It really only takes the right moment and the right light. What sounds so easy has become Markus C. Hurek's passion: pressing the shutter button at the moment when people are in the light, both literally and metaphorically.

The political journalist, who has been working for newspapers and magazines for almost 25 years, always carries a camera with him. Hurek reports from the Bundestag, accompanies politicians, attends election nights, photographs at federal assemblies, receptions, and parties.

In the tradition of classical documentary photography, he works in black and white, always utilizing available light, mostly captured with a small, discreet camera. The deliberate absence of color emphasizes the timelessness of each moment. For Hurek, this is both a claim and a form of expression. With his instinct for the moment and events on the sidelines, he creates moment reports of major events in individual shots.

The exhibition "Made in Berlin" at the Leica Gallery Konstanz showcases a typical selection of works by the Berliner: first, views of his hometown, strongly influenced by the journalist's documentary approach. Secondly, scenes from political Berlin, their apparent casualness characteristic of the photographer's observational standpoint. Lastly, in his portraits, Hurek shows the people behind their roles and fame, without any form of staging.

Biography

Markus C. Hurek was born in Berlin in 1972. After studying law, he decided to become a journalist. From 2003 to 2010, he was the deputy editor-in-chief of the political magazine Cicero. Since 2010, he has been the editor of the Politics section at the news magazine FOCUS. Photographs by Markus C. Hurek have appeared in many German newspapers, magazines, as photo books, and on book covers. Last year, he won the Audience Award of the "Rückblende," the most important award for political photography in Germany. In January 2024, he received the 1st prize from the "Rückblende" jury for the best political photography of the year 2023.