Homeless Youth – The sobering backdrop to this story lies in alarming figures from the Federal Ministry of Housing. According to the data, more than 192,000 young people under the age of 25 were classified as homeless in Germany at the start of the previous year—a dramatic increase compared to prior years.
The feature gives a direct voice to five young people affected by this situation. They share their personal stories, often marked by broken homes, sudden eviction by their families, mental health issues, and drug use. The accompanying photographs were taken by Alexandra Polina for DIE ZEIT.
To protect the privacy of these young people—some of whom are minors or particularly vulnerable—the subjects' faces are often obscured by caps, by their looking away, or by shadows.
Alexandra Polina was born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in 1984 and moved to Germany in 2005. Her award-winning artistic work (including the Georg Koppmann Prize) focuses primarily on themes of identity, migration, and the sense of belonging—explaining her unique perspective on people living on the margins of society.
Alexandra Polina is represented by the Hamburg-based agency JULIA WALDMANN.
Julia Waldmann represents an exclusive group of photographers and video artists: Chiara BONETTI People · Portrait · Reportage / Berlin Rome -- Caroline HEINECKE Stills · Food · Art / Berlin -- Meike KENN People · Portrait · Corporate / Berlin -- Alexandra POLINA Reportage · People · Portrait / Hamburg -- Sophie SCHWARZENBERGER People · Kids · Advertising / Berlin Cape Town -- Tim SONNTAG Stills · Portrait · Fashion / Berlin -- Stefan THURMANN Food · Interior · Stills / Hamburg -- Matthias WEHOFSKY People · Portrait · Lifestyle / Berlin
Julia Waldmann is an agency and production company operating in Hamburg and Berlin, specializing in photo, film, and content production. The agency represents select photographers, videographers, and creatives in the fields of people, portraiture, lifestyle, food, and advertising.
The focus is on brokering and managing creative image productions for brands, companies, and agencies. Julia Waldmann combines creative concepts with professional production and works closely with a curated network of visual artists.
In addition to representing artists and production companies, the agency is also active in developing visual content and campaigns, supporting clients in the realization of photo and video projects from concept to production.
GoSee : juliawaldmann.com
