As a kid I always watched The Simpsons​, even though I think the biggest influence on my visual aesthetic was my dad and his work as a designer.

That's about it. Except the fact I never wanted to become just a photographer and it took me years to fall in love with London. I have been living in a small town in Germany for almost all my life and, compared to my hometown, London felt so fast and exciting but ​so scary ​ at the same time​. The first day at Camberwell College of the Arts I met Hendrik and we became best friends. Instead of leaving London, we managed to stay for six years and work together as a team ever since. London became our home sweet home.

Defining one’s aesthetic has never come to an end, it is a constant progress. We don't have a formula or a master pattern; it's different with every new day. But let’s be honest, how boring is ​consistency?

I don't ​have ​ a​ clue. I was ​never ​a very fashionable person, but that's ​probably ​why I can bring ​a new perspective into a completely different field. Fashion is a great environment to experiment ​in ​and a platform to meet very interesting people and collaborate with them. ​For the fashion people I am still the guy wearing a silly Jurassic Park cap.

Taking portraits is very natural if you are interested in someone instead of being afraid of them. I think if there’s any major strength I developed in my childhood, it’s to connect with people and make them feel relaxed. Being submissive or too respectful is awkward for everyone. It’s nice to talk, work and​ love on the same eye level with people.

My pictures will always be a piece of myself and I don’t think there is just one reality.

Absolutely, our ancient predecessors where masters in terms of lightning, color and composition.

Because we’ve been working together for such a long time, it’s a mixture of trust and security, but also competition and pushing each other out of the comfort zone. We have different skills, but a very similar vision on how we want to live and what we want to create. It is very rare to find someone to work with throughout such a long period of time.

The next big thing is the release of Janz & Beetz sunglasses in autumn 2014, a small label of manufactured sunglasses we have been working on for almost two years now. It's a good addition to our work as photographers. It helps us to stay focused and bewildered at the same time.
​Everything is heading in a good direction. We want to continue to collaborate with people who love what they do and get better at what we do. Hendrik is a huge fan of Jack Nicholson and I​'ve​ always wanted to meet Woody Allen, but the one from 30 years ago. I really like his sad and ironic humor.