Derelict industrial complexes are the setting for ‘Urbanistas’ by Verena Heller-Ghanbar – melancholic enchantment meets sorrow.

You’ve already been a fashion photographer for a few years. How do you see fashion photography today? What has changed?
The art of photography changes just like the world changes. At the moment, fashion photography is searching for its origins. In my opinion, taking creative and original pictures has not necessarily become any easier in the digital age. However, it does open up all kinds of new possibilities for us photographers.

How did you get into photography? Were there times when you wanted to try out something else?
I worked as a make-up artist for many years, which gave me the opportunity to work with many international photographers. I was always interested in and inspired by photography. At some point I wanted to implement my own vision, so I started down a new path as a photographer.

You live and work in Munich, and are pretty well established there. Is it a good place to work successfully as a fashion photographer?
I think that any place you like to be can be inspiring. Life and the people at my side are the greatest inspiration for me, and most of them are in Munich. So Munich always was and remains a good starting point for me.

For S magazine, you looked for a special location and worked with a number of models. What’s the series about?
I often discover intriguing old buildings and unusual places when I’m out walking with my dogs. They can be very simple yet at the same time very inspiring. This has a magical appeal and, on the whole, the stories are simply there. You hear or see something, one thought follows the next, and I can give my creativity free rein. Consequently, my photo series tell of people and friendships, somewhere between longing and withdrawal.

What do you consider essential to deliver a good series?
To discover people’s emotions and the great power of the small instant. I get a wonderful feeling when my photography gives this visible form.

How would you describe your photographic signature?
The most important thing for me is to convey emotions with my pictures. In the process, I find it important that there be a recognizable »red thread« throughout them. My pictures compose stories. The individual images fit together, are adjusted to each other, and, in some cases, only work in interaction with the other photos and not alone. I love fairy tales, and my pictures also share such a binding element.

What kind of experiences did you have with the S system? What kind of role does the large sensor and the corresponding look play for you?
With the size and handling of a 35mm camera, but the performance and quality of a medium format, the Leica S system is a camera that is very good and easy to use – precisely in special locations. I’m particularly delighted with the good picture quality.