online 12.2009

Grows more flexible

with age.The new CFV-39 features a sensor that is twice as large as leading 35mm DSLRs and matches the iconic design of your V System camera perfectly. The CFV-39 allows you to choose between two image formats, 29 megapixel square (5412 x 5412) and 39 mega-pixel rectangular (5412 x 7212 pixels) and can also be used with traditional view cameras. The CFV-39 is compatible with the 202 FA, 203 FE, and 205 FCC models, features ISO speeds from 50 to 800, and a capture rate of 1.4 sec per capture with 39 captures per minute. The Hasselblad CFV-39 – transforming your V System film camera into a high-performance digital workhorse.

www.hasselblad.com/cfv39-refurb

Free Factory Refurbishment with purchase of CFV-39 before Dec 31, 2009!

If you purchase a CFV-39 before the end of the year, we will make sure your old workhorse is up to the task, giving you a complete overhaul of your camera body, and a 6 month limited warranty. To find out more about the de-tails and to take advantage of this limited offer (valued at 285 Euro), log onto our website.

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04 >> newsDavid Trood: the Hasselblad Master’s new unusual photo book · Joel Meyerowitz presents the wild side of parks in NYC · Wildlife photographer 2009: José L. Rodriguez wins with a 503 CW picture

06 >> vincent fournierFournier traveled the whole world for his “Space Project”. His pictures of observatories, training camps, and space stations are proof of humanity’s fascination with space.

20 >> seven uPVICTOR asked seven representatives from the international photo scene to choose their personal top photographer Newcomer – and to explain why these are the ones to watch.

22 >> tiM fLAcHWhen the British animal photographer, Tim Flach, photographs precious horses, he transforms their shapes, colors and structures, forcing the viewer to take an even closer look.

36 >> rAYAThe fashion and beauty photographs taken by multiple award winner, Raya, are wonderful to see. More important, however, her images always tell a compelling story.

40 >> Preview

Italian photographer, Alberto Peroli, used an H3DII-31 to document a social project in Bangladesh. His photographs show that the camera can do great reportage work.

After five years at the helm, christian Poulsen has decide to resign as CEO of Hasselblad. Christian, with passion and uncompromis-

ing determination, transformed Hasselblad from an exclusively analog to a modern digital camera company in less than five years. His biggest achievement, however, was not only enabling Hasselblad to offer fine digital solutions, but to create, together with his team, a fully integrated, truly digital camera platform, which allows all components – from lens, to camera, to software – to be linked and blended together in a manner no other high-end camera manufacturer has offered to date. What began with the H2D, H3D and H3DII, was recently further enhanced by the H4D, which sports leading-edge technologies like True Focus with APL, as well as the highest resolution and image quality currently available on the market. This has created the foundations for an ongoing technological success story: this has enabled Hasselblad to successfully remain in the driver’s seat in the high-end segment of professional photography today. It is obvious that an important mission has been accomplished. Christian Poulsen – who, by the way, has always been a big promoter of the VICTOR project – leaves the company to pursue other interests, but remains a strategic technology adviser to the Hasselblad board.

His place at the rudder will be taken over by Dr. Larry Hansen, who has been on the Board for several years and is the Chairman. Larry com-ments: “We look forward to a new phase. Hasselblad and the entire industry are faced with constant changes, which, of course, open up a range of opportunities.” Adding to the focus on technology of the management team for the past five years, Larry Hansen brings tremendous expertise in the photo industry and related business developments. He brings over 26 years of experience gained from a number of top management positions held in the German-based optical and opto-electronics company, Carl Zeiss. For the last 16 years, Larry fulfilled the role of Chief Executive Officer of Carl Zeiss Asia Pacific, located in Japan, managing the profitable growth of the company’s complete portfolio of businesses throughout Asia. In addition, he initiated and developed thriving photographic business collaborations with Japanese corporations such as Sony, Cosina and Kyocera.

So, Christian, many thanks for everything you have done for both the brand and the photo industry; and Larry, welcome – time to start the next chapter.

Yours sincerelyStephan Bittner, Publisher

eDITORIAL CONTeNT

fournier tra vels the world photograph­

ing people and places that are witness to hu­

manity’s passion for space (cover and ri.)

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José Luis Rodriguez’s photo “The Storybook Wolf”, taken with a Has-selblad 503 CW, earned him the title of Veolia Environment Wildlife Photographer of the year. In addition to the Animal Portraits category, he was chosen as overall winner beating 43.135 other en-tries from 94 countries.

When Rodríguez real-ized he had captured his dream shot, he couldn’t believe it. “I risked using a slow shut-ter speed, 1/30 sec at f/11, to retain the moonlit sky and conjure up the atmosphere of the place,” he says. “I switched from using my Nikon D2X to my Hasselblad 503CW with a Planar 80mm lens so I could get the exact framing I had in mind.” He used a 6x6 Fujichrome backing at ISO 50 with a Ficap infrared camera trap to get the shot, expressing the age-old conflict between man and wolf, while also capturing the animal’s power and beauty. ■

victornEWS

On December 5, David Trood (born in Australia and living in Denmark) launches a very special photo book, where the 42 year-old processes the essence of his photographic life: “At any given moment“ invites read-ers on a journey to distant places, encouraging them to discover the source of creativity. The book tells of a courageous journey in search of the unusual, the bizarre, but also the mundane.

Made a Hasselblad Master in 2006, David Trood, who began tak-ing pictures at 16, has achieved a lot in his professional life. “At any given moment“ sets a new challenge, as he not only took the pictures, but also wrote the text and designed and published the book, to ensure his message would not get lost. “My objective with this story is to create an understanding within the spirit of humanity that there is the same essence in us all, and when we make the conscious choice to look, we will see that essence reflected in every-thing around us.“

If you prefer to reduce the en-vironmental impact, you can download the book for a small fee from www.atanygivenmoment.com. (David Trood: “At any given moment”) ■

Wilderness in New York City? Pictures by award-winning photographer Joel Meyerowitz taken in his home town from 2006 to 2009, prove it’s true. As-signed by New York’s Department of Parks & Recreation, he visited 9.000 acres of park, documenting and cel-ebrating them. Taken with analogue 4x5 and 8x10 inch cameras, the pic-tures were scanned on a Hasselblad Flextight X5 scanner. “The degree of control I have with these high-qual-ity scans from Hasselblad as well as digital printers by HP, is better than anything I could have achieved in the darkroom. I can’t tell you how many times we will make a large print, put it up on the wall, stand back and say, ‘this is fantastic’!”

The images reveal hidden cor-ners of wilderness in the city. It is the first time since the 30s that New York’s parks have received such pho-tographic coverage, documenting one of the city’s great legacies. The title: “Legacy: The Preservation of Wilderness in New York City Parks” says it all, with 250 of the 3000 pic-tures Meyerowitz took, on 300 pages and with two, four-sided gatefolds. Born in 1938, Meyerowitz based his Legacy project on childhood memo-ries of a New York “with green space – open and wild, alive with rabbits, migratory birds, snakes, frogs, and the occasional skunk. That gave me my first sense of the natural world, its temperament and its seasons, its unpredictability, and its mystery.”

An exhibition of large-format prints of Meyerowitz’ Legacy im-ages can be seen at the Museum of the City of New York up till March 7, 2010. (Joel Meyerowitz: “Legacy: The Preservation of Wilderness in New York City Parks“, Publishers: Aper-ture Foundation). ■

david troodA BOOK ON A VERY SPECIAL JOURNEY

joel meyerowitzA HOMAGE TO NEW YORK’S PARKS

The winning photo “The Story-book Wolf“ taken by José Luis Rodriguez, captures the dynamics of an Iberian wolf leaping over the fence on a Spanish farm

jose l. rodriguezWILdLIfE PHOTO-GRAPHER 2009

At the seashore, in the desert, by a volcano – Hasselblad Master

david Trood traveled the whole world look-

ing for the source of creativity for his unusu-

al photo book “At any given moment“

for “Legacy: The Preservation of Wilderness in New York City Parks“ (le.), Meyerowitz photographed at the New York Botanical Gardens in autumn (be. le.), and at the Van Cortlandt Park in spring (be. ri.)

Photos: david trood (4); courtesy joel meyerowitz and edwynn Houk gallery, excerpted

from legacy: the Preservation of wilderness in New york City Parks, published by aperture (3);

josé luis rodriguez/veolia environnement wild-life Photographer of the year 2009

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Vincent Fournier With carefully staged pictures that could have been taken on the moon or Mars, Vincent Fournier invites the viewer to dream of distant planets. While putting together his “Space Project”, the photographer visited the most important observatories, training camps and space centers around the world with his H3DII-39.

MDrS #03. MArS DeSert reSeArcH StAtion/

teAM 54HAnKSViLLe/utAH/uSA/noVeMBer 2008

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MDrS #01. MArS DeSert reSeArcH StAtion/ teAM 54/HAnKSViLLe/utAH/uSA/noVeMBer 2008

MDrS #02. MArS DeSert reSeArcH StAtion/teAM 54/HAnKSViLLe/utAH/uSA/noVeMBer 2008

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Vincent Fournier PortFolIo

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MDrS #04. MArS DeSert reSeArcH StAtion/ teAM 54/HAnKSViLLe/utAH/uSA/noVeMBer 2008

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BioSPHere2 #01. orAcLe, AriZonA/uSA/octoBer 2009

AnecHoic cHAMBer/eStec/euroPeAn SPAce reSeArcH & tecHnoLoGie centre.noorDWiJK/tHe netHerLAnDS/ APriL 2008

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Vincent Fournier PortFolIo

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tHe MiLitArY MuSeuM oF tHecHineSe PeoPLe’S reVoLution.cHinA/BeiJinG/octoBer 2007

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right: BAF rooM 65 #01Below: BAF rooM 65 #02

Both: FinAL ASSeMBLY BuiLDinG/BuiLDinG S5e/ GuiAnA SPAce centre/

cSG FrencH GuiAnA/ Kourou/FeBruArY 2007

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GÉnÉrAL BoriS V. nAiDYonoV WeArinG tHe ruSSiAn SPAce Suit SoKoL. StAr citY/Youri GAGArine coSMonAut center/cGtc/ruSSiA/ZVieZDni GoroDoK/cHtcHioLKoVonoVeMBer 2007

His landscapes are remote and bar-

ren, yet they exert enormous attrac-

tion on the viewer, reminding them

of childhood fantasies played out on

the moon or Mars, or of the incred-

ible journeys of Jules Vernes. “My

niche is building complex images

that possess a natural fidelity. I want

people who view my work to feel as

though they’re inside this world that

I’ve created through photography,

which forces me to experiment with

my craft as much as possible,” Vin-

cent Fournier explains. The Brussels-

based photographer has been using

Hasselblad cameras since 2004 –

first a H3D-22 and then a H3DII-39

–, traveling the world for his large-

scale “Space Project”, aimed at

documenting all types of undertak-

ings that reflect humanity’s efforts

to conquer space. The resulting

landscapes and abstract interiors

are rather uninviting, the compo-

sitions extremely static and sterile;

yet, even though it might appear

that they were taken in a studio, the

pictures were shot in real existing

locations. In quasi-monochrome

spaces, Fournier introduced very

precise color accents.

The photographs were often

taken in secretive, even mythi-

cal places, such as the Yuri Gaga-

rin Cosmonaut Training Center in

Russia, the Mars Desert Research

Station in Utah, the Guiana Space

Center, and the Atacama Desert Ob-

servatories in Chile. With dogged

persistence, Vincent Fournier ap-

plied for the necessary permits so

that he could take his camera into

the most important observatories,

training camps and space stations

around the world. In addition,

Fournier (who was born in Burkina

Faso and grew up in France) joined

the French branch of the Planet

Mars Society that aims to simulate

life on Mars, collecting information

that could prove extremely useful

for future trips to the red planet. He

even took part in the society’s in-

tense training course, and in 2006,

was one of a few photographers

chosen by the society to take part

in the Mars Desert Research Station

project – a global exploration of des-

erts, including the Canadian Arctic,

the American Southwest and the

Australian Outback.

In fact, it all began back in Ha-

waii. While photographing the

Mauna Kea observatory, Fournier

was struck by the extremes he saw

between the volcanic landscape de-

PortFolIo Vincent Fournier

void of any human presence and the

enormous, sci-fi-looking radio tele-

scopes used by scientists to eaves-

drop on space. It was at Mauna Kea

that he decided to start a project

dedicated to landscapes with ob-

servatories. “I eventually decided

to enlarge the project to the space

centers around the world exploring

the idea of man and space, whether

we are looking at the sky, whether

we are going in the sky.”

For the commercial and fine-art

photographer color softness is an

important creative means – just

like the appropriate natural light-

ing. “I like the softness of the light

at sunset and dusk – sometimes just

a few seconds after the sun rises or

sets,” Vincent Fournier explains.

To get a shot just right, he will go

out a day earlier to plan the details

of his compositions. This allows

him to decide how to make best

use of the few moments of perfect

light needed to achieve the right

effects for photos such as those

taken in the area around the Mars

Desert Research Station (MDRS) in

Utah. “I wanted the MDRS images

to look like paintings – historical

landscape paintings with a sense of

science fiction.”

MDrS #11. MArS DeSert reSeArcH StAtion/ teAM 54 HAnKSViLLe/utAH/uSA/noVeMBer 2008

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Vincent Fournier: “Space Project”,

Verlhac Editions, 100 pp., 49,00 €

the london Step Gallery presents

Fournier’s “Space Project” from

January 13 to 17 at the london Art

Fair, www.vincentfournier.co.uk

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Coverstory

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Chen Manfuturistic beautyMaree MacLean, Fuma, Shanghai: “Chen Man’s style is ‘future tech’. Every one of her pictures makes use of the rapid develop-ments in China as a backdrop. The turbulence and lack of orientation arising from the extreme transformations taking place are clearly visible in her photographs – the people all seem to be out on a limb. At the same time, Chen Man’s vision is always clear, and her futuristic illustrations complement her wonderful photographs. They scream of China without being strident. The manner in which she lets beautiful forms fall gracefully into place gives her photography a third dimension, and will undoubtedly also be useful for other media.” Chen Man: Born in Beijing/China in the 1980’s; 2000–2006 studied painting; freelance photographer since 2004. Published among others in: Nylon, Vogue/China and Preference. Advertisements include Shiseido, Kappa, Motorola.

www.chenmaner.comwww.fuma.biz

eMil larssonunusual combinationsAnders Fransson, Adamsyk, Stockholm: “Emil Larsson always manages to give a broad and unusual interpretation to any given theme – both in his editorial and commercial work. He’s inspired by other photographers such as Irving Penn, Richard Burbridge and Guido Mocafico, but, above all, by the artists and creative friends that surround him. Emil Larsson has created his very own place within the still-life genre: he gives you the small world and allows you to look beyond its borders. This talent, combined with his highly developed technical ability, makes him a worthy top newcomer.”

Emil Larsson: Born in Malmö/Sweden in 1977; freelance photographer since 1999 – located in Stockholm since 2005. Published among others in: Tush, Dansk and Plaza. Advertisements include Coca Cola, Eurocard, Sony Ericsson, IKEA, Apoteket, Heinz Pripps.

www.emillarsson.com www.adamsky.se

7 UpWhich photographers are currently on the move to the very top? viCtor got seven international photo representatives to choose – we present their newcomers and tell why these are the ones to watch.

sarah Maurerpure dynamism Ulrike Hug, Tina Aich Fotografen Agentur, Zurich: “Sarah’s pictures are pure and sensual, dynamic and fresh, luminous and often very feminine. She has an exceptional sense for smooth subtlety, but also playfulness. This is particularly evident in her fashion photography, but also in her portraits. She’s also able to discern trends that are just appearing on the horizon. Her particular talent lies in transforming disparate situations and settings into a concise imagery that is captivating and touching.”

Sarah Maurer: Born in Zurich/Switzerland in 1979; 2000 photo assistant; 2001–2003 apprenticeship in photography/photographic design; freelance photographer in Paris and Zurich since 2003. Published among others in: Handelszeitung, L’Officiel/Russia and GQ/Japan. Advertisements include: Marks & Spencer, Orange, Swiss Airlines, Bluedog.

www.sarahmaurer.comwww.aich.ch

Sarah Maurer Emil Larsson

Chen Man

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norMan Konradconceptually modernAnja Wiroth, Anja Wiroth Agency, Berlin: “Norman Konrad is refreshing because he plays with a variety of media and ideas. He takes the old and brings it together with today’s style – professionally, but without overworking and retouching it to death. He searches for new depth in each photo shoot: he manages to convey a social intelligence into his pictures. Norman consults, is to-the-point and always friendly – but also assertive. He has distinct conceptual talents, always remaining faithful to himself and his style.”

Norman Konrad: Born in Gotha/Germany in 1976; 2001–2006 studied photography and design in Berlin and Prague; 2005–2006 photo assistant to Kristian Schuller, Alexandra Kinga Fekete and Johann Sebastian Hänel; freelance photo-grapher since 2006. Published among others in: Die Zeit, Style & The Family Tunes.

www.normankonrad.dewww.anjawiroth.com

Barrie hullegiethrilling cinematographyNarda van’t Veer, Unit C.M.A., Amsterdam: “Barrie Hullegie concentrates above all on the psychological demands that confront his models. Through his efforts to capture their thoughts and feelings, he always produces a thrilling, mysterious picture. This forces the viewer to think twice about the real characters of those portrayed. Barrie Hullegie is inspired by the dark and mysterious work of the likes of film-makers François Ozon or David Lynch. Barrie’s film-like photography suggests the existence of another, darker world, that’s hard to grasp. For this reason his work is very appli-cable to conceptual fashion photography.”

Barrie Hullegie: Born in Vaassen/Netherlands in 1976; 1994–1998 studied graphic design in Utrecht; 1998–2002 studied photography at the Royal Art Academy in The Hague; free-lance photographer since 2005. Published among others in: Blend Magazine, L’Officiel, Elle. Advertisements include Nike, Adidas, Beymen, Onitsuka Tiger.

www.barriehullegie.comwww.unit.nl

Julian hiBBardastounding narrativeIvy Brown, One Naked Egg, New York: “Thanks to Julian’s particular conceptual talent, every one of his pictures manages to tell a story. Looking at his shots is almost like watching a film. The measure of creativity in Julian Hibbard’s work is simply astounding. What’s more, with each of his projects he reveals another part of himself. His unique vision combined with traditional English values, brings the old and the new together, lending his images a surprising twist.”

Julian Hibbard: Born in Guildford/England in 1972; 1991–1995 studied art and design; 1995 photo assistant; 1996–1997 teaching grant at the Art College in Santiago/Chile; freelance photographer since 1998 – located in New York since 2001. Published among others in: Popular Mechanics, GQ, Spin and Elle. Solo and group exhibitions include New York and Los Angeles.

www.julianhibbard.com www.oneegg.net

Xander Ferreirahaunting compositionEmma Buckland, Shinegroup, Cape Town: “Xander grew up on a farm in South Africa close to the border with Mozambique. From a very early age, he was influenced by both the pictures his father took for ‘National Geographic Magazine’, and the constantly changing landscapes. Delighted by photogra-phy, Xander worked together with some very inspiring photographers. Having developed a unique, haunting style, and an easy-going technical expertise, he quickly stirred the interest of leading newspapers. Xander has a strong sense for moods and light, and a quick eye for wonderful compositions.”

Xander Ferreira: Born in Mpumulanga/South Africa 1981; freelance photographer since 2001; 2003–2005 photo assistant in Cape Town, Milan, Copenhagen, Berlin and Paris. Published among others in: Slackmag, Blond, Style, Obrigado, Lodown, Pause Magazine. Advertisements include Wrangler, Puma, YDE. Prizes include the Spider Award 2004.

www.xanderferreira.com www.shinegroup.com

Barrie Hullegie

Norman Konrad

Julian Hibbard

Xander Ferreira

top seven neWCoMers

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Living ScuLptureS

PHotos: Tim flach

British photographer Tim flach is known for his unusual portrayal of animals. his horse images manage to convey the relationship between man and steed without including any human subjects. Though domesticated over 5000 years ago, Tim flachs perspectives present the noble beast in an entirely new light. Trailblazing images between motion and repose.

tim Flach considers this shot of the Andalusian, Farol XXIX (above), one of the ultimate horse images. With this extreme close-up (right),

Flach wants to encourage the viewer’s eye to wander

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to make the Lusitano, Unico II, shake his head dynamically, tim Flach’s assistant rubbed foam over the animal’s head. the photo shoot took all day

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Eye to eye with Hassan – a white Arabian (left). His back (above) transforms into an abstract sculpture, producing a large variety of shades of white

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Flach let the breeder decide on the exact background for the cremello- colored Lusitano stallion, Idolo. the result was a setting where horse and backdrop blended perfectly

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A closer look in needed to discover the condensed breath of the thoroughbred, Montpelier (left). With the Lusitano, Dante (right), Flach wanted to show muscles and structure rather than the whole horse

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Destined for glamor: Cassia’s mane is elaborately and lovingly plaited before British photographer tim Flach trans - forms the proud curve of the mare’s neck into a monumental landscape

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Whether face to face or eye to eye – even when you look really close it’s hard to tell exactly what you’re seeing. Despite the vividness of his pictures, British photographer Tim Flach loves to confuse the imaginative viewer. “I like to bring unexpected elements to people, show them the less familiar,” Flach explains, speaking about his particular way of seeing and capturing things.

In his case, the ‘things’ are animals and, above all, horses. Flach was given his first professional photo­graphic assignment at age 18 when he was still a student. The project involved an 18­foot­long python. In his foundation course he was again photographing animals at the London Zoo. He hasn’t looked back, “You can’t expect rational behavior when you're dealing with animals – they're totally unpredictable. It leads to a tension between existing structures and a contrast between chaos and order.”

This tension creates the ideal conditions for the photographer’s work. He likes to take portraits of animals as though they were people – sometimes face to face, sometimes in profile. As a result, the intuitive perspective becomes one of his stylistic elements. “People tend to project human attributes onto animals, and that’s fascinating,”

Flach realizes. His work is also often quite abstract – the perfect antithesis to anthropomorphism. Flach’s super­sharp images are close­up impressions of four­legged, hoofed animals and other mammals, reptiles and fish. It’s goosebumps material. Deep furrows in the skin appear like rocky gorges, pores like craters and feathers like trees.

Flach likes to condense incredible proximity even further, reducing everything to the basics, transfor­ming a living being into nothing more than color and structure. The animal’s body seems to disappear altogether. Flach turns the familiar

into something odd by his choice of unusual perspectives and angles, thus showing it in a completely new light. It has earned him a number of international awards. “My pictures also reveal how we read things, how they astound us and how they become emotionally transformed,” he explains.

It was six years ago when he photographed a horse for the first time, together with other exotic animals such as Chinese pigs, bats, elephants and monkeys. He started this particular project by asking himself a simple question: “What does a horse symbolize to me?” The answer turned out to be a lot more complicated, for the relationship between man and horse, and the depictions thereof, have existed for thousands of years. It’s a coexistence that has been constantly evolving. For centuries, horses were man’s beast of burden, used for hunting, agriculture and even defence. It is only recently that they’ve found their place in the world of recreation. This has led to new businesses where horses are objects of speculation – highly appreciated investments, running into the millions.

Through the ages, people have been developing equipment and accessories for a variety of horse­related activities culminating today

in high­tech horse racing gear. The sums can be quite spectacular: an Irish group once invested approximately 13.4 million euros for a two­year old race horse that has yet to see the starting line – a cost that doesn’t even include the required expensive equipment. The long list of equipment includes: nylon suits designed to give the horse a shiny coat after shampooing and drying; transport masks that make the

animal look like a boxer about to step into the ring; and even contraptions to measure the horse’s breathing during training. “You don’t know it’s function, but you immediately start to search for a meaning,” Flach explains with a grin that betrays his own confusion at seeing all the equipment. It clearly says something about the significance horses have for human beings, evident also in the various breeding programs.

Tim Flach wants to show today’s relationship between horses and people, free from clichés. Human figures are absent in his pictures. His chief interest is in paying homage to the steed’s visual form. With this in mind, he goes as far as to take the horses out of their natural habitat – at a cost of 1,500 English pounds for two, for example – and relocates them in the sterile setting of his London studio. It is in this studio, located in Shoreditch, a former industrial area and now up­and­coming neighborhood brimming with artists’ studios and hip restau­rants. In the studio Flach shoots his famous photographs, expertly switching between cameras or, more specifically, between his three Hasselblads: a Hasselblad 553ELX with a 150mm lens, a Hasselblad H1 camera with an Ixpress 132C digital back and with HC 100mm and 120mm lenses and a Hasselblad H2D­39 with HC 50–110mm lens.

Flach also draws upon the lighting techniques of fashion photography, using a special ring flash system for

linear, direct light, and he prefers to photograph the animals in front of a black backdrop. However, Flach spares no expense when it comes to adjusting the background to achieve the right effect. For example, in order to create the perfect blend between the rare cremello­colored coat of the Lusitano stallion, Idolo, and the background (page 46), Tim Flach sent the breeder a color palette to pinpoint the subtle color changes

arising in the stall in different light. With the exception of a few rare cases, this perfectionist photographer avoids post­processing his work in Photoshop. Flach’s pictures convey a sense of “less is more”, aiming to give the viewers enough room for their own personal interpretation of the subjects. For this reason, certain details only become apparent after repeated viewings: the triangular shape, the hint of an ear seems to suggest that the abstract sculpture may, in fact, be breathing horse.

It’s a surreal and suggestive type of photography that has gradually evolved into Flach’s life mission, and he intends to continue in the same direction. “I have spent twenty years or more solving other people’s problems: photography is often used to communicate ideas. It was a very creative journey, and it took me all this time to get on the right track,” Flach says, as he moves off into a universe still bursting with possibilities. There is no doubt that he intends to convey these visions in his own special way – starting with his very first book project titled ‘Equus’. Therefore he was travelling the globe, in the search for equines in their natural environment. The opus will be published in October 2008 by PQ Blackwell of Auckland, New Zealand. CARLA SUSANNE ERDMANN

www.timflach.comwww.peterbailey.co.ukwww.pqblackwell.com

Masquerade (from left): Wildest Dream, an Arabian wearing a fly protector; Al Patra, an Arabian sporting a post-op mask; the tho r-oughbred fitted with oxygen-measuring mask; Hotspur, an Irish sports horse, protected by six-teenth century armour; a British pony wearing a hair straightener

tim FLachBorn in London, England in 1958. Flach studied commu-nications design from 1977 to 1980 at the University of East London (UEL), and then photography at the renowned Central saint Martins College of Art and Design in London from 1982 to 1983. soon he was assisting photo grapher Brian Worth on major hotel brochure photo shoots and other PR work. Apart from the practical experience Worth provided him with the opportunity to use the studio for his own works. Flach’s work has been recog nised with awards from the Asso-ciation of Photography and British Design & Art Direction. Flach has had solo exhibitions in Dubai, shanghai, tokyo, Berlin and Houston, texas, and lectures all over the world. His clients include Lavazza and British Royal Mail.

Living ScuLptureS

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Hasselblad Masters 2007

Raya

Born in Tel aviv/Israel in 1971 | moved to Paris in 1981 | free-

lance photographer since 1998, located in New york since the

autumn of 2006 | Published in ‘WestEastMagazine’, ‘Elle’,

‘Harper’s Bazaar’/Russia, ‘Dansk’, ‘Esquire’, ‘Gala’, ‘Cosmopolitan’,

‘Dandy’ and ‘Icon’, among others | advertisements for

Daniel Hechter, Club Med and M. Frey, among others | awarded

the prize for Best Fashion Photograph in Cannes 2005.

advertisement for Eva Christal (2006, very top); for ‘Icon’ (2006, above); for ‘Dansk’ (2005, right)

www.rayaphotographe.comwww.hasselblad.com

directly from a photo shoot on the beach. We were terribly late and we had just two hours to get the models made-up, have their hair done, drag old ladies in from the street to play extras, sit them in hair-dresser chairs, dress a model’s small dog completely in pink, stage and photograph the lot. It was the fastest shoot I’ve ever done in my whole life.

The dream. I admire all forms of art. I dream of one day filming an incredibly glamorous perfume advertisement, which I would write and direct.

The nightmare. All my acquain-tances want me to take photos of their children, and they always ask me to take pictures of their weddings. That kind of stuff has absolutely nothing to do with my work; and, what’s more, I don’t have enough patience to do it. I don’t even take a camera with me when on holiday.

The star. I’d love to take pictures of super model Stam. She’s not only very beautiful, but she also fits perfectly into my type of stories.

The philosophy. Never lose hold of your self-confidence, set yourself high goals, and always try to be better.

The treasure. I’m particularly proud of the work I had published in the Russian “Harper’s Bazaar” – the piece was about quality jewellery and all the important brands like Dior and Chanel were represented. There were at least ten security guards there during the entire photo shoot.

The Hasselblad. I photograph with an H2D, and I worship it. It is easy to use, not too heavy, has good lenses and feels like a small format camera. It’s also very important to me that the H2D has such incredible precision in the detail and the sharpness, because I do a lot of jew-ellery photography.

Raya is a Hasselblad Master because she has perfect control over the smooth transition between the glamour, romanticism and mystery in her pictures. Her knowledgeable interplay with being and appearance, light and shadow, produce stories that take the viewer far beyond what is apparent in the pictures.

The beginning. When I was young I collected “Harcourt” postcards. At the time I had no idea I’d become a photographer one day, but I was fascinated by glamorous, black&white pictures of all those beautiful actors and actresses, and all staged with such great lighting.

The heroes. I admire Vincent Peters’ pictures because he manages to make women look both sensual and glamorous. I’m also impressed by the allure of Dominique Isserman’s photos and her gorgeous use of light.

The hobby horse. I love looking at paintings and big brand magazine ads, as well as watching TV ads. Even at a friend’s house, if I see a copy of “Vogue” lying around, I just can’t resist picking it up immediately to check out the fashion sections.

The excitement. I once had a photo shoot in a small, Spanish hair dressing salon in Miami, where everything was colored pink. We arrived there with three models

Freelance work (2006, very top); for ‘Icon’ (2006, above); in 2005 Raya received an award at the international Fashion Photo-graphy Festival for the picture with the rooster (right)

Picture from the Phantom series for ‘C&G Magazine’ (2006, above)

40 ONLINE 12/2009

Next victor oNliNe: 1 january 2010

Items and topics in the next issue of VICTOr online may be changed or post-poned due to editorial or other reasons.

peTermaThIs>> sensitively photographed high performance

mark ZIberT >> the Canadian shoots just about

anything – even adidas in China

alberTO perOlI >> more than just a reportage on a country – touching portraits from bangladesh

Be surprised by inspiring portfolios, keep up-to-date with the most significant photographic trends and read leading news for the photography community. On January 1st, 2010, check your monitor for the next issue of VICTOR online.

realization: IDC Corporate Publishing GmbH, Hamburg, Germany

All articles and illustrations contained in the online magazine are subject to the laws of copyright. Any form of utilisation beyond the narrow limits imposed by the laws of copyright and without the expressed permis-sion of the publisher is forbidden and will be prosecuted. We accept no respon sibility for unsolicited material and this will only be returned if appropriate postage is included.

Hasselblad is a registered trademark of Victor Hasselblad A/S, Denmark. Place of jurisdiction and execution: Hamburg, Germany

VICTOR online | 12/2009www.victorbyhasselblad.cominfo@victorbyhasselblad.com

Publisher: Stephan Bittner, Center of Service GmbH

Publishing House/Advertising:Center of Service GmbHHammerbrookstr. 9320097 Hamburg, GermanyTel.: +49.40.25 40 48-69 (Fax: -40)E-mail: info@centerofservice.com

Photographer relations Manager Hasselblad: Christian NørgaardChristian.Norgaard@Hasselblad.dk

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Hasselblad advertising_english_traz.indd 1 08.09.2008 15:09:29 Uhr