While studying physics in Dresden, Roland caught the attention of the director of the State Art Collections, who introduced him to the city's photography scene. His photographs were exhibited at the Kupferstich-Kabinett alongside works by Man Ray, Edmund Kesting, and Gerhard Richter. This was an early indication of Roland's unique photographic style and the extraordinary path he would go on to take.

Roland shaped the transition to the digital age of photography in two ways: Firstly, he undertook a five-year teaching assignment on the 'Physical Foundations of Photography', by which time he had become a university lecturer at the University of Magdeburg. Secondly, he was one of the first German photographers to have his own website in the mid-1990s.

Then came the turning point: a serious illness changed everything. Roland describes this period himself as 'Life 2.0'. Rather than a farewell to his previous work, it was a new beginning in a different direction. Suddenly, people became the focus of his pictures. Themes such as the body, skin, intimacy and sensuality, which he had barely touched upon before, took centre stage. He had now found his own voice in nude and portrait photography.

He takes his photos in private rooms after long conversations, often over coffee or breakfast. This is how he builds trust — and sometimes even friendships. This closeness results in photo series that are published in books and magazines or exhibited in places such as Berlin-Neukölln. It's no coincidence that his pictures attract attention. “Good friends tell me that my pictures stand out because they are different,” says Roland. One example: In the first issue of a feminist magazine, he was the only man featured — and with three nude series, no less.

Even a quick glance at his work is enough to recognise his clear, unmistakable style. Roland mostly photographs in black and white, not out of nostalgia, but because this makes form, light and expression appear stronger. His compositions appear spontaneous and natural, yet never random. The women in his pictures are laughing, thinking or dreaming. Nothing appears staged; everything is alive. The result is photographs of fleeting moments captured somewhere between closeness and distance. It is precisely this lightness that lends his pictures emotional depth, conveying quiet joy, trust and sometimes melancholy.

Roland chooses places where life takes place instead of photographing in a studio: Kitchens, bedrooms and windows, for example. Nothing appears staged or exaggerated. His pictures radiate calm and honesty. They are moving not because of their quantity, but because of their restraint.

[ Text 10Photos ]