ACP Portfolio review | Discover Unique Photographic Art — Ulrich Mannchen

From Some Place Else showcases portraits of people rooted deeply in traditional cultures like the Kara tribe in Ethiopia, as well as new sub- and counter cultures like the Cosplay, LARP, Steampunk, Lolita Fashion, Punk and Hardcore culture. The series goes beyond the world of fantasy and explores the sense of safety and freedom these sub-cultures offer to "be who you want to be." At the core of these sub-cultures is the expression of make-believe and play, while also addressing the question of belonging, identity, and acceptance. Through his lens, Ulrich not only captures the costumes but also presents the invitation to the worlds in which these characters wish to live and the people they identify as.
Despite its appearance, the series is not involving any digital process or even computer-generated (AI). Ulrich’s work is created through a traditional approach to black and white photography. All his works are captured on film using medium and large format cameras. Afterward, the film is developed in complete darkness with chemicals, and the negative is enlarged onto silver gelatine paper, which is then processed and developed in the darkroom. The oil colours are applied by hand through a multi-hour process of colouring and shading to achieve the final result. This hands-on, analogue process ensures that each print is unique.

Mother, child and family chicken Hamar Tribe Ethiopia

Viking - LARP role play game

Farmer Inner Mongolia China

Captain America LBM

Corban - Indie Rock Musician

Chieko in traditional japanese Kimono

Lolita Fashion Style

Mursi Chief Omo River Valley Ethiopia

Steampunk Marauder

Woman collecting Wood - Kara Tribe Ethiopia

Metelkova

Janek - Jesus Freak

Mongolian Woman with Kettle

Lolita Fashion Gothic LBM

Supriya - Pillalu Vijayawada India

Mother and Child at Work in Koshe Ethiopia

Mongols in China

Punk Metelkova Slovenia

Mursi Chief Omo River Valley Ethiopia

Max - Drummer Germany

Punk Metelkova Slovenia

Samurai Cosplay Beijing China

Lolita Fashion Punk

Orc LARP

Cap hand coloured

Lolita Fashion Sweet hand coloured

Odin Cosplay Hand Coloured

Steampunk Hand Coloured

Cosplay Kei Agemaki Hand Coloured

Cosplay Mystique Hand Coloured

Lolita Fashion Style Sweet Hime Hand Coloured

Supriya - Pillalu Vijayawada India

Silver Gelantin Print 20x24”
Hand coloured with oil colours
Mounted on aluminium

According to Mannchen, “there are certain things and items in life that draw us in, especially as children: items that fascinate us because of their beauty, items that capture our attention because of their strangeness, items that stir our minds and take us on a journey in our imagination. Some of them never lose their effect on us, even when we are all grown up and have succumbed to being adults. Their fascinations still intrigue us after all these years. Such items help us to establish bridges to our childhood and in the end we experience, that it is never too late to have a happy childhood.”
In the series “Lost Boys,” he photographs such items: things that evoke the inner child in him and never seem to bait his curiosity; things that spur memories of childhood when the world appeared bigger and the problems, responsibilities, and commitments were much smaller, a time when friendships were unquestionably solid, bills nonexistent, and time irrelevant. He brings us back to the past when “the only commitment was to our dreams.”

Space Suit

Kassette

Slingshot

One

Time Machine

Slimey

Nepenthes

Dallas

WWR

Skynet

Ripley

Sarracenia

Fire

Robot Rock

Optik

Two

Gilla Galla

Silver Gelantin Print 20x24”
Mounted on aluminium

A person dressed in white protective suit and boots is crouching in a forest, examining or working on a log or tree stump. The scene appears to be in a dense wooded area with tall trees in black and white.

A young child wearing glasses, a raincoat, and rain boots walking through a muddy puddle on a forest trail, with a dog following behind.

A young girl running outdoors on grass, wearing glasses and a patterned outfit, holding papers in one hand and eating something with her other hand.

A woman and a young girl playing guitars inside a cozy living room with animals and Halloween decorations.

A child walking with two dogs on a grassy field, with trees in the background and a fence in the distance, in black and white.

Two young girls sitting at a table, eating sandwiches. One girl is smiling and the other is closing her eyes while eating. The table has plates, a water glass, and a bottle. There is a window with plants behind them, and a patterned tablecloth.

A child with glasses and a jacket standing outdoors on a rock, with a background of trees and grass.

A child with glasses and a clown wig, wearing a jacket and pants, balancing on a tree stump in a forest, striking a playful pose with arms outstretched.

A person with glasses and short hair, wearing a jacket and pants, balancing on a large rock in a forested area.

A person standing outdoors on a rocky surface, with trees in the background, wearing a jacket and pants, and covering their face with their arms.

Two children playing on a playground climbing structure outdoors, surrounded by trees, in black and white.

A young child sitting in a shallow river, playing with a toy boat, surrounded by trees and nature, in black and white.

A person walking a dog on a dirt path through a wooded area with trees on both sides, in black and white.

Black and white photo of a woman outdoors holding a plush horse toy, standing among trees with soft lighting.

A young girl with glasses riding a bicycle in a grassy park, with trees and a pathway in the background, black and white photo.

A young child walking through a cornfield on a sunny day, with tall cornstalks on either side and shadows cast on the ground.

People walking and cycling on a sunny street, including two women and a young girl in the foreground, with a row of buildings in the background.

A woman with dark hair wearing sunglasses, a white dress, smiling, holding an ice cream cone, standing at a fair or carnival with balloons and booths in the background.

A blurred black and white photo of a person wearing sunglasses and a hood, standing outside a building with multiple stories.

A young child wearing a helmet rides a bike on an unpaved forest trail with clumps of dirt on the path.

A person wearing glasses, a jacket, and sneakers, crouching and reaching for something on the ground in a wooded outdoor area at night.

An elderly woman and man sitting on a bench indoors, smiling and looking at each other. The woman is wearing a polka-dot shirt, glasses, and a necklace. The man is wearing a light polo shirt and glasses. There is a window behind them with slightly op

A young girl with glasses and a bob haircut, wearing overalls, standing indoors with her mouth open, as if singing or speaking. A small dog is standing beside her on its hind legs, reaching up with its front paws.

A black and white photograph of a vast open field with grass in the foreground, tire tracks crossing towards the horizon, a line of dense trees to the left, and a solitary tree on the right, under a cloudy sky.

Children watching television in a cozy living room with guitars hanging on the wall, stone fireplace, and soft lighting.