For 16-year-old German photographer Moritz Aust, photography is both a creative outlet and a source of inspiration. The young fine art photographer already presents a vast collection of images that are clearly inspired by and paying homage to his fellow talented peers, including the likes of My Modern Met favorites Kyle Thompson and Alex Stoddard.
The teen photographer experiments with surreal themes and techniques that are both familiar and new. Like Thompson, Aust dons a pair of custom cloth wings in a shot, but his portfolio also boasts a variety of new ideas that simply excite the viewer with what's to come from this young talent. His stunning self portraits exemplify his keen eye and skilled ability to evoke emotion through the lens with subtle hints of sadness, mystery, romance, and even danger.
In one shot, a knife dangles from a rope just above the nape of the Aust's neck with a menacing hand holding a pair scissors that visually threaten to cut the cord. In yet another instance, the young man plays the role of Adam in the Garden of Eden just as he has taken a bite of the forbidden fruit and is shielding his own eyes in one corner with a large snake creeping its way into the frame from the other end, unbeknownst to him. Each image tells a story and still keeps the viewer guessing.
Aust has just recently completed a “100 photographs in 100 days” challenge and almost immediately embarked on his very first 365 project. We can't wait to see what stroke of genius this young creative has in store.