Spotlight: Janine Berns

I got my first camera as a customer’s gift when I opened a youth account at the bank as a ten-year-old. It was a yellow camera and needed a film roll. The camera didn’t have many features, but I enjoyed taking it with me – and I especially looked forward to opening the envelope with the printed pictures.

I’ve learned a lot through trial and error, and since 2016 I’ve been taking courses and workshops to learn in a more focused way. I have gained experience in various areas, and like shooting portraits as much as urbexing or creating a series around a theme.

The beauty of photography is that it allows you to take something with you from places you do not visit every day or to capture something that will not always stay the same.

In this featured picture, I wanted to play with light and put the good old bulb in the spotlight. The photograph may mislead you for a moment, because the light actually cannot come from the bulb, but once you realise this, your gaze concentrates on the details of the light bulb – and you may think of time passed by and a new era that is here.

Janine Berns, 07-09-2025