A Photo Book with Humour  Photos from the past brought into the present

Max Kersting collects seemingly trivial old photographs. What he then does with them - using just a few words - is simply hilarious.

Max Kersting studied design and, according to his own account on his website, initially struggled as a copywriter in Berlin. He is now known for his photos, which he buys at flea markets or in junk shops and adds witty captions in the form of speech bubbles or thought bubbles. His work has appeared in various magazines, several books, and calendars.

Kersting’s latest book is titled Damals hatten wir nur Minigolf, sonst nichts (Back then we only had mini golf, nothing else). It sounds like a nostalgic return to the good old days - and given that the photos, which probably all date from the last century and have acquired a corresponding patina, offer exactly that. The bleakness of bygone times, which many of the pictures radiate, is more than compensated for by Kersting’s dry humour. Want an example? A beer garden gathering of stout, serious-looking gentlemen: Most of the images are everyday scenes or snapshots that Kersting reinterprets with deadpan commentary. But he often views human life from the safe distance of outer space, like here: He frequently brings the old photos into the present with his captions: The sheer absurdity of human existence is, of course, also laid bare: “Captioning found images is one of the finest micro-genres at the intersection of literature, art and hobby crafting,” writes Moritz Klein on SR Kultur, and Kersting is a master of it. His interpretations range from profound to silly, but are almost always funny. If you're in a bad mood, this book might just lift your spirits. It can help you get through the day by not taking either the past or the present too seriously.

November 2025