Thomas Hackenberg

CANDID STREET HUMOR

Looking at his body of work, the author regarded a sense of humour standing out from many of his pictures. It was a surprising discovery, because at first he did not consciously notice what his eyes were already perceiving. He just did it, without the need for a theoretical decision to go out and try to capture something specific in the first place.
«Candid Street Humor» is a series that focuses on the humorous side of candid street photography. Wittiness plays a significant role in this series, and many of the pictures centre around the fun facts of life. It can be evident and explicit in some images, the “refreshing smartphone” for example, or implicit and a more subtle hint, like in the comic and angry look of a pissed woman.
The photographer likes playing with different layers and elements in his photographs, crafting pictures that pose questions rather than provide answers. Every image is candid, and nothing is staged or manipulated. Most of the times, elements may arrange autonomously in ordinary street scenes, and you could wait until all the components come together. And some of the times, it could even mean returning home with nothing in your hands.

—

—

THE PHOTOGRAPHER

Thomas Hackenberg is a German photographer, currently based in the German city of Braunschweig.
After a long break from his professional career in the language industry, he had lots of time to spend on photography again. Since 2011, he has never stopped going out on the streets, catching glimpses of street life. He sees himself as a flaneur, an observer-with-a-camera, trying to see things that others might not see. His daily goal is to make something out of nothing, and always find something special in the ordinary. What is more, he is a keen collector of photobooks. He places high value into exploring the work and pictures of as many different photographers as possible, seeing and understanding their approaches and photographic languages. Researching and studying the work and careers of other professionals in the field helped him to find his style and storytelling.
His photographs have been chosen in the final selection of several international competitions. He was a finalist in the Street Photography Category of the Siena International Photo Awards 2020, the Single Photograph category of London Street Photography Festival 2020, and the Streets of San Francisco category of StreetFoto San Francisco 2017.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER | FOLLOW EYESHOT ON INSTAGRAM