very interesting to learn how he makes contact with his subjects. In his workshops, he challenges you to break out of your comfort zone and enter ‘new doors.’ It’s about being in touching distance with your subjects when you photograph them and being able to reveal what’s behind the mask.
O Capitão, Bahia, Brazil, 2015
Fact File
_Oliver Stegmann
Bachenbülach, Switzerland_
_oliverstegmann.com
_Oliver Stegmann
Bachenbülach, Switzerland_
_oliverstegmann.com
ostegamann@hispeed.ch_
Prints on Crane Museo Silver Rag fine art paper are available at 13 × 19 inches for $300, and 17 × 22 inches for $400.
Prints on Crane Museo Silver Rag fine art paper are available at 13 × 19 inches for $300, and 17 × 22 inches for $400.