Umbo, the artistic pseudonym of Otto Umbehr, was a pioneering German photographer and photojournalist born in 1902. Initially trained at the Bauhaus in Weimar, Umbo developed a distinctive approach that combined experimental techniques with a documentary eye, setting him apart from his contemporaries. His early collaborations with avant-garde artists, including László Moholy-Nagy, deeply influenced his visual style, marked by bold compositions, striking photomontages, and innovative uses of light and shadow.

In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Umbo rose to prominence as one of the founding photographers for the legendary photo agency Dephot in Berlin, where he captured the pulsating life of the metropolis, ranging from street scenes and portraits to social reportage. His work navigated the turbulent era of the Weimar Republic, the rise of Nazism, and the devastation of World War II, during which much of his archive was tragically lost. Despite this, Umbo continued to work and contribute significantly to postwar German photojournalism and art, with his legacy celebrated for its inventive spirit and profound impact on twentieth-century photography.