Peter has carved out a reputation for capturing cinematic, noir-like images, telling stories through the use of abstract layering, isolated silhouettes and much of the time against the backdrop of a city at night. I caught up with Peter to get some context behind his vision, what tips he has for night-time street photography and what he has on his playlist when he's out shooting.
Morning Peter, thanks so much for agreeing to take part, it’s great to have you on board. You’ve garnered quite a following over the years thanks to your distinctive style. What first pulled you into the street photography world?
Hey Cal, thanks for having me. Even before I started taking photography seriously, I always loved walking through cities for hours exploring urban environments and studying those individual habits that characterize a city. I already took a lot of images at that time with a normal point and shoot camera but back home these images didn't have the same energy as the scenes I experienced. Photography then became my perfect creative tool to capture those moments and tell visual stories. I started to learn more about photography techniques and composition.
All this started seriously back in 2017 during a trip to New York City. I always wanted to capture the spirit of this unique city the way I feel it, by telling its little everyday stories that make it so special to me. All this ended up in a private project called “New York State of Mind” and from there on it all began.
Many of the stories you tell from the places you’ve been, you describe as Neo Noir Stories - how do you identify a scene fitting with that description? What ‘makes’ a moment one of Peter Kalnbach’s Neo Noir Stories - what is it you look for?
Although I am drifting a bit away from the net noir theme lately, I am still attracted to it. I always loved movies from the 1980s, playing in the gritty NYC or Chicago of that time - like Taxi Driver or King of New York. Also Wong Kar-Wai movies, and some of the newer Batman and Joker versions do relate to me a lot too.
It`s mainly the dark and moody atmosphere paired with a gritty and almost imperfect vibe that I like about these films. And these are the exact things I am looking for in my scenes. Therefore, I love shooting at night, especially when it`s raining or snowing. Fog is perfect too. If the conditions aren’t there I try to use slower shutter speeds, framings or out of focus elements to give my images a more gritty look. Editing plays a huge role here too. Another big influence for me is music. I love listening to east coast HipHop of the 90s like Mobb Deep or NAS when I am out shooting.
I can definitely see the inspiration from such movies in your work, Peter! You mention shooting at night - it can be a bit of an intimidating prospect for many photographers to do. Do you have any advice or tips for those who might want to shoot at night but are concerned about safety?
As you might see from my work, I shoot a lot at night in big cities like New York, Chicago, Tokyo, London etc. So far I never had any issues with safety. I do some research upfront about where to go and where better to stay away. In some areas of a foreign city I try to team up with a local photographer who knows the city better than me. Furthermore, I try not to carry too much gear with me and pay attention to my gut feeling.
That's some good advice. As you just mentioned, you've shot in some amazing cities around the World. Have you got a favourite city you've photographed? And where is on the bucket list?
That`s a good one Cal! For me New York will always have special place in my heart - for photography and in general. Besides that Tokyo is definitely an amazing city for street photography. So these be my Top 2. My bucket list is long and constantly changing. Nevertheless, Hongkong and Osaka are currently my top priorities.
Japan certainly feels like it's become a street photographer's dream, it looks like an amazing place to document. Your talent has given you opportunities to exhibit your work a few times now, what does it feel like having your work on display in an exhibition?
To be honest, it`s really hard to take bad images in both Tokyo and New York Although, I feel my kind of street photography isn`t made for being exhibited in the first place it`s always very rewarding to set up a body of work for an exhibition and see it printed on the wall. In general, seeing your work printed is always a special thing. Actually, what I love the most about exhibitions like Tokyo Streets and my own solo one in Berlin, is bringing together the community. In times in which Social Media becomes more and more doubtful and less reliable, real-life events like exhibitions are a very important pillar for the community. That`s why I am currently working with a fellow photographer on a new format in Europe or later on maybe even worldwide.
Interacting with the community is so important and something I'll touch on shortly. You mentioned social media - there seems to be a huge street photography community on social media - perhaps more than any other genre of photography - do you think social media is changing street photography, and if so, how?
Honestly, I have a love and hate relationship with social media. On the one hand, living a city like Hamburg with not a big community in street photography, platforms like Instagram definitely help to stay connected. On the other hand there is an algorithm deciding whether your work should be seen by others or not. This leads to a lot of trash spread around the world whereas good work -even with a big following- often stays unnoticed. Another thing is that certain "trends" in street photography do prevail much quicker than without social media. This leads to lot of similar work out there. And all this is just scratching the surface on this complex topic.
I completely agree, it's a hugely nuanced subject and I think many people think similar to you - that it's both a blessing and a curse. Another way you connect with the community is through your Workshops - can you tell us a little bit about the format of these and what those who are thinking of taking part could expect from the experience?
I always enjoyed talking about things I love. So it was a sure thing for me starting to talk about my approach to photography. Workshop are a great format to do so. Since I love to travel, doing international workshops are one way to at least partially fund my travel expenses. When doing workshops outside of Hamburg I always try to partner up with a local photographer. The focus of these workshops is always more about how I see things and how I work a scene than on camera settings or theory. They all start with a short part in which I talk about my approach to street photography and show some examples and my thoughts behind them. The larger part is going out together to selected locations and take images there. There is also a WhatsApp group in which the participants can stay connected and share their images. More information and dates can be found on my website.
They sound like a fantastic experience, and I would be lying if I said I I haven't considered the New York Workshop previously - maybe one day when the dates and funds align! Your workshops would also be a great platform to share with the community the advice and knowledge you've collected over your 8 or so years exploring street photography. Is there one particularly bit of advice that has particularly resonated with you over the years that you'd like to share?
Haha, seems we really should align our plans better. Would have been awesome to have you on board in New York!
If I had to break it down to only one or two bits of advice I think it'd be the following: Don’t limit yourself too much and too early. I went down that road and wanted to only shoot in the rain for almost 3 years. There is nothing wrong with it in general but it slows you down in your development as a photographer.
Secondly, find yourself a group of photographers you feel really connected to and learn from them and their work. We see so many good images on social media these days that it can be overwhelming and confusing sometimes. That doesn’t mean you should ignore the rest. It’s more like having a clear vision of what your work is supposed to look like and not questioning that vision day in and out due to the work of others.
Some amazing photographers in that list, Peter! So, just a couple more questions left, and both on the subject of books. You produced a digital Zine a couple of years ago and I wondered, are there any plans for a printed photo book on the horizon?
Haha, I am glad you still remember that man. Indeed, I did a digital Zine after my trip to Chicago back in 2023. It was all self-made and very badly executed. At that point I had the idea to start a series of Zines with it. But, as Instagram at the same time dramatically decreased my reach, I felt very unmotivated to continue with it for quite a while.
But, as I mentioned earlier I am currently in the progress of establishing something new in the real world. A regular zine is part of this too. Besides that, I hope to get back into my own individual zines/small books by that too. This time I might go for printed zines because many people asked for that. Doing a photobook is definitely something I have in mind. But I feel my body of work isn`t there yet and I am still lacking a theme for it. Let`s see ;)
Ooooh! I will keep an eye out on developments in that case! So final question - you're stuck on a desert island! What photo book are you taking along for entertainment?
Oh that`s a good and tough one ... I think it'll be "New York in Color" by Ernst Haas. I love Ernst Haas and it would give me some New York vibes too! ;)
Oh hey, snap! That's one of my absolute favourites. Such a beautiful book. Thanks so much for joining me on this chat Peter, it's been fantastic and super insightful. Look forward to seeing some more of your work in the future.
The pleasure was on my side Cal. Thanks for having me! Really interesting and well thought questions!
