Inspiracles Interview: Denny Müller
In today’s interview, we’re presenting to you the work of Denny Müller, who caught our attention with his amazing photos of lost locations. He shared with us the reason why he puts his images online for free and how did that benefit him. Have a look at what he has to say!
Please introduce yourself in a few sentences
Hello, my name is Denny Müller. I grew up in Spreewald and now I live in Cottbus and am approaching 40. I run a small media agency and I do web design, print design, photography, and PC support. Because of the variety of my work, I, therefore, do not necessarily call myself primarily a professional photographer, but rather I see myself as an all-rounder.
When did you take your first photo and what did it show?
The first photo I have made was on 31.01.2004 according to EXIF. It was a festival in Schmogrow. This was not an amazing photo, but one that anyone can take. I made photos that day for the launched website about the home village Schmogrow.de. At that time I only had a compact camera from Olympus. One day a friend accidentally sat on my camera and that’s when I switched to an SLR camera. From there on, I slowly started to enter the professional field.
What made you decide to upload the images to Unsplash?
I run a small media agency and have used many images from Unsplash (which are excellent in quality and also provided for free) for websites and printed material. Somewhere along the way I also got better with photography and that’s when I thought to myself: “give and take”. So I uploaded the first images in 2017, where the response was still around zero. After I uploaded the first images from the Lost Places, I ended up in the editorial every now and then and the views and downloads went up rapidly. This made me proud and motivated me to publish more photos on Unsplash over time – not only on the topic of Lost Places.
How many downloads do you have on Unsplash so far?
In a few days, I’m approaching the 400,000 mark. The most downloaded single image is an old list document from an abandoned village with just under 24,000 downloads.
Have there been any special moments in relation to Unsplash?
Indeed! Tad Stones, who at first seemed unimpressive to me, wrote to me via Unsplash thanking me for an image I had made available on Unsplash. He was using the image with his students to practice using limited color palettes. In the middle of the correspondence, it turned out that Tad Stones is the brains behind the Disney animated series Darkwing Duck (but also worked on Chip & Chap and the Gummi Bear Gang). That made me feel pretty damn honored. Then an acquaintance once said that he would buy a book with pictures from me if I did one. Because of the motivation push by Tad Stones and the acquaintance I didn’t wait long and actually finished a book.
Why don’t you tell us a little more about this book?
The 56-page hardcover book is titled “Best of pictures 2017 – 2020” and contains 82 images on the topics of lost places, wedding rings, and everyday life. A large part can also be seen on Unsplash, but there are also unpublished and only for the book exclusive images. I’m happy with the design of the book, but only ordered and distributed it in very small quantities (25 copies). I didn’t want to make a fuss about it. I would be happy to have it reproduced again if there is a demand (at least 20).
What photographic genre are you in?
On Unsplash I have uploaded mostly Lost Place motifs, but intentionally I have no main genre. In principle, I am open to everything. It just depends on what is just so beautiful to capture. Otherwise, I also do wedding photography. That actually came about rather unconsciously. But the demand grew and grew, so I immediately included it in my media agency portfolio.
Where do you get your inspiration for new photos or photo projects?
I discover inspiration rather randomly on the Internet, no matter what kind of theme it is. There are sometimes pictures where I think to myself: “Wow, I’d like to do that too”.
How important is technology to you when taking photos?
It is not only the technology that plays a role, but also the person behind the camera. You should get to know the camera and ask yourself what you have done wrong in the past, e.g. why there was a camera shake. Other than that, I can’t really recommend cheap models. For example, I once had an external noname flash for the camera and I always had to adjust the flash strength manually.
Which of your images or series moves you? And why? Will you show us?
I don’t really like to get “emotional” in pictures. I like long exposure shots. These pictures show – if you rephrase this question a bit – how the world moves.
Is it possible to learn (photographic) creativity?
You can if you want to. But forcing yourself won’t get you very far. Learning by doing is my motto.
If someone asks you how to take “better” pictures, what advice do you have for them?
Familiarize yourself with the functions of the camera. The operating manuals included with SLR cameras are not just 08/15 manuals that you can throw straight into the garbage. This is where you really learn to understand what the functions P, AV, TV, M, B, etc. are all about. I also read manuals in the beginning and had several “aha” effects and therefore I can use the correct settings depending on the situation.
You told us that you don’t consider yourself an Urbex photographer, but you have many good Urbex photos in your portfolio. Can you tell us how these were taken? Did you encounter any challenges during your Urbex photoshoots?
Since I’ve only visited a total of three abandoned localities so far, I haven’t had any major challenges to overcome. My buddy, who is much more of a die-hard Urbexer, likes to suggest places we could visit, but these are mostly places where you pay to either and/or offered guided tours. I’d rather be out on my own with my very small group because then there’s no time pressure and these locations have little to no “disguise” and disfigurement. I honestly do not like all the graffiti.
How do you prepare for your urban explorations?
Since I have never done this on my own, I can now only give so free basic tips: in the backpack include a camera, several lenses, and a tripod for possible long exposure shots. And of course snacks and drinks.
Do you maybe have any tips for someone who wants to visit one of the abandoned places?
Do not go alone under any circumstances, the lost places are crumbling and something bad can happen at any time. I almost fell into a hole because of the soft ground. Don’t take anything from the location and leave everything as you found it. If you want to enter a place, but are not sure, ask about the owner and ask kindly if you can take pictures of the beautiful area, even for a small fee. Also, offer to provide the photos. This increases the chance of being allowed to photograph the area without hassle.
One Word – One thought
Social Media – It’s a pity that Facebook is quite contaminated with negative energy: garbage is spread that has nothing to do with the term “social media”. You can see how naive many people are.
Megapixel – A typical beginner’s mistake and misconception: the more megapixels, the better the image quality – nice rubbish. What many in the beginner field also don’t know: the shutter button has two stages: if you half-press the button, the focus is set. Once you are satisfied with the focus, you really press the shutter button. So once again, RTFM (read the f** manual).
Inspiration – Mostly randomly from the net,
HDR – Never really done it, since I’m mostly without a tripod. But I’d try it once in a while
Photoshop – … and Lightroom. Both indispensable!
Analogue – I only have it in my childhood album.
Thank you
Thank you for your time and the interview
*All photos by Denny Müller
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