Straight or Straight Acting? Nikolai Voelcker on Male Dynamics in Berlin

Friends joke, stretch limbs, shift postures, and press next to each other – in Sonntagnachmittags by Nikolai Voelcker that homoerotic tension rests at the core

Sonntagnachmittags: meaning – a Sunday in Tempelhof, Berlin

Captured with friends on a Sunday in Tempelhof, Berlin – “Sonntagnachmittags” in German means “Sunday afternoons”. The images present a day with no fixed plan. The group gathers, moves through open space, and shares time. Bodies intersect. Hands settle on shoulders. Faces approach each other. Torsos lean in close ranges. Moments pass with contact that does not fit common expectations. The setting is Berlin, with concrete paths, wide fields, and groups that seek comfort in shared presence. The gathering reflects youth in a major city. The observer sees men who appear straight or who project straight identities. Yet the images explore homoerotic themes. The photographer aims to document that tension.

Photographer Nikolai Voelcker focuses on male dynamics. Friends joke, stretch limbs, shift postures, and press next to each other. Shoulders bump. Arms connect. These gestures do not carry disclaimers. They occur as part of casual time together. The camera records moments that raise questions about erotic currents in shared male space.

Photographer Nikolai Voelcker

In many social circles, men display forms of physical connection when they feel trust. Some might identify as straight, or simply prefer to be labeled as such. Others might adopt that presentation to avoid scrutiny. Some might test boundaries. In these frames, bodies suggest a longing that does not always find expression in words.

Nikolai Voelcker, who grew up in predominantly male friend groups, has always found the unintentional eroticism within these dynamics intriguing. He first expressed that with a photoshoot with his closest friends in Zurich. It creates a clash between a seemingly straight look and underlying homoerotic tension. After Zurich, he made several shoots with the unique youth scene in England, and now in his latest series in Berlin.

Berlin has become a reference place for Nikolai, as many of his friends have moved there. Berlin is a place where many cultures intersect. People come from Germany, Switzerland, other parts of Europe, and beyond. Some come for music. Others seek clubs that operate through the night. Others arrive to study or to find new social networks. The city holds communities that gather in lofts, old apartments, repurposed industrial zones, or public parks. Young people form groups that traverse these spaces in search of connection. For Nikolai, Berlin also offers a sense of home. He speaks the language and understands the references. Some friends from Zurich moved here. This environment provides a channel for the images.

It also serves as a cultural and musical hub in Germany. The city has its own distinct scenes, which, due to its linguistic and cultural proximity to Zurich, feel quite familiar to the photographer. However, as Nikolai was feeling a bit under the weather, this shoot was scaled down. He met with the models/friends and two assistants for just a Sunday afternoon at Tempelhof in Berlin, capturing the sketched out scenes using natural light for a few hours. With authentic styling, Berlin models and the suitable locations, a unique look is achieved that can only be found in this generation at this place in the world.

Straight or straight-acting? 

Straight or straight-acting men present a puzzle in many photographic works. They can adopt postures that align with conventional masculinity. They can speak in casual tones, show brash humor, or deflect serious inquiries about intimacy. They often maintain a front that does not incorporate references to homoerotic feelings. Yet these men also enter frames where a hand around a waist or a gentle press of cheeks signals closeness. The camera sees it. The moment is real. The tension rises between public identity and private reaction.