Focus on Holger Droste

by Editor Jane Lyons
Edited and published by Yvette Depaepe, the 27^th of March 2026

“somewhere in Italy”

As we all know, art is subjective.

If ten people were asked to select their twenty favourite photographs from Holger Droste’s portfolio, the results would undoubtedly be very different. Yet within that diversity of opinion lies something undeniable: Holger’s work is instantly recognizable.

In an age when billions of images circulate online every day, developing a distinctive photographic style is no mean feat. Holger has achieved precisely that. His distinctive black-and-white conversions — severe, dramatic and unapologetically vintage — are his signature. The tonal range is bold and uncompromising. Deep shadows swallow detail, while highlights cut sharply through the darkness. The result often resembles stills from film noir from the 1930s and 1940s — images that feel lifted from another era, suspended somewhere between memory and cinema.

“Rainy Days”

“the way to me”

“Laggo Maggiore”

“Woman of Aquarius”

“Venedig V”

“the dresser”

“the chimney sweeper”

There is a sense of gravity to his monochrome work. It is more than just black and white; it is atmospheric, brooding and emotionally charged. His photographs feel aged in spirit, not in deterioration. They carry the weight of history.

Holger himself speaks of an emotional connection to the past. Drawing inspiration from the black-and-white film classics of the 1940s and 1950s — Humphrey Bogart, Orson Welles and Peter Lorre, for example — as well as the stark realism of Italian neorealism from directors such as Roberto Rossellini and Vittorio De Sica, he draws from cinema's most expressive period. This influence is evident in his tendency towards dark, moody imagery with a distinct narrative. When he does use colour, it is restrained and vintage inspired.

“Forest-the other Side-”

“Stille Tage”

“Souls of City”

“railway station”

“italienische Impressionen”

“Kindersonderzug”

“3”

“Canape”

He often uses double exposure techniques to layer elements and introduce mystery and psychological depth. Real objects form the basis of his work, but subtle manipulations transform them. He describes his style as 'surreal realism': he photographs reality and then enhances it with subtle details that create a quiet surreal effect. The result is work that feels both grounded and dreamlike.

While his portfolio is diverse, it is curiosity that drives his experimentation. Yet, no matter the subject, his core aesthetic persists. For Holger, technical perfection is secondary. Harmony is important when architecture is present, but above all, an image must have mood, history, expression and soul.

He doesn't just photograph scenes; he resurrects atmospheres. His work feels like memory made visible — fragments of a cinematic past reimagined through a modern lens.