There’s no doubt that Shanghai is one of the world’s busiest and most vibrant cities, known for its historical, cultural, and urban landmarks. However, instead of placing the spotlight on any of these popular spots, the Cologne, Germany-based advertising and art photographer Florian Mueller decided to point his lens on what he discovered as the “real Shanghai.”
Copyright ⓒ Florian Mueller
During a job for Porsche China, Mueller and his friend and assistant decided to do something strikingly different from “the ‘Former French Concession’ to the glass and steel facades of the banking district.’” In place of cosmopolitan scenes, fancy locations, and stunning views from vantage points, they immersed the city’s vibrant shopfronts glowing at night. While not exactly the first places that come to mind when it comes to documenting Shanghai, they found it to be a poignant opportunity to photograph and experience life in the city.
Copyright ⓒ Florian Mueller
“In the evenings and at night, however, my friend and assistant David and me had no desire for fancy rooftop bars and restaurants; we wanted to discover the city on our own feet, with our own eyes. So we stumbled upon these streets and alleys with completely crowded and incredibly lovingly run stores.
“This was great fun because here and there we were taken out of our observer role and talked to the residents and were invited for tea (or whiskey),” he added.
Enriching creativity with street photography
Mueller may not be doing street photography full-time, but he considers himself an observer who dabbles in the craft not often enough. As a fan of the genre, he also likes redefining familiar scenes or places through the “unadorned, direct, and sometimes brute way of representing reality.” This authenticity, he said can be ugly and painful but shows “that little sting of truth that we miss in many other varieties of photography.”
Copyright ⓒ Florian Mueller
“There’s a phrase I like to use at workshops: ‘Look into the lint filter of your perception.’ Some things we have stored away as familiar or taken for granted take on a whole new role when we take a fresh look.”
Finding that street photography enriches his creativity, Mueller also sometimes incorporates the genre into his commercial and advertising jobs. Keeping it natural, he creates most of the scenes without direction or storyboards. “For example, I was in Taipei for a Porsche campaign and we must have spent three hours shooting in one location until I was happy with the kind of “street reality.”
Shanghai through its shopfronts
There are many ways to get to know a city, but it’s always getting a slice of everyday life that makes the experience more authentic. For Mueller, visiting the “real” Shanghai meant going away from the flashy flagship stores. Instead, he immersed himself in life that takes place on the street, alongside the people who show a different view of abundance and openness. This experience, in turn, gave him the idea to put together the “Nightshift Shanghai” series.
Copyright ⓒ Florian Mueller
“In Shanghai, I was on the road with a very open mind. I was a guest. You live here. It is your living space. It is your street. Show it to me, let me dive in for a while. And I am very grateful for that.
“For me personally, it was a visit to a kind of ‘real’ Shanghai, away from the flagship stores and the bling-bling, to the people who can afford a store where they sell everything (really everything!), but which in some cases has no more space for themselves and they sit in front of it. Open, friendly, curious. Just like me.”
On what makes him see the world and life on the streets differently, Mueller said, “I can only underline it: I try to be open. To keep my expectations of places small and to always have my antennas in reception mode.”
Copyright ⓒ Florian Mueller
He also noted that while he doesn’t always walk the streets in “camera mode,” he does recognize something when he sees it. “And am often enough sad that I don’t have a camera in front of my nose at that exact moment!”
“You can compose, control and influence a lot in photography. Street photography proves that it’s just those little moments, the serendipity, the coincidence, and being open that make a great image.”
To see more, Visit NightShift Shanghai
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