Thanks to CDs I have all my illustration stuff from the time when I studied again in EPS files again. Also some other work I haven’t uploaded yet and did while I was studying, traveling and here in Shanghai is uploaded. Just click through and have a look. P.S. Its crazy cold in Shanghai. Damn it.

Reporting from the travel front, I will now to start reporting from the family front. Maybe even more exciting and DangeRoUs. hehe. Peace.

It has been only month, that I wrote about my life and thoughts and many things which surrounds me. After my last entry many things changed. My girlfriend Shawnee came to visit me in Shanghai by the end of december. We loved each so much … so we thought of showing that love through a BABY. I will be a father and it feels so great to know. I always wanted to have children and now .. I will have some. She will move here in one week with her daughter who is 9 years old.

I also have found an apartment which is half an hour to walk away from my office, where I found this job. I am senior Art Director and work in surprise ……………. Advertising. Well, I can make money with it and keep in mind, that I actually want to make my money with photography. it pays the bills and is actually not bad. The people are fun to work with and its a very small company too. Actually I made the website for them too.

So basically from arriving with one suitcase in the beginning of september in Nanjing, without a job, no apartment, not much money left and a girlfriend who is very far and not pregnant, I now have all these things within 4 months. I really like the idea that everything is going to be a little more stable now, hopefully she and I will stay a while at one place. I actually imagined, that since 2003 I didn’t stay at any place really longer than half a year. I somehow did in Hamburg before I went to China, but even there I stayed 3 of 8 months out of the country. It feels good somehow that I have arrived and I like all these challenges here, apartment, job, language, family, … yeahhhh.

I somehow got some Emails the past few weeks from various people who wrote me out of the blue to tell me how great my photography is. Especially this guy from Statesville, NC really cheered me up and keeps me thinking about not giving it up with these words:

“I noticed your work when a neighbor showed it to me. I am now very inspired by your work! I’ve always wanted to be a photographer just like you! I’m planning on becoming a photographer later on in life. I’m 14 now but I’m practicing,learning, and working hard to achieve becoming a photographer! I love your work… don’t ever stop what you’re doing! Your photos are very interesting and wonderful to look at as it gives you a chance to think about or be put in someone else’s shoes as you travel to other countries to capture photos of the innocent children and people in other countries. Thank you for everything!”

My decision was the right one and again I can trust myself I am doing the right choices and moves in life. I am still on my way to figure out how to do only things that makes everybody, including me, happy and its good to be on this way: everything is very difficult, so is it perfect.

All the best from Shanghai, where everybody is welcome to stay at my place.

Florian, thanks for reading.

Glad and happy I got my third publication in a magazine. Now its actually a whole story about my pictures and 3 double pages without any advertising is pretty awesome I think. So happy. The article is in Romanian though, but the translation in English is above. After my Email interview with the editor Cristina, who is the author of this very well touching and great article, she wrote the article and just referred to the interview. That’s surprised me a lot, because I thought I just gonna read the interview I send her back by mail. Believe me, I was more than positive surprised what she wrote about me and my pictures. I really can see myself in what she wrote. Cristina, thanks a lot. That’s a great beautiful Christmas present.

In case you are interested, you can read the article by clicking on ‘more’.

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Portofolio | Florian Ritter

„The unbearable lightness of being”. For most of us, dreams don’t come true easily. For most of us, dreams mean a continuous fight with ourselves and with the rest of the world. For most of us, dreams become frustrations. But, still, we struggle through the wonderful and „unbearable lightness of being” to fulfill… our fate (vocation). Or, at least, we try!
Cristina Costieanu

Our guest in this issue is Florian Ritter, a young photographer of German origin. His photos tell us the story of the life he has chosen to live, a life with a „landscape” in which the whole set is more important than the detail. His portfolio is diversified, interesting and often sad, even though it is presented to us in beautiful colors (www.pflock.com). Why did I choose the famous words of Milan Kundera to show my opinion about Florian Ritter?! An analogy that might be considered „blasphemy”: a classical title of a well-known writer associated to a young photographer, without prominent or recognized contributions to the history or present of photography?

Yes… it might be considered „ blasphemy”!

But how else can I synthesize the ambition, madness and character of a man who relinquished his so-called easy life, with everything that it meant, to step in the unknown of an endless world, to discover himself and to live his dreams through photography?! His decision wasn’t calculated, meant or planned. That was the moment when (he says) the „disaster” started: his life changed, it wasn’t convenient anymore, but he concentrated on photography and on the discovery of the secrets of his own soul. Did he succeed? Does it matter?! Obviously, it wasn’t easy for him to discover and acknowledge that photography contains all the ingredients that he needs to live and become the best, the best man he can be.

Even though, most of the times, I have the feeling that black-and-white photos hold all the drama of our world gathered in a little and fragile frame, watching Florian Ritter’s photos, no matter how colorful (usually, colors produce delight), I can not smile or even have a „positive” feeling, no matter how little. My eyes slip on the face and sorrow of the people, on the rays of sun which cross the clouds… His photos are simple, but this is a metaphoric simplicity with a strong message: „This is what I felt. Look. Understand me!”

It is obvious that photography changed his life. He lost everything he had, but he gained a new and very dynamic existence. The places he discovers and the people which cross his path are the subjects of his photos. He is seldom pleased with the results of his work and that is the moment when he gets even more ambitious, and does everything in his power to progress. The people around him are his friends and critics, are his counselors and support.

Technique and post-processing
The photo equipment that he owns means to him only as much as it helps him obtain what he wishes. For Florian Ritter vision means much more than a new lens or a better flash. In his photo tours he usually has with him a Canon EOS 5D Mark II, different lenses (from a 50 mm f 1,8 to a 200 mm f 4,0 etc.), a flash, a bottle of water, paper, pen and… music. He shots only in RAW mode and in image editing he emphasizes the strength of the colors or does all that is necessary to show people what he felt when he took the photo, not what he saw.

From my work with other photographers I have learned that way they work is as diversified as are their characters. There are photographers which refuse the digital post-processing techniques and there are photographers that „build” their photos from little „pieces”, reaching at a result that, most of the times, charm our eyes. Some wish only to show the reality they have in front of their camera and some wish only to express what they felt, and so, improving what they saw. And all of us, which are in the position to watch and see, have the chance to accept or to refuse these ways of artistic expression. Photography must be subjective, „sifted” and universal. Photography can get us richer, spiritually, even as watchers, not directly involved in the photographic process. These summaries without words, talk about the universe of our life, on the whole, usually without metaphors or even sparing us.

Too bad there is no more story or poetry in our daily life. In fact, maybe it never was or… maybe there is, but we usually don’t have the emotional capacity and strength to hear it when it is cried in our ears. It is so simple to drop out the needs of our soul and to embrace a world that is grey and dotted about with frustrations. And I ask you again: is it or is it not to admire the courage to dream and to live these dreams in reality?

Florian Ritter is a photographer that will definitely say something in photography and who, now, deserves the opportunity to delight our eyes.
Florian Ritter is a photographer who I have met as full of life, with enthusiasm and optimism.
Florian Ritter is a young man that often struggles to believe in his lucky star: photography.

Good luck to you, the ones who – up there – have the same star as he does