Tempelhof Field by Uwa Scholz in Berlin, Germany

Meet Uwa Scholz, a quintessential street photographer- never passing up an opportunity to get out of her flat, explore her surroundings and shoot the beauty of everyday life in the neighborhoods of Berlin and beyond! Check out her feed here: @uwa2000 and read on for local travel tips to the capital of Germany.

Name:Uwa Scholz

Place you live: Kreuzberg neighborhood in Berlin. My apartment is facing the Viktoria Park, so it feels like living in the forest when looking out the window, and not like living in the heart of a big city.

Place your Instagrams were taken? I took these Instagram photos at Tempelhof Field which used to be Berlin’s inner city airport and is now a park. People enjoy the unbelievable amount of open space. In 2014, it was declared that it must remain a field so it will not be possible to build houses or develop the open space. Power to the people! I also included two photos of streets and places next to the field, hoping to give an idea of what the surrounding area looks like.

Can you sum up Berlin? The part of Kreuzberg where I live always has been less rough than the rest of Kreuzberg. It has historically always been a mix of working class people, students and academics, and people with Turkish background. Loads of artists have been attracted to this rather cheap neighborhood. When leaving Viktoria Park, you’ll find apartment buildings built in the 1950’s next to houses built within the last ten years. Gentrification just started expelling the working class people and the artists, so the area is changing, becoming more expensive to live in, as well getting kind of boring.-Though the huge Tempelhof Field is within walking distance!

What is a perfect day in Berlin? Any day at Tempelhof Field is good unless it’s raining. It is always a bit windy so it’s perfect for kite flying. There is a 6km racetrack for cycling or running. There are two huge barbeque areas which are great for picnics. The former runways are perfect for cycling or roller blading/skating. In winter, when there’s enough snow, you can go skiing. Everyday is a perfect day on the Tempelhof Field!

If Berlin was a person or character who would it be and why? Berlin would make a good octopus. Once it got you, there would be no escape. But then it’s so great, you wouldn’t want to escape!

How long have you been using Instagram? I joined Instagram in July 2011. I like to call myself a “second generation instagrammer.”

Do you shoot with your phone or other cameras or both? 99.99% of my Instagram photos are shot with my mobile device(s), the rest with a mirrorless system camera. All photos are processed with mobile devices.

What is your editing process? I shoot with the native camera, my standard editing process is adding a VSCOcam filter (depending on the time of year: O5 in spring and summer, M5 in fall and winter). If I decide to post in black and white I prefer the noir filter. Sometimes I use snapseed, as well. When sharing on Instagram I add reduced IG-filters and do some modifications like straighten, perspective correction and .10 sharpening.

Do you create images outside of Instagram? Of course, but I prefer sharing photos to social networks as to EyeEm. I recently started using the Zoe app and create short clips with the photos I take. That’s a totally new approach and a perfect challenge for me.

Has Instagram/phoneography affected how you shoot? Yes, it has! I would never have used a big camera for candid shots but with the mobile I turned into more of a street photographer, which is great because it helps creating sort of an authentic picture of the places I go to. I also take more photos now that I carry my device with me.

Can you give a couple tips to aspiring Instagram photographers? Get out of your flat, open your eyes, open your heart, have a little bit (or a lot of) patience and take photos! When sharing to Instagram do not forget to mention where you took the photo and why. Look out for people who inspire you, and for people living in the same city, and make a plan to go with them on photo walks. It’s always good to meet people who share your passion. Do not expect people to follow you back. If they do, great! But if they don’t, enjoy the inspiration! Always be nice and polite when communicating on Instagram. Use hashtags that fit your photos and so forth…

Who are your three favorite Instagrammers? This is the hardest question to answer because I met so many awesome people so far! @tianapix, @palomaparrot, @kitkat_ch and @aladiia. I love to hang around with @thomas_k and enjoy meeting @herr_pola_roid in different places around Europe. The list is endless!

instagram.com/uwa2000

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Name:Uwa Scholz

City:Berlin

Best place to eat:

Petit Europe

Best place to drink:

Haifisch Bar or in the summer get a bottle of wine or some beer and have your drink in the park!

Best outdoor activity:

Explore the Tempelhof Field by bicycle. Go for a swim in the Prinzenbad in Kreuzberg or the Strandbad Wannsee.

Must do:

It’s always nice to climb the stairs of the “Victory Column” which is close to the brandenburg gate and has a great view of the city. There’s no elevator but the spiral staircase is awesome and it’s cheaper than the TV tower. I also like to take guests on a water taxi.