On the beach I meet people who collect stones and shells or look for amber. They overlook all the rubbish that the sea has spat on the shore. Out of environmental awareness and a little out of defiance, on the other hand, I collect colorful plastic parts with interesting shapes in my bag. This passion for collecting makes me feel good. Because I don’t carry the StrandGUT home from my walk, but the MeerSCHLECHT – the consumer waste that pollutes the sea.

I collage my finds with algae and washed-out bones and photograph them against a white background. The result was a series of photos that can do more than arouse environmental awareness. The creation of my photos is so simple that it is easy to imitate them. If you take it as a template, not only is rubbish turned into art, but rubbish is carried away from the beach. Sustainable, perhaps even conscious waste disposal.

ACTIVATING PHOTOGRAPHY is what I call my approach to creating photos that inspire action.