Satellite Voices

Munich

Inside/Out: Daniel von Mitschke

September 28, 2011

City inspirations with the photographer who catches a stoical still life side of the Munich metropolis

• Text by Christine Bierhals

Daniel von Mitschke takes pictures of Munich. On his way through the city he meets skateborders from a scene he grew up with. He observes rows of houses that are entire inhabitated but look abandoned. The photographer documents Munich not by capturing the typical postcard Bavaria - the colourful cosiness people have in mind. In his series the city is a metropolis with all its facades and places, but untypical and never crowded. Daniel von Mitschke succeeds in transferring a certain stoical stillness in his pictures.

Satellite Voices: What’s your occupation?
Daniel von Mitschke: I'm a freelance web developer and a not-doing-this-for-a-living photographer.

SV: How did you come up with photography?
Daniel von Mitschke: Somehow I was always interested in taking pictures – let it be still or moving. It kind of started with skateboarding and always filming my friends and making small videos. This eventually led to photography. It then got more serious when digital photography became available, but I pretty fast left that road and went back to film and to non-skateboard-related motives.

SV: How do you describe your photography?
Daniel von Mitschke: That's hard to explain as I couldn't even answer this question to myself. I think it's a mix of landscapes, cityscapes, architecture and maybe a bit of documentary. And occasionally some skateboarding, of course.

SV: Where do you find your motives / locations / people?
Daniel von Mitschke: Usually I just get in my car and drive around until I find something that interests me, though I couldn't describe my criterias for that. It's just a feeling that I get when I see something. But it's not only about the pictures. It's also about the way that leads to them.

I grew up at Hirschgarten – a big park in Munich – until I was 10 and there was this really huge junkyard on the other end behind the park. We used to always struggle through the bushes, cut holes in the fence and climb down a two metre wall to get there and find some stuff. Kind of like a treasure hunt. Of course, one always had to pay attention not to get caught by anyone. When I look back that was a very exciting and amazing time. And I think I just want to be this kid again.

SV: Where do you live and what inspires you about that area of town?
Daniel von Mitschke: I live at Glockenbachviertel. For me this is a perfect trade off that is near to the river, near to everything I need to buy with quietness and also partying. A lot of my friends also live and / or work in the same area. So it's pretty funny and always good for a spontaneous drink.

SV: How long have you lived in your city and what brought you there?
Daniel von Mitschke: Born and raised.

SV: What does your city mean to you?
Daniel von Mitschke: Home sweet home.

SV: What can you find in Munich that you cant get anywhere else?
Daniel von Mitschke: Original Weisswürste... Haha. I don't know. Maybe it's this mix of a very high living standard, Bavarian serentiy, beautiful nature and a lot of culture. Though I wouldn't argue that you can't find a lot of these things in some other areas of the world. And of course that six million people who get totally wasted for two weeks every end of summer.