Photographing Death I.1 – NOCH MAL LEBEN VOR DEM TOD by Beate Lakotta, Walter Schels

Noch mal leben vor dem Tod. Wenn Menschen sterben (Gebundene Ausgabe) - “Life Before Death”

The photographer Walter Schels and the journalist Beate Lakotta asked terminally ill patients if they might remain with them during the final weeks, days and hours of their lives. From these vigils emerged a collection of sensitive and illuminating portraits of people as their lives drew to a close.

Impressive Portraits, taken up short time forwards and immediately after death, accompanies it. Hardly something moves us as much as the meeting with death. Hardly somewhat happens today as hidden as a dying.

From these meetings and photos of humans at the end of their life developed. Most spent their last time in the Hospiz, a life place for dying, at which hopes and fears weigh equal: Who draws in here, the time up to death will be able to experience as consciously and pain-free as possible. But for it only a short span remains to be concerned in order to draw balance to make peace with itself and other one with death and with the question about the afterwards it.