Portraits / Headshots from Events and Press Conferences

Getting a good photograph at a press conference has a lot to do with the speakers’ background as well as the seating arrangement–two things that the organizers of press conferences often seem to neglect.

Here are some of the photos I’ve taken at press conferences and similar events over the last few years.

Johanna Freiburg of Gob Squad, 2002. Photo: Daniel Mufson.

Johanna Freiburg is a permanent member of Gob Squad, a German-British performance group. In 2002, she was invited to speak at the Berlin Theatertreffen, where I took the above photo.

Dr. Harald Jähner, speaking at Berlin

Dr. Harald Jähner edits the “Feuilleton” section of the Berliner Zeitung.

Richard Kimmel in Soho, ca. 1999. Photo: Daniel Mufson.

In 1999, Richard Kimmel was the artistic director of a theater ensemble called Cannon Company, and I had just seen Puss, the group’s adaptation of Ludwig Tieck’s Der gestiefelte Kater, which deliberately made a jumble of theatrical influences ranging from Richard Foreman to the Wooster Group. He now helps run a dinner theater called The Box.

Bascha Mika at Berlin's Universität der Künste, 2009. Photo: Daniel Mufson.

Bascha Mika became editor-in-chief of the Berlin Tageszeitung in 1999, a position she relinquished ten years later. She’s in charge of the UdK program in cultural journalism, where I’m currently working towards a Master’s degree. This photo was taken at a podium discussion held at the university in May 2009.

Árpád Schilling presenting his Woyzeck adaptation at Berlin's Sophiensaele, 2001. Photo: Daniel Mufson.

Árpád Schilling brought W-Workers Circus, an adaptation of Büchner’s Woyzeck, to Berlin’s Sophiensaele. It is one of the best things I’ve seen since moving to Berlin and the strongest production of Woyzeck I’ve seen. I haven’t seen any work by him lately, but in those days he drove his actors to the limit, with a passion and edginess that reminded me of Reza Abdoh’s Dar A Luz company.

Christoph Schlingensief at the Love Parade. Photo(s): Daniel Mufson.

I stumbled upon Christoph Schlingensief at the Love Parade a few years ago–2001, I think–and snapped a few photos of him.

Tom Stromberg at the 2002 Theatertreffen. Photo: Daniel Mufson.

Tom Stromberg spoke at a press event for the Berliner Theatertreffen in 2002, when he was still Intendant at Hamburg’s Deutsches Schauspielhaus.

Robert Wilson at the opening of Doktor Caligari at the Deutsches Theater. Photo: Daniel Mufson.

A friend told me this makes Wilson look like a senator–which made me wince a bit. So, a less posed shot:

Robert Wilson at the Deutsches Theater, 2002. Photo: Daniel Mufson.