Crime Scenes is part of Helmut Giersiefen ‘Series’, in which he creates typologies, by meticulously grouping several photographs of a single category to create a cohesive and compelling visual narrative.
Crime Scenes focuses on miradors, elevated hunting stands which, due to their architectural diversity, resemble wooden sculptures in nature. They are usually hidden at the edge of the forest or in clearings, in ensembles, with trees, bushes or electrical pylons. Most are made of wood to adapt perfectly to their environment. High seats are constructions used for hunting from a hide. Sitting above the wind to avoid being detected by wild animals, the hunter is hidden in ambush.

Helmut Giersiefen shot these “anonymous wooden sculptures in nature” by using a special black and white film called Washi: produced by a small factory in Saint-Nazaire (France), the Washi film is made by applying photographic emulsion by hand to Moriki paper. Washi means “handmade translucent paper” in Japanese. The orthochromatic film has a low sensitivity (25 ISO/15°) and high gradation. It requires the photographer to very accurately assess the lighting conditions and contrast range of his motif. The analogue baryte prints offer astonishing tonal richness and surprising graphic effects.