Meet the FF Contributors: Conny Mirbach - Friends of Friends / Freunde von Freunden (FvF)

Meet the FF Contributors: Conny Mirbach

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If there’s one thing Conny Mirbach is passionate about aside from photography, it’s skateboarding.

Tagging along on skate tours with friends, Conny began documenting the stories of those around him. Today, he still prefers to explore and photograph a city from his board.

This leisurely lifestyle is reflected in his photos, which capture people with their guard down. We’re happy to have had Conny as an FF contributor for some time, and still love to look at his images of architect Steffen Werner or photographer Dan Holdsworth. Read on to learn more about his career.

  • Give us a little background information about yourself. Where did you grow up and how did you get started with photography?

    I grew up in Hamburg in Germany, and moved to Munich after school. Due to my own skateboarding background, I found my way into photography by documenting skate tours and everything that happened around the tricks.

  • What was your first big project?

    My first large assignment was a trip to Mallorca for Mercedes Benz, which ended up on the front page of their website. At that time I was in the third semester of photography school, so it was quite an honor for me.

  • Where are you based at right now and why?

    Now I live in Munich. Germany doesn’t have the best reputation for some reason, but everyone that comes here seems to have a good time. For me, it’s perfect. The work situation is great, I really like the skateboarding scene, and the nature that surrounds the city is quite stunning.

  • What does a typical work day look like for you?

    I don’t really have “a typical workday.” It totally depends on the time of the year and the amount of work I have to do. In summer I usually try to do my office work from 9:00 AM till noon, then have lunch at my favorite Sicilian place, Trinacria, before going skating for at least two hours afterwards. I like to do photo editing in the evening or at night, when nothing else arouses my interest.

  • Where, or who, do you draw inspiration from for your work?

    Traveling is a great inspiration. It doesn’t even have to be far away. There’s a little lake, surrounded by nearly untouched woods 30 minutes from my house—and when I go there with my girlfriend Sarah it feels like a micro-vacation.

    Every time we go there it is completely different because of the light, clouds, the color of the leaves, water… Besides that I try to be open—not only for photography but for design, politics, music and all kinds of people.

  • Three websites that you visit daily?

    Place Skateboard Culture is a great magazine for skateboarding and the culture around it. I also really like the portfolio of photographers Giant Artists. Jake Stangel’s work is especially good. And last, but not least, piano tutorials on Youtube. I just started playing the piano and I’m trying to get as much input as I can.

  • How did you start working for FvF, and what’s the most exciting story you’ve shot for us?

    My first job for FvF was visiting jewelry designer Saskia Diez in her beautiful studio. But the most exciting story was with Dan Holdsworth in Vallée de Jeux. I really liked getting there and climbing the hill before sunrise.

  • What story would you really like to do?

    Some months ago I had an assignment for Jaguar which brought me to the Bohuslän Coast in Sweden. There I met Johan Buskqvist and Marcel van der Eng from Lådfabriken, a lovely three bedroom hotel right at the waterfront. I really wouldn’t mind spending a week there.

  • What’s next?

    I hope to visit my sister in Costa Rica soon, and of course I will take a lot of photos there.

A relaxed view of the world

Some recent photography Conny has produced for FvF

Thanks Conny, for taking the time to give us a little insight into your daily life. We hope to continue collaborating with you in the future! Check out more of Conny’s work on his website or follow him on Instagram.

Wondering who else we work with? Meet more FvF Contributors here. Want to become part of the team? Submit your story ideas here.

Photography: Conny Mirbach, Danny Sommerfeld (Portrait Image)
Text: Milena Zwerenz

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