ULRICH KNOBLAUCH - photographer
South African fashion photographer Ulrich Knoblauch has a way of capturing women in a such a serene, sexy manner. A citizen of the world, he bounces between fashion capitals, lush jungles and arid deserts exacting his lens on anything he desires.
1) Who are you?
Ulrich Knoblauch, 37 years old from Cape Town, South Africa.
2) Describe your medium and process for your photos...
I shoot digital on all commercial assignments. For personal work however, nothing really beats film. I love my Yashica T4 - it’s amazing how swopping to another medium can change your ‘personality’ as a photographer. Does that make any sense? My work on the Yashica, even compared to my digital personal work, stands completely on it’s own. I love the idea of not having to focus for instance, you just see, love, point and shoot. It reminds me of a documentary about William Eggleston where someone asks him why he only shoots one frame of many of his subjects. His answer was so straight forward - “I don’t like to edit”. I loved that. Everyone overshoots on digital and then you have have these little film cameras that doesn’t necessarily force you to think about a shot, but rather makes you WANT to think before you shoot.
3) How did you find your passion, who and what influences your work?
The long way around. I was going to study law, I never considered photography as a career. It was only when I had to leave London to finally go and sign in at University in Cape Town that I decided law might not be for me, so much to my mothers dismay, I extended my UK visa and stayed in London for another 6 months. It wasn’t until my mom eventually did the whole “oh dear God, what are you going to do with your life” speech and mentioned “why don’t you just go and do photography, you've always had a camera in your hand”, that the lights came on. Mothers intuition, I guess. I loved it from day one.
A far as who or what influences my work… beauty… beautiful architecture, beautiful faces - male and female, the sea, gentle moments between subjects. Bruce Weber has that way of telling stories that’s always fascinated me…Jamie Hawkseworth, although my work isn’t inspired by his, shoots incredibly beautiful, considered images. Harley Weir too. There are a million more…Jeanloup Sieff, Meisel. The list goes on.
4) What excites you about your work? What do you struggle with?
The feeling i get when i meet someone so beautiful or interesting that my head spins with excitement and ideas. I struggle on a lot of commercial jobs where my head just spins with boredom.
5) What are your goals, where do see yourself going?
I have a book coming out soon I want to launch that with an accompanying exhibition in NYC . I want to spend more time in Paris and NY this year, Paris has been particularly good to me in 2015. I want to raise a happy baby and be the best dad I can be. I want to learn French, learn more about wine and finally do something good for someone who really needs it.
You can see more of Ulrich's work here:
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