A groundbreaking photography exhibition is showcasing the remarkable career of veteran photojournalist Ralf Günther, whose lens has captured nearly four decades of German history and global events. The exhibition "Just One More Moment" opens November 1-2 at Gallery erstererster, featuring a fascinating selection of work from the 60-year-old photographer who has traveled to every continent for BILD and B.Z. newspapers.
Born in 1965, Günther grew up in the Friedrichshain district of Berlin and began his career as a reproduction photographer after completing his apprenticeship and earning his high school diploma at evening school. He initially worked as a reproduction photographer and photo lab technician at ADN-Zentralbild before discovering his passion for press photography. "I made my first attempts as a press photographer with my Praktica MTL5 camera, which accompanied me to the Monday demonstrations in Leipzig and during the fall of the Berlin Wall," Günther recalls.
After German reunification, Günther transformed his hobby into a full-time profession, starting as a freelance photographer before joining BILD as a permanent staff member in 2000. He also contributes regularly to B.Z. newspaper, covering everything from high-profile political events to human interest stories. The exhibition demonstrates the art of capturing "the one right moment" – a skill that press photographers must master despite having limited time for both portraits and reportage assignments.
Günther's early career coincided with a transformative period in German history. "At the beginning, celebrities were still Harald Juhnke, Günter Pfitzmann, and Hilde Knef. Potsdamer Platz grew from a Polish market, and the first techno enthusiasts marched down Kurfürstendamm," the veteran photographer reminisces. His work documents Berlin's dramatic transformation, including construction work at Potsdamer Platz in 1996, which features among the exhibited pieces.
The diverse nature of press photography in Germany's capital keeps Günther constantly on his toes. "In the morning we go to the Chancellor's office, in the evening we accompany drug investigators at Kotti, and tomorrow we take care of a retiree without heating," he explains. This variety has taken him around the globe – from Nepal and Greenland to Australia, with his camera accompanying him professionally to every continent except Antarctica.
Among the exhibition's highlights are striking images from unique international assignments. One memorable photograph captures the Royal Shrovetide Football Match from 2019 in England, where participants play with a 5-kilogram leather ball that must be carried to goals located five kilometers apart. The match lasts twice eight hours, and almost anything is allowed except murder. "If a fence is in the way, it gets trampled down. If the ball flies into the water, the crowd jumps in after it. Only the cemetery is off-limits," Günther describes the chaotic scene.
Another poignant image shows the final dive of submarine commander Michael Rudat, age 38, in 2019 at the Kiel Fjord. After 19 years of service, "The Old Man" (as his crew calls him when he's not around) was making his final departure from the submarine. The photograph captures a moment of transition and the end of a distinguished naval career.
Günther's international assignments have also taken him to challenging locations for hard-hitting journalism. In 2019, he traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo, specifically to the Kolwezi region, to document cobalt mining in the dangerous black mines. The cobalt extracted there is essential for manufacturing car batteries, highlighting the human cost of modern technology.
Despite having photographed on every continent, Antarctica remains the one place Günther hasn't visited – though that could change at any moment. "Anyone who photographs for the newspaper must always have their suitcase packed," he notes, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of photojournalism.
The exhibition "Just One More Moment" will be displayed at Gallery erstererster, located at Pappelallee 68 in Prenzlauer Berg, on November 1-2 from 12-6 PM. Admission is free, offering the public a unique opportunity to view decades of compelling photojournalism that has documented both intimate human moments and significant historical events.
