Face of the Island: Photographer Henry Böhm

Magazine
Photographer Henry Böhm
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12.05.2020, Usedom Tourismus GmbH

At age 14, he bought his first camera, and photography has been a passion of his ever since. Four years ago, Henry Böhm finally turned it into a career and opened his own gallery on Usedom in 2020. In this interview, he reveals the best photo hotspots and explains why he always carries a portable printer with him when he travels.

Extraordinary Scenes on Usedom

Mr. Böhm, do you still remember the moment you held your first camera in your hands?

Yes, I do. After receiving the famous “fortune” in money as a gift for my youth initiation ceremony, I had to decide whether to buy a moped or a camera with it. In the end, I chose the camera. Back then, at age 14, I bought a Praktica and then proudly hiked out to Lake Gothen to take my first pictures.

So you could say that Usedom was your first photographic subject?!

That’s exactly right.

What fascinates you so much about photography that you made it your career?

The fascination lies in the different perspective, in that introspective quality. Because the moment you look through the camera’s viewfinder, you’re transported into another world. You block out a lot of what’s going on around you, and that sharpens your eye for what’s essential. When you really immerse yourself in photography, you discover many things you no longer even notice in everyday life. I also enjoy being out on my own with my camera, discovering cities or nature. You develop a connection between yourself and your camera and let the surroundings work their magic on you.
When I first started photography, digital cameras didn’t exist yet. Back then, I sent my color photos out to be developed, and I developed the black-and-white photos myself in Heringsdorf. I didn’t make photography my full-time profession until four years ago. Since then, I haven’t done anything else. Before that, for example, I ran a restaurant.

The Crucial Question: Analog or Digital

What was the transition from analog to digital photography like for you?

I resisted digital photography for a very long time. Analog photography is a completely different kind of photography, one characterized by a slower pace. These days, people are quick to press the shutter button. Storage media costs nothing and is virtually unlimited. So people take ten shots of the same subject, which is complete nonsense.
My motto is: Think beforehand about what you actually want to photograph. So before I take a shot, I think carefully about what I want to convey and what message the finished image should convey. With this forethought, you can limit the number of shots to two, three, or maybe four per subject. My photos are also hardly ever edited. If you understand how the various components—such as aperture, shutter speed, and ISO—work together, you don’t necessarily need to touch up your images in Photoshop. After all, I also want to capture the mood exactly as it is.
At first, I tried to use both analog and digital, but that was too time-consuming. Since I traveled a lot around the world, it ultimately came down to the equipment I had to carry around. That’s why I ended up putting my analog camera away pretty quickly.

What do you like to photograph most, and why? People, landscapes, architecture?

I love photographing street art in cities the most. So I capture those unobserved moments with my camera. On my travels, I mainly photograph people, cultures, and everything off the beaten path. I also find modern architecture fascinating. Here on Usedom, I spend a lot of time out in nature and do abstract photography. Gestural images are a personal passion of mine. To achieve this, I play with the aperture and shutter speed so that the final result features motion blur and similar effects.

How would you describe your photographic style?

Honest. Honest photography, without editing. I also sometimes photograph unattractive corners of life that are part of everyday existence, and I’m not afraid to capture social injustices through my lens. I don’t always want to just have the idealized photo.

View of a Lake
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Usedom, with its beautiful spots, is a hotspot for photographers

Why is Usedom a mecca for photographers?

Because you can go to the same spot at the same time every day and still get a different photo every time. That’s thanks to the varying weather conditions and lighting. Here on Usedom, there’s an incredibly wide spectrum of light, which is very interesting for photographers. Thanks to the sea and the Achterwasser, you have this vast expanse up here that you don’t find in cities.

Do you have any insider tips for vacationers? What are some great subjects to photograph on the island?

Definitely the beach. You can discover so many things here if you actively look for subjects. There are beach chairs, piers, fishing boats, sunrises, and much more. Everything has its own charm. But the inland areas are also worth a visit for photographers. You can also photograph the sunset there.

These days, everyone always has a camera with them—at least on their smartphone. And everyone takes pictures. In an age when we’re constantly pressing the shutter button, what makes a good photo?

You can recognize a good photo by the fact that it catches your eye when you’re scrolling through your Facebook timeline or elsewhere. This photo has something that fascinates and captivates you. For me, a good photo has to make a statement and express something. And I really enjoy bringing out the details that many people don’t even notice anymore.

Photograph of Waves
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Can I also take photography lessons with you?

I offer photography courses in which my main focus is on teaching people the art of unhurried photography. It’s less about the technical aspects and more about finding the right subject. Class sizes are limited to two or three people, which makes the experience much more personalized for the participants. The idea for this special photography course came about in collaboration with the Hotel Ostseeblick, whose rooms I had the privilege of decorating with my photos.

What has been your most extraordinary experience while taking photos so far?

When we were in India and really just wanted to photograph a few camels on a street, six children came running toward us—the “white-nosed” foreigners—and were absolutely thrilled. At some point, we saw a woman standing in the background in a bast hut, waving the children back home. But even after they were all back home, she kept waving. She was waving at us. So we went over.
Inside the hut, I showed the children the photos on the screen. I had the feeling that this was the first time they’d ever seen themselves like that. It was a truly moving moment.
The people, who really had nothing, were very hospitable to us. And they even shared the little they had with us. Unfortunately, this was one of the Indian families who didn’t speak English. We could only communicate with gestures, but it was still a truly beautiful moment. I would have loved to send them the photos, but unfortunately they didn’t have a mailing address or an email address. Because of this experience, I bought a portable printer so I can print photos right there on the spot and hand them to people.

What are your plans for the future?

Starting April 9, 2020, there will be a joint photo gallery by me and my friend and colleague Ralf Klinkhammer across from the Heringsdorf pier—the Usedomgalerie Fotoart . Here, you can admire and purchase almost exclusively Usedom photos in various styles. The gallery, which is fully accessible, is open at least three days a week; in the summer, it will certainly be open daily.

And what’s your very own favorite spot on Usedom? Where do you go to unwind and relax?

Definitely the Achterland—Lieper Winkel, for example. There are so many quiet spots, swimming spots, and little villages there. All away from the tourist crowds.

Thank you very much for the interview!

Mr. Koprek conducted the interview on behalf of SEM SEO GmbH for usedom.de on March 12, 2020.

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