Sarah Moon

The Port of Hamburg, Germany, 2015

“I was preparing my exhibition at the Deichtorhallen, the House of Photography in Hamburg. In my free time I went to the harbour, and that’s where it all began: my fascination with these machines, industrial places and architecture. It was an interest that continued over time in Dunkirk, St Petersburg, Tokyo...”

Describe the moment when this photo w as taken.

It was a rainy day in November, and I was on the boat that goes along the r iver.

What kind of emotions str uck you when you first saw this place?

I thought it was mysterious and dramatic. There weren’t any workers – it was as if the machines had taken over.

Do you always travel with a camera?

Yes I do, just in case.

How would you describe your chosen photograph in three words?

Evoking a guillotine. A fashion photographer since 1970, Sarah Moon started her personal work in 1985. Since then, she has created and developed a highly distinctive universe around three main themes: the evanescence of beauty, uncertainty and the passing of time. Her work has been exhibited in galleries and museums all around the world and published in many books. She has directed several films as well as documentar ies on photographers and photography. She lives in Paris.