James Fancourt chats to ‘urban topography’ photographer Markus Lehr…

Markus Lehr is a Berlin-based photographer whose work focuses on urban and industrial topography. Ranging from the gravel pits near Berlin to the steel mining industry in the Ruhr, his photography tells a story of the way that humans shape and change our environments, yet without focusing on images of people themselves.

What first got you interested in photography?

When I was 16 or 17 I was allowed into the dark room of my father’s photo club and that opened up a whole new and exciting world. Around that time I also watched Antonioni’s movie Blow Up for the first time. I remember I found that photographer’s life incredibly sexy and cool and there was another darkroom playing an important role…

Did you study photography formally, and if so where?

I studied communication at the Berlin University of Arts and that included a bit of photography as well, but basically I learned it myself by trial and error.

What is it about Berlin that you love in terms of photography locations?

The layers of history and the side-by-side situation of the former political blocs. If you travel through Berlin today and look close enough you can still experience the former border between the East and the West: the architecture changes, the traffic signals for pedestrians look different and the streetlights change in colour quality. The latter you can even see from space. Another aspect is the speed of change. A location you capture one day might look totally different the next time you pass by. It stays interesting.

What are the most challenging things about photographing in Berlin?

Chaotic architecture. It’s one single big construction site. Berlin is a mix of different influences. Balancing the particular parts in a composition. On one hand I like that but on the other it is a real challenge to make your way through that jungle and find a meaningful voice.

One of the most striking aspects of your images is the lighting. What would you say is your favourite time to shoot and why?

Towards midnight when usually crowded places get calm and quiet. This atmosphere helps me to find perspectives which otherwise would be lost in the noise and movement. The other side of night shooting is the amount of control you have over the light. I am usually working very slowly and compose my frame around a scene and the available light.