Insta Fav #ignt_symmetry: ellamsinger

Every Thursday we announce a certain topic via a hashtag, afterwards you’ll have 4 days to make a photo working with that topic and upload it to your Instagram using the hashtag. Who shot the best image will be featured as our Insta Fav in the following week. This weeks topic is #ignt_undercover and here are a few rules and tips:

– The goal this week is to take a creative photo that plays with the state of being undercover either literally or metaphorically. Let your imagination run free.
– Please only submit your own photographs to the project. Any image tagged until Monday is eligible to be featured right here.
– If you want to submit your photo, use the hashtag #ignt_undercover and upload your photo until Sunday the 08.03 on your Instagram account.

Have fun and good luck, we can’t wait to see your submissions.

Berlin-based student of architecture and instagrammer @ellamsinger won the following feature with his picture for our last weeks topic #ignt_symmetry. Thank you for all your submissions.

Follow: @ellamsinger

When and where did you take the picture? Tell us a little about the idea behind it.

I took this picture a couple of weeks ago on the University campus in Adlershof. There is a wonderful ‘aerodynamic’ Park – an adventure play area for young and old – and a great spot to take some extraordinary pictures.
The sky, on this day, was grey and melted together with the concrete walls of the 17 meter tall ‘Trudelturm’. For me the perfect weather. All i had to do was look up at the tower and i had my shot of a man, walking up “the steps of eternity”, with the depressed touch of the grey sky and the concrete. Exactly my cup of tea.

Where are you from? How does that place influence the way you photograph?

I was born in Poland but came at a young age to Berlin. Here each day is full of changes and never boring. The everyday transitions and multi-cultural life in this city (building sites are a common occurrence here), make the journey to the boroughs a welcoming trip. Sometimes I spend hours alone, walking through the city looking for new and interesting subjects for my creativity. I either go to places where I have never been or I randomly take a walk to learn a little more about my beautiful city.

Before my studies began, I already had an interest for Architecture and Berlin was the perfect place for that. We have everything here, from modern skyscrapers made of glass to old “Stasi” living quarters. These extremes is what make this city unique and intriguing for me.

Who and what are the things that inspire you?

My inspiration and what I mostly like to photograph is my city and its architecture. Sometimes I have people laughing at my pictures because they say that Berlin looks so empty on them, but thats what I like about my photos – “Minimalistic views of the city”. For my pictures I like it when the weather is grey and depressiv instead of sunny and blue skies.

But Berlin is not the only place that inspires me, once in a while I need a little time out and i look for actual unpopulated locations. For short trips I usually like to visit Brandenburg. There you can find a bunch of little towns and of course a lot of forest. Though, I would like to say that Iceland was by far the pinnacle of my photographing experience last year.

Tell us what’s usually in your toolkit when leaving the house.

I always take my iPhone and of course my charger everywhere I go. Occasionally, I take my Fuji X-30 or my Analog Canon AE-1 for my more pronounced days.
Usually I also have paper and a pencil and something to read in my bag.

Your favorite instagrammers?

This question is definitely hard to answer since there are so many different and talented Instagramers.
There is for example @irina_jwd, @lindaberlin, @mhuergao, @konaction, @massju, @stina_valensina, , @mr_sunset … just to name a few.

Tell us a little about your everyday. (Family, friends, work, etc.)

I’m a student, so I spend most of my days in university. I also work at a lovely Cafe on the side. When I have time between studies and work, i like to go out with family or friends to different places to eat or drink. On other occasions, I take to the streets with my fellow instagramers and capture the city at its best.
Its nice to say that through instagram I have met a lot of interesting people as well as close friends.