Photographer Spotlight: Bettina Kardell

A German street photographer who finds order in chaos, clarity in darkness, and geometry in everything she sees.

Bettina Kardell is a photographer based in Iserlohn, in the Nordrhein Westfalen region of Germany, who also spends time in Italy. She came to photography at the start of the pandemic in spring 2020 and found her way to street photography quickly, drawn to its spontaneity and its complete independence from planning. Her work is immediately recognizable. Minimalist, graphic, high contrast, and built around the geometry and structure of urban spaces.

She shoots with prime lenses, either 28mm or 35mm, and has been reaching more and more for a Leica Q3 Monochrom, a camera whose output matches her instincts precisely. Nothing distracts. Everything that matters stays. She is currently working on her first photo book, a project that has consumed her completely, and she writes about the process with the kind of excitement that suggests it will be worth waiting for. We asked her about her practice, her influences, and why her favorite photograph does not exist yet.

Here is our interview:

Artistic Style

What draws you to photography?

What fascintates me about photography is the opportunity to capture my perspective and viewpoints to record my surroundings and show them to others. Since I unfortunately can‘t draw and paint, I can express myself creatively through photography.

How would you describe your style in three words?

Minimalist, graphically, high contrast.

What subjects or scenes are you most drawn to?

I‘m most triggered by graphic scenes, geometric shapes and structures in urban spaces and mostly try to combine architecture and streetphotography. I always try to bring clarity and order to the scenes. Busy, cluttered images are not my favorites.

Is there a story behind your favorite photo?

My favorite photo doesn‘t exist yet.

What emotions do you try to capture in your work?

The emotions, I try to express with my photographs, are not consistent and depend on the specific situation. What’s important to me is that my photos convey something that touches the viewer.

Creative Process

What gear do you shoot with?

I always photograph with prime lenses, either 28 or 35 mm and I’m using a Leica Q3 monochrome more and more often because black and white give the images a certain clarity and expressiveness - nothing distracts. But it‘s also, of course, an esthetic statement.

How much do you plan vs. shoot spontaneously?

I photograph completely spontaneously; the only thing I plan is choosing a city or location. Everything else I leave to chance and that‘s precisely what fascinates me about streetphotography: the independence from weather or other conditions and the flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances: when the sun shines, I can create high contrast photos between light and shadow. If it rains, I work with reflections and refractions and if the weather is absolutely unsuitable, there is always the option of photographing indoors.

What’s one editing tool or trick that you use?

I shoot in RAW. However I try to work as precisely as possible while shooting in order to keep the editing process in Lightroom as minimal or short as possible.

Film or digital — and why?

I prefer digital because of its conveniences. The often cited calming effect of analog technology I already experience through digital photography.

What’s something you’re currently working on improving?

So far, I’ve only taken single photos with which I have participated in competitions, some of which were published in magazines or shown in exhibitions. But know I would like to work more complex or conceptual. Therefore, I‘ve chosen a certain topic for which I would like to publish a photo book. The pictures have already been taken, selected, edited and sequenced. Meanwhile, I‘m working on the layout, the texts and the appropriate typography. This entire process interests and exites me greatly and I‘m curious to see, if I will bring this project to a convincing result!

Inspiration 

Who or what inspires your photography?

When I started taking photographs (during the pandemic in my own garden) of flowers, plants etc., I always tried to depict something particularly beautiful and esthetic. Nothing has changed in that, respect only the choice of subject matter. I neither have a socially critical approach to photography nor do I try to convey certain convictions. I would describe it more of Fine Art Photography.

Any photographers or artists that influenced your style?

I really enjoy browsing photo books, especially those by Saul Leiter, Alex Webb, Vivian Maier, Peter Lindbergh and the German Photo Journalist Robert Lebeck. In addition, I visit art museums, galleries and exhibitions and observe the world with open eyes; all of this inspires me.

What’s one non-photography source that fuels your creativity?

Other sources that fuels me much are music and film.

If you would like to see more of Bettinas work you can find her on foto @bettinakardell or on her website www.bettinakardell-fotografie.de/