On our way to our holidaydestination we made a stop at the Beelitz Heilstätten, erected from 1898 on according to plans of architect Heino Schmieden. Originally designed as a sanatorium  by the Berlin workers’ health insurance corporation, the complex from the beginning of World War I on was a military hospital of the Imperial German Army. During October and November 1916, Adolf Hitler recuperated at Beelitz-Heilstätten after being wounded in the leg at the Battle of the Somme.

In 1945, Beelitz-Heilstätten was occupied by Soviet forces, and the complex remained a Soviet military hospital until 1995, well after the German reunification. In December 1990 Erich Honecker was admitted to Beelitz-Heilstätten after being forced to resign as the head of the East German government.

Following the Soviet withdrawal, attempts were made to privatize the complex, but they were not entirely successful. Some sections of the hospital remain in operation as a neurological rehabilitation center and as a center for research and care for victims of Parkinsons disease. The remainder of the complex, including the surgery, the psychiatric ward, and a rifle range, was abandoned in 2000. As of 2007, none of the abandoned hospital buildings or the surrounding area were secured, giving the area the feel of a ghost town. This has made Beelitz-Heilstätten a destination for curious visitors and a film set for movies like The Pianist from 2002. (Citation from Wikipedia)

If you want to explore Beelitz Heilstätten (Map) by yourself bring some time with you, because the area is really large. Weekends the ruins tend to be some kind of Disneyland for photographers. As we ate something at the Sechser Topp two photographers with models passed by for shootings in the area within twenty minutes.  So, if you don’t want to fall over some foreign tripod come on weekdays. A very nice hotel directly in the area is the Landhotel Gustav (try the asparagus if you come in the season) which once was a desinfectionbuilding.

I do changed my usual surroundings for a week, have a damn slow EDGE-connection to the Internet and I’m forbidden to do more than looking at my photos in full size…  I guess  this are holidays .

Last weekend my partner in crime,Thomas Adorff,  and myself headed to the north to join the seventh German Fetish Ball in Hamburg as Thomas had an exhibition of his photos as a part of the fair. It wasn’t the first time for Thomas and he always was very enthusiastic about the people and the party itself… Well, he was absolutely right!

During the few days in Hamburg I was introduced to a bunch of incredible lovely and interesting people. To name just a few… The french connection, the Xklusiv team with Perdita, Tempkin and Réne, Erik von Gutenberg, the lads and ladies of Très Bonjour, Susanne of Provoque… you all rock like hell

Before I dive into the three gigabyte of photos that I brought back from Hamburg I compiled some pictures from our roadtrip

Coming up: Photos from the designshows of Cyberesque (Germany), Engineers of Desire (United Kingdom), HMS latex (France), HW design (Austria), Naucler Design (Sweden) , a special Shibari-Show of KumiMonster (USA), shootingpics from Chesty von Ellem, Emily van Houten, Saba, Sister Sinister… stay tuned.

On the 18th of April we conduct another High-Class Fetish Fashion workshop in Karlsruhe, this time with Emily von Houten from Vienna. The combination of skin-tight latex, provided by the Fetish Label Ponyklau and large scale tattoos should offer some interesting photos.

The price of 149 Euros (VAT included) offers you a small group of people (max. 6),  the benefit of two trainers and enough time to realize your own ideas with the model.

The workshop is also suitable für studionovices. Please make sure that you can change aperture/time separately  (usually the M-Mode) on your camera and the body has a flashsocket or flashsync-node (for a cableconnection).

More workshops are coming up. Check my workshop page for details.

For all of you that will head there the first time or just bought a GPS/navigationsystem I listed last years venue adresses.

Agra: Bornaische Str. 210, Leipzig – Markkleeberg
Alte Börse: Böttchergäßchen 1
Anker: Knopstraße 1
Auerbachs Keller: Grimmaische Str. 2 – 4, Mädlerpassage
Buschfunk: Große Fleischergasse 19
Cinestar: Petersstr. 44, Petersbogen
Club Basement: Ritterstr. 44 – 48
Darkflower: Hainstr. 12 – 14
Distillery: Kurt-Eisner-Str. 108
Felsenkeller: Karl-Heine-Str. 32 / Zschochersche Str. 14
FHL-Club: Eichendorffstr. 14
Heidnisches Dorf: Bornaische Str. 210
Insel: Buttergasse 9, Leipzig – Großzschocher
Johannisfriedhof, Alter: Prager Str.
Kohlrabizirkus: An den Tierkliniken 42
Krystallpalast: Magazingasse 4
Krypta: Dr. Wilhelm-Külz Park / Prager Straße, Leipzig – Stötteritz
Kunstgeist: Oststraße 6
Moritzbastei: Universitätsstraße 9
Museum der bildenden Künste: Katharinenstr. 10
Oper: Augustusplatz 12
Passage Kinos: Hainstr. 19a
Peterskirche: Schletterstr. 5
Parkbühne: Clara-Zetkin-Park
Schauspielhaus: Bosestraße 1
Sixtina: Katharinenstr. 11, Sachsenplatz
Spiegelplalast: Pfaffendorfer Str. 29
Südfriedhof: Prager Straße
Sweat Club: Peterssteinweg 17
Telegraph: Dittrichring 18
Thomaskirche: Thomaskirchhof 18
Villa: Lessingstraße 7
Volkshaus: Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 32
Volkspalast/Kantine: Messehalle 16, Prager Straße 200
Volkspalast/Kuppelhalle: Messehalle 16, Prager Straße 200
Werk II/Halle A: Kochstraße 132, Leipzig – Connewitz
Zur Gruft: Raschwitzer Str. 1

My WGT photos from 2009:

• Südfriedhof Leipzig
• The bands
• Gothic Musical “Rappacinis Tochter”
• The people

On the 21st of March we will have another fetish fashion workshop with Ophelias Overdose. 4 hours for just 149 Euros (VAT included). The workshop will take place in Karlsruhe. For more details and application check out: workshops.beautyofabyss.com

Hurry, places are limited and half of them are already gone!

Model Lilian Liquid (Her sedcard @ modelkartei.de).

A happy and successful new year to everybody. BTW… snow sucks.

A few free days are coming up – enjoy them…

Merry Christmas to you!

I took them on the Wave Gotik Treffen 2009.

After the shooting is before the composing. For all photographers whose work isn’t completed after switching off the flash, Thomas Adorff and Stefan Thiel offer a full day workshop that combines shooting and photoshop postproduction.

The adorable model Loonacat will be transformed into a cyberwarrior of the next millennium by the professional make-up artist Claudia Heinzelman (references: “Equilibrium“, ” Resident evil 1“, “Enemy at the gates“). Futuristic implants, neuronal data links and heavy firearms are going to create a feeling of Hollywood at the photostudio.

In the first part of the workshop at the Mietstudio Karlsruhe each participant has enough time to work out his own posing ideas with the model. Photostudiobasics, like lightsetups and working with the model, will also be shown so that first-time studiousers can catch-up easily. The photos of this shootingsession are the raw material for the composing with Photoshop in the second part.

After the lunch break (included with the price) the second part of the workshop will be held in nearby conferencerooms. With the help of the technics used for the Shadowrun-calendar of Thomas Adorff, the participants will be introduced step-by-step into the Photoshop postproduction and composing.

Via beamer the steps that are essential for a professional composing will be shown, e.g. beauty retouching, inserting of backgrounds and the creation of an individual look. After each step the participants have enough time to use the shown technics on their own photos, help by the tutors will be available.

The day will end with the presentation and discussion of all works.

Date: 10.01.2010
Price: 195€
Model: Loonacat
Make-up artist: Claudia Heinzelman

Topics photostudio-part:
» two different lightsetups and their effect
» working with the model
» pose and construction of the photo
» and much more…

Topics postproduction/composing-part
» retouching
» backgrounds
» colors
» and much more…

Included:
» Lunch (delivery service), small snacks and non alocoholic drinks
» modelrelease which allows the photographer the free use of his photos
» model and make-up artist fee are compensated with the price of the workshop
» hires-backgrounds for free use (CD)
» two tutors always around
» documentation on CD

Location:
The first part starts at 9.00 at the Mietstudio Karlsruhe. The second part will be held in nearby conferencerooms, end approx. 18.00

Requirements:
» you know how to use your camera
» change of aperture/time must be possible
» flashsocket or flashsync via cable
» laptop with Photoshop

Sign up here.