Meet the FvF Contributors: Ramon Haindl from Frankfurt - Friends of Friends / Freunde von Freunden (FvF)

Meet the FvF Contributors: Ramon Haindl from Frankfurt

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Frankfurt based photographer Ramon Haindl began his life as a young artist by drawing girls and airplanes. Then came his greater talent for capturing people and ideas; not with pencil and paper, but with a camera lens. While studying visual communication in Mainz, the charming young Haindl began working as a freelance photographer for magazines and record companies. Since receiving his diploma in 2010, the 30-year-old hasn’t stopped to rest.

He wakes up with strong coffee and hardcore music before spending his day working as a photographer and filmmaker for national and international clients including SZ Magazine, The FADER and Bloomberg Businessweek.

Since his first FvF portrait in 2011, in which he uniquely captured the living and working space of Haw-lin graphic designers, Nathan Cowen and Jacob Klein, Haindl has continued to showcase ethereal visual insights into the homes of German creatives. Within his emotional yet simple aesthetic, he always leaves enough space for personal interpretation. His sources of inspiration stem from digital findings to all-time favorite artists like Wolfgang Tillmans and movie star John Cleese.

Besides his commissioned work, the Bavarian native co-runs the infamous photography blog Cult, with his girlfriend. There he presents his own portfolio work and behind-the-scenes impressions, while providing an inspiring platform for those who don’t want to lose track of contemporary art and photography.

What’s your favorite daily ritual?
It takes me approximately two hours to get fully awake, that’s why my daily routine involves the most aggressive hardcore music you can find and a few cups of strong coffee. My favorite daily routine is updating my photographic journal, with any new work that I have produced in previous days.

What do you do when you are not working with FvF?
I’m working a lot for national and international publications and agencies, which involves more and more traveling. So I’m on the road a lot at the moment. Besides that I try to stay organized and keep our photography blog Cult updated and on the pulse.

Where do you go when you want to relax or get inspired in your city?
The magical place where I relax best is actually not located in the city I live in. It’s an hour away by car and is the most beautiful lake you can imagine. A true gem where you can jump cliffs, feed swans, relax on small islands and swing ropes. I just bought a small boat that I spend every spare minute on, reading, drinking beer and waving to people. And it’s totally secret.

How has technology influenced you?
As long as it serves me, I love technology. But it’s the tools I work with, not precious fetish objects. I can easily drop my camera, which I regularly do, without feeling too much guilt, as long as it works.

Best travel memory?
Crashing an empty jazz club in downtown Vancouver during a summer rainstorm with two of my best friends, while totally wet and hungover. Inside the huge empty venue there was one great piano player, smashing the sweetest tunes. He was illuminated by a single spotlight as the rain poured outside. We gathered around him silently, spent our last money on whiskey and had a really great time.

Your latest artistic discovery (musical, art or design)?
Researching for Cult means seeing a lot of great photographers on a daily basis, but I’ve enjoyed the works of these guys the most lately: Daniel Shea, Geordie Wood, Thomas Prior, Estelle Hanania, Christopher Anderson, Jason Nocito, Ryan Pfluger, just to name a few.

What was the last great meal you ate and where?
We happened to be in Warsaw for a job two weeks ago and I was amazed by the city itself. We had lunch with our guide at a venue on Koszykowa Street, shame on me that I forgot the name. It was a small pop up bar and restaurant with a vegetable and a meat market attached. A true to the heart place with great meat and fresh asparagus.

Three websites – more or less – you visit daily ?
Too many to list and unfortunately Google reader died a few weeks ago. I regularly check aphotoeditor.com and Jörg Colberg’s fantastic Conscientious blog for a good read on photography.

Who would you like to see featured next on FvF?
I would love to see how Lemmy Kilmister lives, hope he gets better soon.

What photographers/artists influenced you the most?
I admire Wolfgang Tillmans for his eclecticism and editing process, and John Cleese for this lecture. He is the best for encouraging creativity and a great laugh too.

What’s your favorite portrait on FvF?

Freunde-von-Freunden-Mike-Maggiore-5968-930x620

The series of Mike Maggiore is one of my favorites because it’s beautifully shot by my friend Fette Sans and it’s kind of breaking with the predominant aesthetics on the site.

Thank you Ramon for your continued work and contributions to FvF. Visit his blog CULT or browse through all the FvF portraits shot by Ramon here.

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