Welcome to “Kieferer - Portrait of a Village”, a project that captures the unique identity and diversity of a community. Inspired by artists such as Cindy Sherman who explore identity in depth, I set out on a journey to discover the stories and faces behind village life. This collection is a tribute to the beauty of the everyday and the depth of the human experience, captured in the streets and stories of Kiefersfelden.
In my collection you will find portraits and stories that show what makes Kiefersfelden special and what it means to be a “Kieferer”. I was inspired by the residents themselves to capture their perspectives and experiences. Each picture tells its own story, be it of people in traditional costume, personal objects with special meaning or the familiar places in the village.
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The people of Kiefer have explored the question of what Kiefersfelden means to them and why. For each of them, Kiefersfelden is more than just a home; it is a place with which the people of Kiefer have a very special connection. Whether Kiefersfelden has always been their home or whether it has only become one over time, everyone has a very specific connection to the village and the community.
The objects are also as different as can be, and yet they connect the people of Kiefer with the village in which they live. The diversity of these objects reflects the diversity of the community and shows how individual and yet connected each resident is to their home. Finally, it is the very specific places in and around Kiefersfelden that connect the people of Kiefer with the village and their lives there. These places show that in a small village, the community has its favorite places and that these play an important role in the life of each individual.
ABOUT
ABOUT NINSKO
Hello, my name is Janin Kraus, but in the world of creative work I am often referred to as Ninsko. As a communication designer based in Kiefersfelden, I am currently pursuing my degree in graphic design. My passion lies in the dynamic fields of photography, editorial design and art direction.
Living abroad has made me realize how strong the identity and connection with the home village is. This inspired me to create the project “Kieferer - Portrait of a Village”, with the aim of finding out what makes us residents of Kiefersfelden “Kieferers” and what this identity means to us. Through photography and personal stories, I want to capture the unique community and diversity of our village and show what it means to be a part of it.
Working on this project was extremely exciting for me and at the same time an experiment. You never know in advance what answers you will get and what images will emerge. To delve even deeper into the subject, I added portraits , made by me, of the people of Kiefer in traditional costume to the collection of their pictures.
For the photography, I used my Sony Alpha 6000, together with a flash and a simple folding background, and converted my parents’ living room into a studio. It always fills me with joy to see how you can capture the complex and individual identity of people with simple means and hold on to it for a brief moment.
So let yourself be inspired and delve into the pictures and stories of the
Have a look at the behind the scenes chaos :)
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