About
Stefan Falke is a New York City based photographer who is as passionate about his professional assignments as he is about his personal projects. Corporate and editorial clients trust his visual storytelling qualities and his photographs have been featured by major international publications; his work resulted in three photo books and over twenty solo exhibitions at museums, galleries and prestigious photo festivals like PHOTOVILLE in New York, Visa Pour L'Image in Perpignan, and Triennale der Photographie in Hamburg.
Stefan was born in Paderborn, Germany. After abandoning his civil engineer studies he assisted photographers in Munich and later worked as a silk screen printer in Hamburg. In the early 90s German film studios started hiring him as a unit photographer for movies filmed in Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Morocco, USA, Denmark, Finland, Kenya, South Africa, Spain, Rumania, Jordan and France (list of films). He credits those years of shooting stills on movie sets with his most important time for becoming a working photographer. Besides getting work from the studios he started his first long-term photography project about a stilt walking school in the Caribbean titled "Moko Jumbies: The Dancing Spirits of Trinidad", which was exhibited at the prestigious photo festival "Visa Pour L'Image" in Perpignan/France in 2004 and published as a book under the same title.
For his next project (since 2008) “LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US – Mexican Border” he photographed about 200 artists on both sides of the 2000 miles long US-Mexico border in order to put a spotlight on the vibrant cultural activities of this bi-national region which is portrayed by politicians and the international media mostly with the sole focus on violent crime and illegal immigration.
His latest project about the empty streets of New York during the challenging year 2020 resulted in the self published book Keep Going New York !! which won awards from ASMP, Communication Arts and IPA.
Stefan became a member of the German photo agency "laif / agentur fuer photos und reportagen" in 1999 (laif is represented by Redux in the US).
He moved to the United States in 2002 and now lives with his wife Christine in New York City where he continues to photograph for editorial and corporate clients. He is fluent in English and German.
Website:
www.stefanfalke.com
Testimonial:
"For me as a rep, coach or consultant there’s nothing more gratifying than securing high-end, high paying commercial jobs for photojournalists. Recently, Stefan Falke shot for TD bank here in New York City. His self-published book: Keep Going New York!! was the impetus for the job.
Stefan shot/directed 20 locations (stills and video) in the NYC Metro area over the course of a week. This entire project was born out of his personal project that he shot while the city was suffering with Covid. We secured a production team and working with Alan Hevelone at Haddad & Partners was a dream.
TD Bank world-wide headquarters is located at 42nd St & Vanderbilt in the shadow of Grand Central. The location in fact has become a “live portfolio” for Stefan – his work gets tremendous exposure – I’m absolutely thrilled for him!" (Frank Meo - The Photocloser)
Books:
2021 - KEEP GOING NEW YORK !! New York City in 2020 - by Stefan Falke / a photographic portfolio. Self published in 2021. Preview here
2014 - LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border - by Stefan Falke / LA FRONTERA: Künstler an der US-Mexikanischen Grenze, published by Edition Faust, Frankfurt/Germany. View here
2004 - MOKO JUMBIES: The Dancing Spirits of Trinidad - by Stefan Falke / Published 2004 by Pointed Leaf Press, New York. View here
Newspapers and magazines:
The New York Times, New York Magazine, Die Zeit, Der Spiegel, FAZ, Focus, Brigitte, Cicero, Geo Spain, Geo Korea, PHOTO, FotoMagazin, Photographie, TAZ, Cinema, Architectural Digest, SonntagsBlick, Sports, Caribbean Travel & Life, Caribbean Beat, Tank, Topos, Verdi, Dogs, Elle, ART, Weltwoche, Schweitzer Familie, The Oxford American, NZZ am Sonntag, Kunstzeitung, La Repubblica Del Donne, Le Point, Challenges, ...
Corporate:
DHL, Siemens, Union Investments, American Express, Bulthaup, Symrise, TD Bank, Haddad & Partners, DC UNITED
Retail interior photography:
Saks Fifth Avenue
Featured online (click on publication for published stories):
The New York Times, BBC, NBC, The Huffington Post, Wired, aCurator, The FORWARD THINKING MUSEUM, Hyperallergic, L'Oeil de la Photographie, Hahnemühle, FAZ Magazin, Courrier International, Trip Magazin, Photoville, photo-letter, American Photography's ProPhotoDaily, ASMP - American Society of Media Photographers, aPhotoEditor, Liberation, ...
Film Studios:
Warner Brothers (Germany), Bavaria Film, Constantin Film, NFP Berlin, Josefine Film, UFA, WDR
Awards:
2021 - IPA - International Photography Awards - 3rd place in category street photography for "Keep Going New York" (see here)
2021 - IPA - International Photography Awards - Honorable Mention in category self published books: "Keep Going New York" (see here)
2021 - CA 2021Award of Excellence - Communication Arts Photography Annual 62 - category: books, for "Keep Going New York !!" (see here)
2021 - Best of American Society of Media Photographers 2020 contest - category series - 2nd place for "Keep Going New York"
2013 - David Chow Humanitarian Award for "LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border"
Grants:
2012 - Stiftung Kulturwerk der VG BILD-KUNST granted support for my project "LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border"
Lectures, Presentations:
2021 - Frank Meo's PROJECTIONS / NYC ("Keep Going New York" - book presentation)
2021 - Coney Island USA - Ask The Experts: Stefan Falke - Live with Adam Rinn
2021 - Talk Show "Spin It Social Hour" with Steffen Kaplan (about "Keep Going New York" book) watch the recording of it on YouTube here
2020 - Talk Show "Spin It Social Hour" with Steffen Kaplan (about "LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border") watch the recording of it on YouTube here
2020 - Frank Meo's PROJECTIONS / NYC ("Keep Going New York")
2019 - Frank Meo's PROJECTIONS / NYC ("LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border")
2013 - Rubin Center for the Arts El Paso ("LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border")
Panel Discussions:
2018 - Deutsches Haus at NYU, New York: "Art and Migration"
2016 - Phillips Museum, Washington DC: "Migration/Immigration"
Podcasts:
Rational Middle: hosted by Melissa Brannan (not available anymore)
B&H Photography Podcasts - Art Between Us - Photography on the U.S.-Mexico Border
NPR Marketplace - Documenting Art on the US-Mexico Border
Online Interviews:
A short video portrait about me and my Keep Going New York project - created by Crispin Kerr-Dineen, a graduate student in journalism (news and documentary) at New York University in 2023. Watch it here
CYME - Stefan Falke: The Photography Storyteller here
Canvas Rebel - Meet Stefan Falke here
Deutsches Haus at NYU - about my exhibition "Keep Going New York !!" here
Max Hünten Haus Zingst, Germany - about my exhibition "LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border" read (in German only) here
Deutsches Haus at NYU - about my exhibition "MOKO JUMBIES: The Dancing Spirits of Trinidad" here
San Diego Free Press - about my project "LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border" here
Faces Of Photography - about my work in New York during the Corona Crisis 2020 here
Moment: New York Blog - about my New York photographs during the Corona Crisis 2020) read (in German) here
Reviews:
Reviews in Digital Humanities 2020 (LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US-Mexico Border) Review in Spanish and English here
Solo Exhibitions:
2022 - D.A.I. Deutsch Amerikanisches Institut Tübingen, Germany
"Keep Going New York" (more information here and/or view 3D exhibition here)
2021/22 - Deutsches Haus at NYU, New York City:
"Keep Going New York" (more information here)
2021 - Galerie Max Hünten Haus Zingst, Germany:
"LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border" (more information and 360 degree photos here)
2019 - Centennial Museum at UTEP, El Paso, Texas:
"LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border"
2018 - American Space Leipzig, Germany:
"LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border"
2018 - Steppling Art Gallery at SDSU Imperial Valley in Calexico, California:
"LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border"
2018 - German-American Center Stuttgart/Germany:
"LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border"
2018 - Deutsches Haus at NYU, New York City:
"MOKO JUMBIES: The Dancing Spirits of Trinidad"
2017 - d.a.i. Tübingen, Germany (Deutsch-Amerikanisches Institut / German-American Institute):
"LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border"
2017 - Deutsches Haus at NYU, New York City:
"The Wall(s)"
2017 - CEART Mexicali, Mexico :
"LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border"
2017 - Galeria 409, Brownsville, Texas:
"LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border"
2016 - Festival Tijuana Interzona, Mexico, (outdoor exhibition on the border fence):
"LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border"
2016 - Goethe Institut Washington DC :
"2,000 MILES: DIVIDED LAND, COMMON HUMANITY"
2016 - Deutsches Haus at NYU, New York:
"LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border"
2015 - Triennale der Photographie Hamburg :
"LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border"
2014 - Photoville, Brooklyn, New York :
"LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border"
2014 - The Cervantes Institute, Cultural Institute of Spain, Frankfurt, Germany :
"LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border"
2014 - Mexican Consulate in Frankfurt, Germany:
"LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border"
2014 - International Museum for Art and Science (IMAS), McAllen, Texas :
"LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border"
2013 - The Mexican Cultural Institute of Washington, D.C., :
"LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border"
2013 - La Casa Familiar, San Ysidro, USA:
"LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border"
2013 - La Tentacion Gallery, Tijuana, Mexico, :
"New York Fake Polaroids II"
2012 - La Casa Del Tunel, Tijuana, Mexico:
"LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border"
2012 - La Tentacion Gallery, Tijuana, Mexico:
"New York Fake Polaroids"
2011 - Visa Pour l'Image / Perpignan, France - evening screening:
"Machine Gun Show in Kentucky"
2010 - Visa Pour l'Image / Perpignan, France - evening screening:
"Camp Hope"
2004 - Visa Pour l'Image / Perpignan, France - official festival selection:
"MOKO JUMBIES: The Dancing Spirits of Trinidad"
2003 - Visa Pour l'Image / Perpignan, France - evening screening:
"MOKO JUMBIES: The Dancing Spirits of Trinidad"
1998 - Saarländische Künstlerhaus Saarbrücken:
Stefan Falke: Fotografierte Geschichten - Filmfotografie
Group Exhibitions:
2021 - The Rockefeller Flag Project, New York, USA
2017 - 2022 - Sierra Club - traveling exhibition, USA:
"Lens On The Border"
2017 - SDSU Downtown Gallery San Diego, USA:
"We Are Here/Somos Aqui"
Feature Films (selection - unit still photographer):
2015 Brecht (Heinrich Breloer)
2011 Ludwig II. (Peter Sehr and Marie-Noelle)
2009 Die Superbullen (Gernot Roll)
2009 Werner - Eiskalt 2008 (Gernot Roll)
2008 Albert Schweitzer (Gavin Millar)
2007 Die Buddenbrooks - Ein Geschäft von einiger Größe (Heinrich Breloer)
2007 Short Cut to Hollywood (Marcus Mittermeier)
2006 Ein Ferienhaus auf Ibiza (Marco Serafini)
2006 Love Comes Lately (Jan Schütte)
2006 Die Frau vom Checkpoint Charlie (Miguel Alexandre)
2005 Hounded (Angelina Maccarone)
2005 Störtebeker (Miguel Alexandre)
2004 Die weisse Massai (Hermine Huntgeburth)
2004 Speer und Er (Heinrich Breloer)
2000 HipHop - A Tale from the Hood (Harald Rumpf)
2000 Journey to Kafiristan (Fosco Dubini)
2000 Die Manns - Ein Jahrhundertroman (Heinrich Breloer)
1999 Abschied - Brechts letzter Sommer (Jan Schütte)
1999 Nick Knatterton (Markus O. Rosenmüller)
1998 Gangster (Volker Einrauch)
1998 I Love You, Baby (Nick Lyon)
1998 Das Trio (Hermine Huntgeburth)
1997 Fette Welt (Jan Schütte)
1994 Ein falscher Schritt (Hermine Huntgeburth)
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Portrait: Christine Merrick
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Stefan Falke Photography
New York
portfolios: www.stefanfalke.com
email: stefanfalke@mac.com
phone: +1 (917) 214 9029
200 W 26th Street Apt 17B
New York, NY 10001
USA
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