As part of the trade fair, visitors can enjoy a variety of exhibitions that offer something to suit every taste, because amateur photographers as well as experienced professionals and award winners will be presenting their works here. This year for the first time we will be offering interested visitors a series of "Spotlight Tours," in which selected experts will provide background information and be available for talks and discussions.
Expand your horizons! – Panorama photography shows more than just ordinary perspectives
Entirely new ways of seeing will be offered in the form of two unusual photograph series by the artist Edgar E. Sacayón and the nonprofit International VR Photography Association, whose members are VR (virtual reality) and panorama photographers. Under the title "Beyond the evident" the photographer Edgar E. Sacayón will be showing UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Guatemala in an unusual way. By using a large-format camera and an infrared-sensitive trilinear scanning system, he has created mystical images focusing on the all too easily overlooked details of the most beautiful places in Guatemala. This series of photographs can be seen in Passage 2/4.
The exhibition organized by the IVRPA, which is sure to thrill visitors with its expansive panoramas, will feature photographs taken by the winners of its competition for panoramic photography. The competitors’ expertise will be on display in three categories: VR panoramas, printed panoramas, and gigapixel printed panoramas. The IVRPA will also be offering presentations, shows, and workshops at its stand in Hall 4.1.
Fascinating Flora and Fauna – The beauties of nature
Nature has always been one of the most popular motifs in photography. Whether it’s the impressive displays put on by natural forces or small and previously unnoticed details, Mother Nature offers something for every taste – and that will be demonstrated at photokina 2010 as well. As in previous years, visitors will once again find a series of "Highlights", selected by Mara Fuhrmann and Udo Höcke. This year the artists Marco Antonini and Alessandro Gruzza will be presenting their nature photographs. Marco Antonini originally wanted to make a close study of the courtship behavior of swans. As he worked, he repeatedly observed the swans as they groomed their feathers. This may seem to be a routine process, but through the lens of his camera Antonini has created unusual images of impressive grace. On a hike through Zion National Park in Utah, USA, Alessandro Gruzza passed the spectacular Water Crack, and with his camera he succeeded in capturing the concentrated power of this narrow waterfall in an autumnal setting. These artworks can be seen in Passage 4/5.
"The Stone Heart of the World" is the term Georg Tappeiner applies to the Dolomites and the unique landscape offered by this Natural World Heritage Site. His 50 photographs, presented by NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC GERMANY, document the varied scenery of this spectacular region. This exhibition can be found in Passage 4/5 at photokina 2010.
In her ten-part cycle of works called "A Vision of Silence", Ulrike Harbach will be offering a contrast to the fast-paced world of today. Using a walk-in camera obscura, and with a special affinity for striking images, she has created an impressive photo series of the Mecklenburg Lake District. These photographs and the camera obscura itself can be seen in the Passage 5/6 on the exhibition grounds.
"Making the essence of a person visible in a photograph is the highest form of the art of photography." (Friedrich Dürrenmatt)
A photograph can provide deep insights into an individual’s inner life, fascinate other people, create bridges between very different personalities, and much more. The following exhibitions show in a variety of ways how photographers have mastered this fine art of photography. In a moving and fascinating photographic essay, the Finnish photographer Henrik Malmström shows the final months of his sister Maija’s fight against cancer. "On Borrowed Time" moves the viewer in a quiet and gentle way, but stirs up deep feelings nonetheless. Malmström’s impressive works can be seen in Passage 2/4.
It’s rarely obvious who exactly is the artist behind a certain work – and this question presents itself especially often in the field of photography. In search of an answer, photo agency akg-images took a closer look at the question "Where is the photographer in the picture?" and used some photographic sleight of hand to put the creators of the photographs into their own works. This presentation of and for photographers can be seen in the foyer of the Press Center in the Congress Center North (first floor).
In his works, the famous Japanese photographer Masaya Nakamura reveals his special relationship with women. The artist, who died in 2001, became well known for his black-and-white photographs of nudes, which capture a certain magic through various devices including an artful manipulation of light and shadow. A selection of Nakamura’s best works from the collection of the JCII (Japan Camera Industry Institute) will be exhibited in Passage 2/4.
The international photography competition "UNICEF Photo of the Year" has established itself as a competition that is known throughout the world. The winning photos from 2008 and 2009 will be exhibited at photokina in Passage 3/4 under the title "Children: The Presence of the Future".
After the death of his professional mentor Dean Collis, Tim Mantoani developed a wish to capture famous photographers and living legends for posterity. In order to do so, he staged photographs in which the photographers pose together with their most famous creations and show how they came to be. After a journey that lasted almost four years and came to mean much more than a series of photo shoots, he now presents his project "Behind Photographs" at photokina 2010 in Hall 9.
A sharp eye for unusual motifs
These exhibitions are sure to astonish visitors, because they display the award-winning creations of outstandingly talented photographers. Visitors can find out more about the individual photographers at the following galleries.
Visitors who take a look at the entries sent in to Europe’s largest contest for amateur photographers, the "Blende" photo contest for German newspaper readers, will surely conclude that the works submitted by these amateurs can compete with those of professional photographers. There’s something here for every generation, as the ages of the participating photographers range from four to 80. Visitors can enjoy the variety of these multifaceted works in the middle section of the Boulevard (4/5).
Under the imposing title "For Originals", this year’s Hahnenmühle Anniversary Photo Award will be presenting a very special mix of images. The international jury selected 41 award winners whose works will now be presented at photokina 2010 in Hall 6. There is a very broad spectrum of motifs, ranging from portraits and landscapes to nature shots, architectural studies and still life compositions.
Visitors at photokina will also be able to attend an official award ceremony. On the first day of the fair, the winners of the competition "Germany’s Best Photographer", initiated by SIGMA and Auto Video Foto Bild, will be honored in Hall 4.2. The accompanying exhibition will be divided into six different categories: People and Technology, Young People to Age 25, Aesthetic Nudes, Digital Art, Architecture, and Nature.
How do young people really perceive the world? One answer to this question is given by the exhibition associated with the German Young Photographer Prize. Here it becomes obvious how different young people’s views can be, as the photographs range from still life compositions to fantasy motifs. The exhibition is located in Hall 5.1 as part of the meet the communities event.
Another community that can be seen in Hall 5.1 is the fotocommunity, which is displaying the best entries from its contest in the categories of Travel Photography, People, Nature, and Digital Art. The members of fotocommunity selected the best photographs out of the 3,936 entries. They will be on show at the fotocommunity stand at photokina 2010.
Regional history since 1853
Cologne had the first cable car system crossing a river, and it’s the organizer of the biggest German carnival parade, but that’s not all. It’s also the city where the first German photography book was published. More than 500 photography books on a variety of themes have been published since 1853. This year interested visitors will be able to view a photography exhibition dealing with history in the northern section of the Boulevard at photokina 2010.
Spotlight Tours
For the first time in the history of photokina, the team from the Kultur Event office is offering a special tour for photokina visitors. In line with the saying "You only see what you know," visitors who are interested in finding out about the stories behind individual photographs and would like to acquire some expert knowledge can register for a one-hour tour that costs 5 Euro. Further information and a schedule are available at http://www.kultureventbuero.de/photokina.html.
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