by Yvette Depaepe
Published the 3^rd of November 2025

Angelika Vogel’s work touches on many different themes, but she always considers it important for stories or a particular atmosphere to be revealed in the compositions. As she says – something to aspire to: “Constantly seeing the world as if for the first time” — Michael Bresson talking about his father, Henri Cartier-Bresson. She is a remarkable artist with a charming personality we all would love to meet, especially after reading this interview.

‘The striped dress’

First of all, I would like to thank Yvette for inviting me to showcase some of my photographs in this magazine.
My name is Angelika Vogel. I live in Berlin, where I work as an art teacher in primary schools. 

‘River mouth’ (Tasmania)

‘Hazy Melbourne’

My whole family is passionate about photography and art, and we love travelling. I have had the opportunity to visit beautiful places around the world and experience breathtaking natural landscapes, with an almost overwhelming abundance of colours and shapes, as well as seemingly deserted regions with endless expanses.  

‘On a Pier …’

‘In the Valley of Geysers’ (Iceland)

‘Westfjords Idyll’ (Iceland)

I bought my first camera, a Minolta 7000, 40 years ago, more out of a whim than a genuine desire to learn the art of photography.
I started out taking landscape and children's photographs.
As I worked in a school, I had the opportunity to photograph children in a wide variety of situations. I had the idea of creating a book with the students featuring texts written by children about their wishes, dreams and fears. The result was a moving collection of texts, which I paired with my photographs of the children. This work was published by Herder Verlag, Freiburg, under the title Ich möchte eine Blume sein ("I would like to be a flower"). I have also had reading books featuring children's paintings and my texts published and used by the German Ministry of Education.

My photography is inspired by the diversity of motifs and details in nature, the expressions on people's faces in cities, and the movement of people — their gestures and emotions, and the constant transformation through light, colour, shadow, and darkness. Consequently, my work touches on many different themes, but it is always important that stories or a particular atmosphere are revealed in the compositions.

Technical perfection is generally not the most important criterion for me when creating an image. Of course, when photographing architecture, where symmetry, clear, strict forms and lines are paramount and the unique character and individuality of an architect are to be portrayed, the appropriate technique is essential.

‘The Black Room’

‘Closed’

‘It’s been a long time …

My current cameras are the Canon EOS R6 mirrorless camera and the Canon EOS 6D. During the analogue era, I used various Minolta models. I mainly photographed my models using Ektachrome 400 slide film, which I developed in the lab at either ISO 800 or 1600 to achieve a grainy, vintage look. I have led nude photography workshops in Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, mainland Spain, Berlin, the Seychelles and Bali, and most recently in Paris. Some of these workshops were initiated by Minolta. My work has also been featured in several photography magazines. 

‘At the Beach in Nice’

‘Dip Falls’

‘The red Umbrella’

One of my favourite photos was taken in the southern Black Forest in Germany. I went out early one morning to photograph the pristine wintry landscape. It had snowed all night and the early morning revealed the most beautiful shades of powdery blue and white, with filtered sunlight making the textures and snow crystals sparkle. I was fascinated by the solitary small plant, a true survivor, standing amidst the many small rounded snow drifts.

‘The Snow Flower’

My favourite photographers are Henri Cartier-Bresson and Sarah Moon.
It was Sarah Moon's photos that inspired me to start taking nude portraits of women and scenes of women in cafés. I still love her style and tonal images, as well as the simple yet impressive scenes and natural poses of her models, without any forced, artificial smiles or contorted limbs.

‘Anna and Torella’

‘Waiting’

‘Norma’

‘Der Tanz’

My future projects: if I had the opportunity, I would like to take part in a photography project in the Sahara or Antarctica to explore the vast, untouched wilderness. And finally, I would like to say that I find the 1x platform for presenting my work appealing and of a high standard. 

‘Little Dancers’

Thank you so much for revealing more about yourself and the artist behind your images, Angelika. It is a real pleasure to introduce you to our readers and to those who haven't yet discovered your splendid work.