Michael Dannenmann (b. Stuttgart 1959; lives and works in Düsseldorf) is one of the most important representatives of portrait photography on the international stage. In fractions of a second, he manages to capture what is essential about a human being—that is a high art. He frequently photographs artists in their studios. The face is always what matters most, and the great majority of his sitters look straight into the camera. Günther Uecker seems to have just moved in; Markus Lüpertz is still wearing his painter’s apron—the secret is a blend of planning and spontaneity, and it is this fusion that ultimately makes Michael Dannenmann’s pictures so fascinating. With essays by Ulrich Erben and Klaus Honnef.