Theater photography

Grisettes from the Theater an der Wien in Ludwig Gutmann's studio in 1906

Hofmannsthal's Jedermann
at the Salzburg Festival 2014

Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake
at the Vienna State Opera , 2004

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The theater photography first took place in the photographer's studio before the photographer could come into the theater with the appropriate technical equipment and take photos on the stage.
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The theater photography is a genre of photography . Her motifs are actors on theatrical stages as well as backdrops or (rarely) props or stage sets . Directions in theater photography include drama , opera , ballet , puppet theater , cabaret , variety and artist portraits.

genre

Theater photography is used for documentation and advertising for a theater . Documentation includes the recording of an artistic expression , the representation, the implementation of the topic and also the stage design. Recordings of theater scenes and actors are used in showcases, for theater posters, programs and for advertisements. Theater photos are used most extensively in the media, mainly to illustrate critiques and reviews, more often to announce new productions.

Professional theater photographers are usually freelancers and are booked for the respective production , although contracts for the entire theater season are quite common. Some large theaters have their own advertising department that also has dedicated photographers.

practice

The use of digital single - lens reflex cameras and bright lenses with different focal lengths - depending on the stage size - enable the theater photographer to react to the most varied of lighting moods on the stage. Many theater photographers also take photos in RAW format in order to be able to compensate for color casts and deviating color temperatures in the digital workflow . In addition, digital photography allows the photos to be published in the media quickly and promptly .

The photographs are mainly only taken during rehearsals so that the performance is not impaired. Often there are specially scheduled "photo and TV rehearsals" before the premiere, to which press photographers are invited. Photo and TV rehearsals, for example, are the standard in all theaters and opera houses in Berlin and Hamburg, Salzburg and Vienna.

Well-known stage photographers

19th century Nadar (1820-1910)

1900-1945 Rosemarie Clausen (1907–1990) Hugo Erfurth (1874-1948) Ludwig Gutmann (1869–1943) Elli Marcus (1899–1977) Gjon Mili (1904-1984) Ursula Richter (1886–1946) Ruth Wilhelmi (1904–1977)

1945-2000 Andreas Birkigt (born 1949) Mara Eggert (born 1938) Eva Kemlein (1909-2004) Siegfried Lauterwasser (1913-2000) Elli Marcus (1899–1977) Gjon Mili (1904-1984) Stefan Moses (1928-2018) Fritz Peyer (1919-2001) Barbara Pflaum (1912-2002) Thomas Schadt (born 1957) Liselotte Strelow (1908–1981) Abisag Tüllmann (1935–1996) Helga Wallmüller (born 1926) Ruth Wilhelmi (1904–1977)

21st century Thomas Aurin (born 1963) Berlin Andreas Birkigt (born 1949) Leipzig Mara Eggert (born 1938) Berlin Axel Zeilinger Vienna

literature

• Barbara Lesák: From the pose to the expression. Theater photography 1900–1930 , 224 p., Brandstätter, 2003, ISBN 3-85498-243-7 (History of theater photography in Austria)
• Claudia Balk: "Theater Photography. A representation of its history based on the collection of the Deutsches Theatermuseum", 231 S., Hirmer, Munich, 1989, ISBN 3-7774-5230-0
• The German Stage : The magazine is published monthly by Friedrich Berlin Verlag, Berlin.
• Theater heute : The magazine is published monthly by Friedrich Berlin Verlag, Berlin.
• Theater der Zeit : The magazine is published monthly by Theater der Zeit, Berlin.

Web links

Commons : Theater Photography  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ The Jedermann has the subtitle: The game of the dying of the rich man. The scene shows the devil's conversation with faith.