After the show - © Sophie
Gilles Soubeyrand
Jasmin Steffin # 2023 # Luebben - © Sophie
Jasmin Steffin
Heike65 # 2023 # Cuxhaven # 5 - © Sophie
Heike Nordlicht
Jasmin Steffin # 2023 # Lost Place # 2 - © Sophie
Jasmin Steffin
Political Issue - © Sophie
Foto Sascha
These thoughts are generic. They occur every time, before I shoot with an unknown photographer, especially when I like or adore the pictures.
Some weeks ago, I had a schedule with Mya from Leipzig (Germany). We planned to shoot in a parking house, to use some special light and background. And I was two hours before time. - So, I waited outside in the street. Completely styled, with a bag which contained all my stuff, which I grabbed three days ago, because before departure and our meeting, I was on a business trip in Munich.
So, I waited, and was nervous like hell. - I am trans. Non-op. And I love to shoot. All my model and social media profiles labels me as "woman", and I am transparent with that fact to anyone. I don't hide details regarding my past or trans body.
But through the upcoming "culture war" (for two years), more and more voices raised, that I am not a woman. That I was a male, be a male and will ever stay a male. - To be honest: Of course, this kind of statements (and connected hate) influences me.
Often, I feel like an imposter. And this is something which always comes in my mind before I meet the photographer. Before we start with the work. Thoughts like:
“Will my passing be valid on the pictures? Or will the POV of this photographer unmask my transness? Showing and spot me, as a male? Will the photographer start to misgender me, when we come to fine art nude photography? How much photos will be created, where my typical male attributes are underlined and emphasised?”
And by getting more and more nervous, I asking myself, why I am doing that shit all the time again? One to three times a month I am heading into the same situation again. Why I am searching for this challenge? Why I am going into this kind of exam? Why I am stressing myself that way?
But after everything starts, after I got into the touch with the lens, into touch with the click sound of the specific camera, I start to dive into the scene, deeper and deeper and come back to the set, after everything is shown and told.
And after I dived into each set, and arrived again and we finished, and we check the first results on the camera, I know why:
Because I love it! It's fun, its therapy, it's one of the best ways to connect to people, to myself, to exchange and grab new thoughts.
Thank you, Mya!
Thank you, all photographers who worked with me, in the past!
27305
Germany / Europe
Die Bildgestalterin Sophie Schmidt zeigt vom 29.05.2023 (Deutsche Mühlentag) bis zum 11.09.2023 (Tag des offenen Denkmals) mit sieben Fotografien, in universeller, teils poetisch, teils konkreter Sprache, Begegnungen zwischen Himmel und Hölle auf. Als transgeschlechtliches Model, ist Sophie dabei immer wieder Subjekt auf ihren eigenen Werken in Situationen, welche regelmäßig den inneren Konflikt zwischen Körper und Psyche behandeln, den Zustand zwischen Zwang und Freiheit, das Schweben zwischen Verzweiflung und Hoffnung; eine Überbrückung der Gegensätze.
Aufgrund dieser Brückenkraft werden Transgender-Menschen in einigen nordamerikanischen-indigenen Kulturen als two-spirits bezeichnet. Sie spielen in diesen Kulturen eine wichtige Rolle als Hüter der traditionellen Kultur, aber auch als Vermittler zwischen Himmel und Erde, Himmel und Hölle.
Insbesondere erforscht Sophie, was es bedeutet, innerhalb einer deutschen, christlichen Kultur eine two-spirit zu sein.
Die Bilder sind in Zusammenarbeit mit vier Fotograf:innen durch Inszenierung oder in freier Arbeit entstanden. Die Auswahl wurde gemeinsam mit Bea Tilanus Müllerin der Bruchmühlen für die Veranstaltung vorgenommen.
Adresse:
Sternwarte Bruchmühlen
Bruchmühlen 2
27305 Bruchhausen-Vilsen
https://www.planetarium-bruchhausen-vilsen.de/
[email protected]
Öffnungszeiten:
Jeden 2. und 4. Sonntag im Monat, zwischen 14:00 und 17:00 Uhr
Vom 29.05.2023 bis zum 11.09.2023
I am a transgender non-op woman, with about two years of modelling experience. - I like to explore universal symbols in my work, and use them for my favourite topics: gender, feminism and climate change, which in fact are always political. And I always like to be part in activism and the appropriate campaigns.
I am living in Berlin and I am flexible during the working days, because I am working as full-time software programmer and business analyst as a freelancer. I prefer TfP for projects which could enrich each other mindset and portfolio.
Beyond my favourite topics I am always curious and like to learn and enrich my shooting experiences. So, I am quite open for every topic and style, as long as there is quality and entitlement in the collaboration.
Most photographers describe me as easy, in-time, in-point and flexible to react to the demands. I am sure to fulfil a broad bandwidth of emotional states, if needed.
Don’t hesitate to contact me.