HONEST. Advocate: Mathias Baumgart

Mathias Baumgart

Praktica MTL 5B; Film: Fuji Superia 200
Flugplatz Tempelhof - Berlin, Germany
March 2013

Mathias Baumgart is a 26 year-old photographer living and working in Vienna, Austria.
In his work he switches between exploring the digital image creation process, which the 21st century has brought us, and observing his direct surroundings with an old-fashioned analog camera.

Mathias is fascinated by the potential of abstraction in film photography. Using standard methods like framing, exposure control and the development process he creates images that refer to the world in the form of shapes, shadows and silhouettes.
In a sceptical approach Mathias questions the theory of photographs as objective reproductions. He tries to use new ways of seeing reality through a lens and on a flattened, composed and eventually manipulated picture – even without the need of modern post production tools.

Praktica MTL 5B; Film: Fuji Superia 200
Flugplatz Tempelhof - Berlin, Germany
March 2013

I like the grip and the textured look an analog photograph has - digital images often look too smooth. Working with “real” photographs, actually holding one in your hand after you’ve developed them has always been more pleasing for me.

The fact that I am limited to only 36 images has also helped me work more thoughtfully and to be more precise.
— Mathias Baumgart

Praktica MTL 5B; Film: Fuji Superia 200
Flugplatz Tempelhof - Berlin, Germany
March 2013