Knock-Out Photos Everytime – Inside Bjørn’s Mind

Name: Bjørn (aka Mindcage, aka Nexion on deviantart)
Web site: Portfolio Site & Deviant Art Profile
Occupation: I learned to be an Offset Printer some time ago, but now am working as a Digital Media Designer and Digital Print Operator and in a print shop.
Country of residence: Germany
Photography background: In search of a new hobby I started with photography in the summer of 2008. In my job I am always working with design, photography, colors, shapes and all mediums which can be printed on paper. So, I wanted to start with photography myself and create my own creative visual world. I didn’t have any experience or background. I’ve started at zero, tried to come up with my own “style,” and always learned everything autodidactically. At first, I started to experiment with trendy HDR techniques, but quit after a year. I think I’ve found my own workflow now and I am quite satisfied with the results.

What do you think when composing a shot?

Most of my shots are taken on our urban-exploration (urbex) trips through Europe. The atmosphere within these locations is always very special and haunting. These places are full of strange motifs and the beauty of decay is always fascinating for all it’s different details. Every part is telling a different story and you can almost taste the history. I try to capture all these moods and feelings within my photographs.

Before I take a shot I have the finished picture in my mind already. I see it right before me and know if the final result will be monochromatic or color. With that mental picture, I start to compose the photograph, always open to interesting new perspectives which might have a bigger impact. I am always after very specific frames, and I don’t shoot anything which I know I will never use later on. More important than anything else, including technical equipment settings, is that the final image conveys the mood of the setting. I hope that the viewer will see the world through my eyes.