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Michael Schuh
@michaelschuh_
Photographer based in Germany
I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to explore the world. Growing up, I had this huge world map above my bed, and I would spend ages gazing at it. It was for children, so it had nice pictures, and the natural landscapes were drawn on. I explored these places in my head, and as I got older it only felt right to see them in person. Photography fits like a glove to traveling. To capture my own pictures of the world feels so satisfying. It gives me that nostalgic feeling of being my younger self again.
"That feeling hit its peak during a 4-month long trip across Asia with my wife."
Throughout our travels, nothing would distract me from creating, learning, and growing as an artist. We’ve traveled a lot through Europe, too. And don’t get me wrong, I loved it. I loved the Alps and Italy in particular. The warmth, the people, the landscape, and the food were all perfect. But what really changed me as a photographer wasn’t Italy or the Alps, it was that trip through Asia. We went to so many places- Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, and Myanmar. I got to practice and play around with my style, I gained new confidence. Before our journey, I already knew the basics and mechanics. I’d studied composition and color too.
"Theory is all well and good, but in the real world you realize what really stands out to you in a picture."
I became adept at lining up my shot so that the subjects in my pictures are at the best positions and angles, giving everything in the frame space to develop. I also started to understand the importance of good lighting, and the drastic impact it has on your image. Over time I got better at planning shoots, and making them a part of my routine. These are the sorts of habits you don’t learn from books – you need to try them out as part of your day-to-day life.
"I’ve developed my own distinct style now. I try to capture the emotions from the exact moment the photo is taken."
Those emotions are what stays with you, they are what tell the story. I tend not to interfere with my subjects too much, either. I try to capture them in their natural environment, the way I found them, whether this is on a hike, relaxing at the beach, or riding a motorbike. When you photograph people candidly, those pictures have an air of authenticity that makes them stand out.
If I do use props, I do so with the aim of creating a nostalgic feeling. A certain make of car or style of outfit. It doesn’t necessarily need to be old to be nostalgic, it just needs to have character. In that same vein, I edit my photos in the style of film photography, to achieve that timeless look. And finally, I tend to prefer simpler compositions.
If I had to choose a single photo that encapsulates all these things, it would probably be the picture of my wife walking up the hill at the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. It captures vividly my wife’s fascination with the breath-taking landscape. You can tell by her body language that she isn’t posing for the camera. She’s captivated by the view. It has that authenticity. The composition is simple and fits the scene perfectly. The light (and as a result, the editing) has that timeless film look that I adore.
A good example of that is our month in Bali. Of course, the Island is beautiful and has many incredible locations, but what I think about looking back on our time there are the trips around the island that we took on our scooter. Driving around at sunset, stopping somewhere to explore. These are the moments that stand out to me and stick in my mind. Another example of this effect is our more recent camping trip to the Passo di Valparola. The night sky filled with stars in the Italian Alps and it looked just like it would in a dream. In the morning it got even better, when the first rays of sunlight hit the mountain peaks. But this moment wouldn’t have felt so wonderful if the whole trip hadn’t been just as atmospheric.
"It was when we came home from the Asia trip that I finally gained the confidence to take the plunge into a freelance career."
Building a photography business from scratch during a pandemic is a little risky, to put it mildly. But earning money doing the thing I enjoy most is something I dreamed of for a very long time. That’s why I think it’s worth trying as long as I can. Before daring to take this step, my biggest challenge was simply trusting that my work would be good enough. I compared myself too much to other artists and got frustrated when I didn’t feel like I was making progress. But when I stopped comparing and following trends, I saw an immediate improvement. I created the work that I liked, not the work that was popular, so I naturally was more and more pleased with my images. I started to build on that foundation and only take the ideas I liked from the artists I’d compared myself to before.
"Sort of like a painter copying a master until they can recreate their style, then using it to create something new."
She’s always encouraging me to enhance my skills. She backed me up in making my plans and trusted my skills even when I didn’t believe in myself. Aside from my wife, my other sources of inspiration that I have to mention are Jared Chambers, Forest Mankins, and Samuel Elkins. Not only were they the first serious photographers I followed on Instagram, I think they also have such unique and inspiring styles.
To capture the simple beauty of a scene, sharing the moment so well that gives you an instant wanderlust. That is what creates a story through a picture.
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