Biography
- Karl was born on June 13th, 1865 and died on December 9th, 1932. He was a Photographer, sculptor, and artist who focused on close-up and detailed shots of plants and living things.
- He spent much of his childhood in the Harz Mountains of Central Germany. He got an apprenticeship in sculpturing in addition to iron casting at the Art Ironworks and Foundry in Madesrung. After he began his studies in the institute of Royal Arts Museums in Berlin, working to a Scholarship. It was at this time he started collecting plants to use for models for drawing classes, eventually seeking these same forms to use as subject for his pursuit in photography.
- He is remembered today for his close-up, detailed shots of living things, predominantly plants. His distinctive style of magnified images of subjects against stark, or natural backgrounds was very unique for his time. "Nature educates us into beauty and inwardness and is a source of the most noble pleasure" - karl
- His pictures consisted of buds, pods, twigs, seeds, tendrils and other abstract parts of plants that are amplified to empathise their details and features. Karl made his own cameras with specific purpose of taking detailed, textured close up pictures to 30 times the original size, which was very impressive and innovative at the time.
How this photographer assisted me in my calling to the camera!
- I like karl's work as he examines things that usually get overlooked. His work incorporated detail, texture and elegance. It was how he composed his shots so simply, while at the same time with so much thought and design, that really caught my attention. In addition, when he realised that his work would require higher magnification for his pictures, he decided to make his own home-made cameras. This shows me that when he is faced with a problem he finds a creative solution out of his own intuition. This inspires me to pursue the things I want to do in photography and shows me that anything can be accomplished if you put your mind to it. This led me to work with the macro lens, using Photoshop/Lightroom, and learning how to utilise a camera. I would not be the photographer I am now if it was not for the inspiration I took from this innovative and ingenious photographer.