Meeting people
I listened to an interview with Anders Petersen, often described as one of Sweden’s most important and internationally acclaimed photographers.
One of his most well-known works comes from Café Lehmitz, a bar in Hamburg. He spent almost three years there, photographing people. The portraits are incredible, so alive that it almost feels like you know what the people are feeling and thinking.
When asked about his work, he says:
The photographs come second. What really matters is the meeting. If I don’t go deep enough in the meeting, the images just become pictures.
I think that’s beautifully put. And I also think it’s true about life in general.
It’s so obvious when someone sees you as a person, a fellow human being, rather than a worker, a customer, or a useful connection. In those moments, it’s more about them than about you. You’re reduced to a means to an end.
It’s sad.
A real meeting has value in so many ways. It’s less about giving and receiving, and more about unity. It’s about recognizing ourselves in others, and through that recognition, we grow as human beings.
In the interview, the last question Anders is asked is what goes through his mind when he looks back at all the photos, his life’s work. He replies:
“I mostly think about the people. How they are doing. If they are still alive.”