Daniel Siefert

“I would say that a great portrait requires a good connection between subject and photographer. Also nice light, the right timing, and a bit out of focus.”

Intercru: Where are you from?

Daniel: I was born in northern Germany and grew up just outside of Hamburg.

Where do you live and work now?

I have been based in Hamburg for a few years now. I am attending the university and most of my work as a photographer takes place here.

How did you get started in photography? How long have you been taking photos?

When I was 18ish I started taking pictures with a basic Canon DSLR. They were pretty bad but I stuck with it anyway. For the first few years I mainly shot landscapes and even macros. Back then I was too insecure to ask whether people would be interested in working with me. I’ve been doing portraits for almost two years now and have realized it is the most exciting and challenging part of photography for me.

How would you define your creative style?

That’s a tough one. I don’t think I’ve found my true style yet and maybe never will. As an artist as well as a person, you are constantly evolving and changing interests and perspectives. That is the best and worst part at the same time.

Often I’m stoked about a photo or a series I just took and the next day I find it terrible and want to delete everything haha. Right now I like cinematic portraits best. A combination of a unique location and moody atmosphere.

What makes the perfect portrait?

If the concept of perfection means that something can no longer be improved, then I don’t believe that there is such a picture. That’s a good thing though because it means there is still something to learn. I would say that a great portrait requires a good connection between subject and photographer. Also nice light, the right timing, and a bit out of focus haha.

Where do you find creative inspiration?

It’s not always easy for me to find creative inspiration in Hamburg because everything feels familiar and common. It is easiest when I travel or meet new people. Then it just kind of flows naturally. And of course there is a lot of inspiration on the internet but sometimes I think that it keeps you from going your own way.

Daniel Siefert is a Hamburg-based landscape and portrait photographer. To see more of his photography, you can visit his website danielsiefert.de or follow his work on Instagram @the.greatperhaps.