In the North German folk scene, I am best known as “Barney.” I have been active as a musician since the 1970s and have performed with various folk formations, including Buttons & Strings, Callan Boys, Treckbüdel, Pinch of Snuff, and Antuaid.
Since 2011, I have been playing fiddle and tenor banjo with the Celtic Cowboys from Hamburg. The band combines traditional Irish folk music with influences from country and rock, performing on numerous stages throughout northern Germany. My trademark is a fast and precise bowing technique in the Irish shuffle style, which has earned me the nickname “Rising Bow” within the folk community.
Besides music, photography is my other great passion. As a landscape and architectural photographer, I am particularly fascinated by the diverse cityscapes of Hamburg and the unique coastal scenery of Schleswig-Holstein. I also enjoy portrait photography, capturing both people and animals.
My images are created not only behind the camera but also at the computer. Through extensive digital post-processing, creative Photoshop compositing, and the deliberate use of modern AI tools, I develop photographs that often go beyond pure documentation and acquire their own distinctive visual language.
Today, I live on the Baltic Sea coast of Ostholstein. The proximity to the sea, the ever-changing moods of sky and water, and the openness of the landscape continually inspire me—both in my music and in my photographic work.