He has exhibited work in Germany, Lithuania, Poland and France, and his series Plain City won the 2008 Epson Art Photo Award. In addition to photography, Schirrmeister studied Modern History and European Anthropology (M.A., Humboldt University, Berlin) and Film Studies (University of East Anglia, Norwich, England). He was on the staff of the Berlin International Film Festival from 2000 to 2007.