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Michael Vayhinger: Photographer
In his decade long career with Europe’s EuroStar, the transcontinental rail system of Greater Europe, Michael Vayhinger has photographed much of that corner of the world. In one of our many conversations, I asked him if he ever set out to be photographer; to be an artist. He replied no, going on to say that he has a difficult time thinking of himself as an artist. But then when I learned that both of his parents work in the arts; one being a painter and sculpture, the other being the co-owner of one of Germany’s finest galleries, his statement about not being an artist surprised me even further. Of course this then brings into question, what makes an artist. Is it because one thinks of him or herself as an artist, or is it because others declare that said person to be an artist? Wherein lies this decision; the line of demarcation?
Whatever the case, there’s no denying the incredible eye that Michael has for capturing the totality of a surround. Whereas often it seems that most photographic artist have a specific area of expertise, Michael seems to have that special gift of capturing the full breath of a moment in time. It’s as if he has some intrinsic perception of the actuality of each scene; the terrain, the composition and placement of objects, the ambient mood, atmospherics and the time of day. So that whether he’s focused on a young bird standing on a well-worn path, or the immense elegance of Paris’ Cimitiere Pere Lachaise, his images inflect a subtle, transformative quality.
Michael Vayhinger 2007
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Postcards from Europe: France & Germany
by Michael Vayhinger
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– website –
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AD Mag would like to thank Michael for sharing his work. To see more of his distinctive captures, visit his website or look for him in the AD Mag Artist Galleries.
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