Küste mit blauem Meer

One evening, over a decade ago, I met Barbara in a nightclub in Berlin. Enchanted by her presence I started documenting her life with my camera. What is special about her is that she is not the unapproachable glittering transvestite, but rather like the girl next door you can have fun with and muse about sex and gender and everything else. In the process, I got to know science fiction author and comedian Bernhard Kempen. Barbara became my favourite model – and a couple of projects later, Bernhard my spouse. „Being Barbara“ („Ich bin dann mal Barbara“) is the title of a trans-erotic cabaret program by and with Bernhard Kempen a.k.a. Barbara. Unfortunately, the comedy performances haven’t taken place since the pandemic. However, Barbara still likes to party. Some of the photographs were taken in the backstage area of a Berlin club. Other shots document the transformation of Bernhard into Barbara.