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Travelling through Mexico with the M10
Travelling through Mexico with the M10
Oliver Bierhoff
November 11, 2017
From Mexico City, through Oaxaca and on to the Chiapas region: Oliver Bierhoff’s travels do not relate exclusively to his work as Manager of the German National Football Team. While travelling throughout Mexico, Bierhoff focussed on another of his passions – photography. We spoke about the advantages of the Leica M10 and the power of colours.
Was there a particular reason why you decided to take the Leica M10 on this trip with you?
The M10 had just come out on the market and I was, of course, keen to see what it would be like to photograph with. It’s precisely on trips like this that I like the M because it’s so discreet. It doesn’t even make you look like a tourist.
One of the toughest challenges for a photographer is to approach people he/she wants to take pictures of. How did people take to you and your camera?
It’s an advantage of the M that people don’t feel threatened by it. The people were very shy, but, on the whole, allowed me to take photographs. Here and there I also hid in the market and “shot off the hip”.
It’s clear from your motifs that the colours of the country really attracted you. How satisfied are you with the camera’s colour reproduction?
The colour reproduction is incredible, and in this regard Leica has done some outstanding work over recent years. The colours appear totally authentic.
Is there a picture that you’re particular keen on?
I think that’s difficult for any photographer to say. I like the picture of the family with three generations on the rubbish dump. It shows quite simply the great contrast between, on the one hand, the warmth of the people and the colourful world, and, on the other, the sorrow and the poverty.
Do you already know how you’d like to cover the 2018 World Cup from a photography perspective?
I would of course like to take more photographs at the tournament, because I’m very close up; however, my focus during that time will be completely directed towards the team’s success. For sure we will try to capture pictures of what goes on behind the scenes, and through Leica we now have Philipp Reinhard as a full time photographer for the team.
Was there a particular reason why you decided to take the Leica M10 on this trip with you?
The M10 had just come out on the market and I was, of course, keen to see what it would be like to photograph with. It’s precisely on trips like this that I like the M because it’s so discreet. It doesn’t even make you look like a tourist.
One of the toughest challenges for a photographer is to approach people he/she wants to take pictures of. How did people take to you and your camera?
It’s an advantage of the M that people don’t feel threatened by it. The people were very shy, but, on the whole, allowed me to take photographs. Here and there I also hid in the market and “shot off the hip”.
It’s clear from your motifs that the colours of the country really attracted you. How satisfied are you with the camera’s colour reproduction?
The colour reproduction is incredible, and in this regard Leica has done some outstanding work over recent years. The colours appear totally authentic.
Is there a picture that you’re particular keen on?
I think that’s difficult for any photographer to say. I like the picture of the family with three generations on the rubbish dump. It shows quite simply the great contrast between, on the one hand, the warmth of the people and the colourful world, and, on the other, the sorrow and the poverty.
Do you already know how you’d like to cover the 2018 World Cup from a photography perspective?
I would of course like to take more photographs at the tournament, because I’m very close up; however, my focus during that time will be completely directed towards the team’s success. For sure we will try to capture pictures of what goes on behind the scenes, and through Leica we now have Philipp Reinhard as a full time photographer for the team.
ALL IMAGES ON THIS PAGE: © Oliver Bierhoff
Oliver Bierhoff+-
Oliver Bierhoff was born in Karlsruhe, Germany, on May 1, 1968. He grew up in Essen and played for SG 99/06 and ETB Schwarz-Weiß. In 1985 he transferred to Bayer Uerdingen, who became German Champions A-Jugend (Youth) in 1987. In 1986/87 he played his first 19 national league games for Bayer – then he became a striker for Hamburger SV and Borussia Mönchengladbach. In 1990, playing centre forward, he went abroad and was a goalgetter in Austria and Italy. Under Berti Vogts, Bierhoff became a national player in 1996. Since July 29, 2004, Bierhoff is the National Team Manager. More
