How it started...

The year was 2020 and I just moved from a small town in south-west Germany to Mannheim. It was pandemic time, everything was in silence, nothing really happens, I spent most of my time at work or at home... no upcoming events, no motivation... I lose my job, depression takes over... Then one day, I discover the New York photographer 1000Word$ on Instagram who has taken Polaroid pictures of many Hip Hop pioneers like Slick Rick and Big Daddy Kane but also documentig the upcoming underground rap artists. I was totally fascinated by the vintage looking of the photos and by the idea of representing the Hip Hop scene through unique photos so I told myself that maybe I could have try to do the same thing in my city!

I bought my first Polaroid camera, a used OneStep+ and I started taking pictures of the locals B-boys, DJs, MC and Graffiti artists that I used to know. After over one year of no events, concerts or festivals, the legendary producer Alchemist had a stop in Mannheim for his tour, I went to the show and later I was able to take my first shot of a legendary Hip Hop figure... Nothing was the same again for me! Today I still keep going to shows trying to get great shots of the artist that I like.

Polaroid photography changed my life in a positive way. It made me travel a lot meeting new people and creating art, my art. It gave me the honor to meet the artists I grew up listening to, but most important it gave me the strenght to stand up when I was mentally down showing myself that I can do it if I really want. Polaroid photography saved my life!