Sometimes a city reveals itself through contrasts: concrete and trees, distance and closeness, a face that holds its own quiet strength.

I worked with Angela a few years ago in Lausanne. I had been looking for a model through an agency in the Romandie because I wanted to photograph a series outside my usual surroundings. My French was not the best, but maybe that was part of the appeal. I like the slight uncertainty of entering a city that does not yet feel familiar. Zürich would have offered more than enough possibilities, but Lausanne had something open, foreign, and quietly unfinished for me in that moment.

Lausanne had something open, foreign, and quietly unfinished for me in that moment.

Angela fascinated me immediately through her presence. She is very athletic, but her strength was never only physical. It was in her face: clear features, a calm gaze, and an intensity that did not need much movement. In some moments she felt almost distant, then suddenly softer and more inward. That tension between control and vulnerability gave the series its depth. She could say a lot with very little expression.

Before the shoot, I searched for possible locations on Google Maps and then walked through them again in person. Some were fine, others made no sense once I stood there. In the end, I chose three scenes: a prominent bridge within the cityscape, a parking garage, and a nearby park. They were very different from each other, and that made the series feel more alive. The bridge brought lines, scale, and urban weight. The parking garage reduced everything to structure, shadow, and stillness. The park opened the story again, but without making it too romantic.

What I enjoyed most was how Angela did not simply adapt to the surroundings. She answered them with her own attitude. Near the bridge, her silhouette felt direct and self-assured. In the parking garage, everything became more graphic and concentrated. Between concrete, soft reflections, and shadow, her face became even stronger because there was so little distraction. In the park, another side appeared: calmer, more natural, almost incidental. Still, that inner tension remained, as if she was always holding the frame from within.

Looking back, I like this series for exactly that range. It was not built from a large concept, but from reacting carefully to place, light, and mood. Angela brought an attitude that felt urban, confident, and sensitive at the same time. Lausanne became more than a backdrop. It was a counterpart: firm in its lines, soft in its light, and generous in its transitions. Maybe this is why I enjoy working in unfamiliar cities so much. They do not only give me new places to photograph. They sharpen my attention for what is already in front of me.