Discover Germany | Special Theme | Focus: Photography in Austria
Depicting a room’s true character “The exciting thing about photographing architecture and landscapes is to discover the details. Even before I get the camera out I observe light situations, visual axes, views, meeting points, everyday scenes and stories.” Margit Thieme is a passionate photographer from Austria who has made it her task to beautifully depict spaces, from urban areas or landscapes to architecture and interiors. TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: ILONA MARI PHOTOGRAPHY
When seeing Thieme’s fantastic pictures, one would not think that she did not really plan on becoming a photographer. She recalls: “I wanted to become a musician or artist, but my parents didn’t like that idea. Thus, I studied economics. However, that just wasn’t for me, so I started an architecture course. My grandparents gave me an analogue SLR camera with which I worked on my architecture projects. Therefore, for a long time, photography was more of an architectural design aid. Then, I came across artistic photography courses at Vienna’s Institute of Technology where I discovered my love for experimenting.” On several stays abroad, Thieme further discovered her fascination for architecture and landscape photography. “I remember walking through the city centres of Venice and Budapest for hours where I concentrated on different perspectives and building lines. 44 | Issue 55 | October 2017
The play with the perspectives still fascinates me most about photography.” Today, Thieme primarily photographs residential properties, public and historical buildings, business premises and holiday properties, such as vacation homes, flats, small guest houses and boutique hotels for tour operators and vacation home providers. In every commission, Thieme tries to underline a room’s individual character through the lens. “Where is the building? What is the room for and who uses it? Even though I rarely show humans in my pictures, I still try to reveal something about the people that use the room.” She adds: “Visual axes and views are central motifs of my pictures. Before I press my camera’s shutter, I move about a room for a long time and observe objects or how new vanishing points arise again
and again. Like this, I can grasp spatial conditions and assemble them into a twodimensional picture.” Taking time to find out more about a space’s individual characteristics, primarily capturing the authentic mood of a room with natural light and the different approaches that Thieme brings to the job through her diverse education and training built her a firm client base. Find out how Margit Thieme can bring the best out of your rooms and buildings on the following website. www.ilonamari.at Top right and below: Vacation properties like this historic villa at Lake Balaton (Hungary) count towards Thieme’s speciality.