by  Yvette Depaepe

Christine von Diepenbroek  calls herself a storyteller more than a photographer.  Her work is surreal, her images an invitation to follow her dreams, her human related fantasies and her absurd ideas!  Relativity, imagination and sometimes  touch of humour  are the keywords to fully appreciate her work.  Let's take a look in Christine's phantasmagorical world and learn more about this special lady artist.
 

„Africa I“

I am a 56 years old hobby-photographer, horse rider and dentist from Germany.  Started  with photography about 30 years ago.

My first steps were landscape and animal photographs taken during my holidays.  When home I did sports photography, I photographed people and still-life's.

I was a member of a photo club for 15 years where I learned the basics of photography . After a while I began to think and was dreaming about collages and photo manipulations. But at the time, the hardware to do it was extremely expensive, so I had to wait to start any project.

In 1993 I finally bought my first Digital-camera, a Nikon D2x, a high-tech fast computer, and  Photoshop 3.0. I was all ready to begin to work with new mediums.

„Here I am!!“

„Clownville II“

I was very lucky to have a good friend who was extremely creative.  He teached me the basics of this monumental tool that is Photoshop.
Two years later I became partner of a photo studio and began to work with models for Fine Art Nude Photography.
It was a great pleasure to me to work with different people and it still is my pleasure till today. 

My themes were collected from the classic literature, inspired by Dali, Magritte, the great Masters of the Netherlands and the Russian photographers colleagues.
Every theme related to relationships, to life or death, to strange and funny ideas about the daily life and our future were and still are interesting to me.  I try to put my ideas in compact pictures.
 

„The walk“

„There is a light...“

I often create mini-series of 3-5 pics with the same team, similar colours and/or backgrounds.
For each photo shoot, I create a major theme and prepare the accessories and clothes. During the shooting we (my model and I) often create some side-lines to the major theme by the input and ideas from my models.

„Living in a bubble...“

„Egghenge“

Today, my studio is my living-room with 4 lamps, backgrounds and a Nikon D3x. My whole flat is full of accessories of all kind. Sometimes my models tell me that I'm just like living  in a museum, because I love antiques and objects from former times.
I collect the backgrounds for my montages during short trips while on holiday (abandoned places or landscapes). All elements in my photographs are taken by me.  I never use stock photos.
I tell my models about the stories before we start and I always try to find persons who have an affinity to theatre, sports and dance.  That allows me to do all the posings in different and artificial ways, something that most teams rarely can.
I also try to find persons with a strong personality and their own ideas.  Our shootings are very creative and humourus.

„Downunder“

„Time tunnel“

„The girl-band“

 
My affinity to the surreal masters is still going on, my passion to work with photoshop never stops and I truly hope that my technical skills improved over the last years.
My goal is to learn more techniques so that my photos become so perfectly well composed that nobody will see the difference any more between a real pic and one out of the box. But the way to perfection is a very long one.
 

„Salt-Bird“

„Friends??“

 
My equipment consists of 2 Nikon cameras, a lot of different lenses from 12 to 500 mm, a Gitzo-tripod and for the studio I use Walimex-flashes.
But the most important is not the technical equipment, it is the relationship, the friendship and the creativity of people working with me.

One of my most important models is my husband Phil.  He is a great actor with a very impressive presence.  He often motivates the other models to go into their roles and gives them good vibes to express themselves.
 

„The Filmwatchers“

„The Arrival of the Italian III“

 
I don't have a favourite photograph of my own. Every project is important to me. My mood can switch from humour to madness to genius ideas for future themes. One drawing is not enough to show all the facets of my person.

Being part of 1X is a great pleasure for me. I learned so much about the Art of photography and I found some idols here. In the beginning, the critics were very helpful to me. Now the members are more reserved with comments, the same phenomena as in other communities. One of the reason, in my opinion, is that it is much easier and more comfortable to press the „favourite“ button than to write a critique in English when it is not your mother language. This is also the reason why it is difficult for me to take part in the critique section.

Nevertheless, I am often on 1X and proud and happy to be part of this great community.

Christine von Diepenboek