Vera Lutter’s work “Crane, Neptun Werft, Warnemünde, III: July 29, 1997” from July 29, 1997 is a remarkable example of the innovative use of the camera obscura in contemporary photography. Lutter exclusively uses this technique, which has its origins in ancient times and was used by artists like Leonardo da Vinci to explore perspectives. She designs entire rooms into a form of oversized camera, darkens them completely and only allows light to enter through a small hole, which hits a light-sensitive surface and reverses and inverts the image of the outside world.

“Crane, Neptun Werft, Warnemünde, III: July 29, 1997” shows an imposing crane in the Warnemünde Neptun wharf, one of the most important and significant industrial sites in the region. Lutter’s photograph captures the monumental structure of the crane in all its impressive size and complexity. The crane is recognizable in its architectural austerity and functionality, but at the same time stylized into a sculpted masterpiece through the inverted and black-and-white image.

The use of the camera obscura lends the photograph a unique, almost surreal quality. The image is created directly on large-format photographic paper, so there is no negative. This method captures not only the external appearance of the objects, but also the passing of time, which lends the images a deeper, almost timeless dimension. Vera Lutter succeeds in depicting industrial structures with an incomparable aesthetic and historical awareness. She creates an interdisciplinary and cultural dialogue within the image itself.