As a result of my bird photography exhibition in Starnberg, I got a call from a journalist who wanted to interview me. It was my first interview as a photographer, and I was impressed by the journalist, her insight and questions. I was even more impressed when I saw the resulting article, and especially the photo of the lorikeet, which is one of my favourite photos ever. You can find translation to English below.
And here is the English translation
Jerusalem, Sydney, Königsbrunn: What draws a photographer to the district
Ran Fuchs was at home in many countries. Now he lives in Koenigsbrunn. What plans does he have.
For several years, Ran has led his life between major international cities. A life centered on his work as CEO of an IT company. During the week he worked sometimes in Munich, sometimes in Frankfurt, and then flew to London at the weekends. The laptop was always with him, even on vacation. "I woke up one morning and said to myself: That's enough," says Fuchs, who has been living in Königsbrunn for a few months. "From now on I want to do what I really love. And that is photography."
It's been about five years since that inspiration. At the age of 55, Fuchs decided to quit his job and study photography in the Australian capital, Sydney. "I've dreamed of this for a long time, but didn't dare," says Fuchs. He was already at home in many cities and countries. The photo artist with Jewish roots was born in the Israeli capital Jerusalem. He has fond memories of his childhood there: "As a child, I found life in Israel to be very free."
He spent most of his childhood outdoors in nature. At the age of 15, Fuchs began working for the largest Israeli conservation organization. For about 10 years he led groups of children and adults through nature reserves. "I've always wanted to bring the beauty and importance of nature closer to other people," says Fuchs. This also sparked his passion for nature photography. Nevertheless, after military service, Fuchs decided to study mathematics and computer science, first in Israel and then in the Japanese capital Tokyo.
"After the first culture shock, I fell in love with this country," says the native Israeli about his time in Japan. He was particularly taken with Japanese art. "I like this style, which manages with few colors and filigree lines and transports a lot at the same time." In his photographic art, Fuchs tries to take up this style again and again.
A few years after graduating, the trained information engineer founded his own company with headquarters in London. Through a project with the Technical University of Munich, Fuchs often spent a few days or weeks in the Bavarian capital. As a result, the 60-year-old made some friends in Augsburg and Königsbrunn.
"A friend once said to me that there are nice photo opportunities for me in Munich, but not in Königsbrunn," Fuchs recalls of a visit to the southern district. "I immediately thought: I want to show the people here that they too have a lot of beautiful things right on their doorstep."
With this motivation, Fuchs started his first photo project in Königsbrunn in 2018. The result is a small "picture book" with over 20 artistic photographs of buildings, animals and natural sites in Königsbrunn. "At the moment I'm only giving it away because the project isn't finished for me yet," says the father of three. What finally made him move to Königsbrunn?
„I like Munich and Augsburg, but I want to be out in nature with my camera as quickly as possible," says Fuchs. The 60-year-old has been living alone in an apartment in Königsbrunn since April and has been studying in a VHS course for about two months German."Do you know which sentence is taught in the first lesson?" he asks. "It's: My work is interesting, but very stressful."
The photo artist is happy that he has broken away from the stress of working in the IT industry. Some of his photos can be seen in a solo exhibition at the Thoma Gallery in Starnberg until November 19th. Since Ran Fuchs has been working as a professional photographer, he has already sold several hundred works and received several awards. His special passion is taking pictures of birds.
Ran Fuchs is currently dreaming of a big project in Königsbrunn: “I want to take photos of the local bird breeds and put them up all over town. For example at bus stops.” This should give the residents of Königsbrunn more contact with the animals and nature in their city. "I'm very concerned about how our environment is being destroyed by climate change," says the photographer. “Only when people truly see and appreciate nature will they protect it. That's what I want to achieve with my art.” You can get an impression of his art on Fuchs' website www.ranfuchs.art