Learning from Nikita Teryoshin

At the Beethovenfest, we attach great importance to good photos. So it was obvious to offer a photography workshop. With Nikita Teryoshin, we were able to secure an exciting big name in the scene as coach. Few photographers get as much out of an event with a flash and a camera as Nikita does. In 2025, this workshop took place for the second time. So it’s time to take a closer look!

His photos appear in the New York Times, Die Zeit and Der Spiegel. Anyone who has ever smiled while reading the newspaper will be familiar with his pictures. Sandwich plates in front of anti-aircraft missiles or Jan Böhmermann in the bush – Nikita Teryoshin discovers the punchline in every scene. He led his workshop with the same mixture of humour and seriousness.

The participants presented their portfolios, Nikita looked closely and commented. The atmosphere remained relaxed, and fortunately the old art school saying »No criticism is praise enough« did not apply here. Nikita also showed his work and talked about how projects and individual photos came about. This was followed by the practical part: the participants took photos at a selected Beethovenfest event – in this case, »Clear the Stage for Beethoven«, the open air opening of the festival. Afterwards, there was enough time to edit the pictures on the computer. The best shots were presented at the end of the workshop, and Nikita gave some final tips.

It is always fascinating to see how different the photos turn out – even though everyone is working in the same place and often with the same subjects. Another incentive to participate: after the workshop, some participants were hired as photographers for Beethovenfest projects. So the workshop is not entirely altruistic.

Here are some of the highlights from the 2025 workshop. Enjoy!

Vielen Dank an die Teilnehmenden: Annabelle Felusch, Carsten Nichte, Cynthia Villiger, Jan-Axel Finck, Max Stedtfeld, Pia Marie Schmidt, Sabine Mondorf, Sidney Lynne Erbe und Stefanie Jania.