Joerg Swoboda aka joswo
I am a German self-taught photographer and creative; living in Johannesburg since 2011. My photographic journey started during business trips in 2006/07 and evolved over time.
My first publication dates back to 2017. ‘Sankt Margarethen - Hommage to a village’ - a photo book about a small village in the Northern part of Germany where parts of my family stay. Followed by ‘Squares Volume I’; ‘A Man and his Dream – The Story of Sibusiso Linda Mbhere’; ‘Jacaranda – Hommage to a tree’ and ‘Reconsider – A photo poetry cycle’.
I recently started to combine photography with digital art and currently work on my series ‘Facts’. A series reflecting on current living circumstances in South Africa. Parts of this series and my trilogy ‘Femicide’ are presented during the Phakama Mpumalanga Festival 2024.
Artist Statement
“Art as such is a very complex subject. You can find art in almost everything. The way you talk, you play an instrument, you code a program, … . But what makes the difference is its relevance. Does the artwork itself trigger something in you? Does it make you think? Does it touch you? Is it able to contribute to a societal dialog and/or giving you some peace of mind?
In any event it is not on me to judge, it is on me to give you a piece of my mind and I hope I could do so and you enjoy”
Technical Approach
“It pretty much depends on the type of photography or art. My Urban Photography is a very raw style with a point and shoot approach. No additional light sources or reflectors, trying to make the most out of the scenes as they appear. The final image gets some little standard editing, but not more. The image might be taken digital or analogue, with a mobile phone, point and shoot or SLR camera. Usually in black and white to have more focus and less distraction.
Landscape requires more preparation, yet I still like to work with the light as it appears, but might play around with exposures, filters or other gadgets. Not published yet is a series of ocean images with long exposures during day light. The challenge of the Jacaranda night shot was not the shot as such, but to find the right tree, which is lit up during night. Landscapes are either in Black and White or Colour depending on the subject and the atmosphere of the image.
The combination of photography and digital art is a new approach I am currently exploring. Giving a different touch to the image, a different angle of creativity, just playing around and see where it takes me.”
Joswo & Friends
is a collaboration with Varea Art and other artists - exploring new ways to get our work out and in best case displayed on your walls.