The drive behind this photo series stemmed from a breathtaking encounter with nature in the open sea and the realization: although we ourselves are made up of 60-70% water, this element remains untameably superior and simultaneously essential for life. Even though 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by water, humans cannot live in it. Swimming in the seemingly endless blue expanse profoundly impacted the photographer and became the beginning of a photographic journey to water as the original element of all life: O R I G I O.
For the resulting project, the young photographer developed a precise concept and then once again literally took the plunge – this time in the cold waters of Lake Constance right at her doorstep. Initially, she searched for underwater spots close to the shore, but quickly expanded her location choices and eventually decided to get a sailing license. This enabled her to take her group into deeper waters with a sailboat to create the planned scenes beneath the surface.
Each composition matured in theory, was practiced on land, and finally shaped and captured photographically in the water. However, nature regularly showcased all its whims: water temperature, wind strength, weather conditions of previous days, plants - nothing was predictable, reliable, or repeatable. Only at water temperatures below 12 degrees was clear visibility possible. Therefore, the divers could only stay in the cold Lake Constance for a few minutes, and the photographer could only trigger a single shot per dive. The quality of the images, which lend the project its analog-like authenticity, only became apparent later on the screen. The result is a simultaneously everyday and yet unknown, picturesque view of a world in the watery element. The mystical aesthetics of the images were inspired by paintings and sculptures of the Renaissance. The lake's opacities and the gentle light of the cloudy sky create a timeless character in the photographs and evoke memories of our origin: every human life grows enclosed in amniotic fluid. Almost weightless, free from possessions, carried by an element that knows no limits, language barriers, or hierarchies.
Milena Schilling's photographs open our eyes and nourish our longing for original connection - both with our own species and with the water that distinguishes our habitat from all other known planets. The series also shows how beautifully diverse the human body is.
And the work O R I G I O is only at the beginning: Currently, Milena Schilling is preparing to one day sail to the giant marine mammals to photograph whales in a respectful interplay with the pure, tiny human.
O R I G I O is a homage to life, to how multifaceted and filled with beauty it is. It is a humble look at the element of water, to which we humans equally owe our existence on Earth, as well as a reminder that we are all shaped from the same water and thus connected to each other.

Biography: 

Milena Schilling, born in 1996, lives and works as a photographer in Konstanz by - and often in - Lake Constance. Solo works as well as group exhibitions of the young emerging artist have already been exhibited in Germany and internationally in countries such as France or Iran and have been honored with significant awards.
Growing up in a rural area on a former farm in southern Germany, she began exploring people through the lens at the age of 14. But not only people - the surrounding nature has always played a significant role in her work. She financed her first SLR camera from an inheritance from her grandmother and set up a photo studio in the attic of her parents' home. Even as a high school student, Milena Schilling saw her path as a photographer clearly and was not deterred from this dream. With a Bachelor's degree in Konstanz and a Master's degree in Photographic Studies in Dortmund, Milena Schilling propelled her impressive career forward. Today, she not only lives full-time from her photography, but she also teaches this subject at the University of Konstanz, where she was awarded a scholarship for young female professors. Her independent projects and commissioned works are based on strong concepts and are influenced by artistic inspirations. They range from corporate, editorial, portrait, to advertising photography.
Milena Schilling is an active member of networks such as the BFF, the Female Photoclub, as well as the Fotobus e.V., and volunteers as a jury member for photography awards.