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Interview
#ARP ANDRÉ RUESSEL PHOTOGRAPHY
Can you introduce yourself?"
My name is André Ruessel and I am a people & portrait photographer based in Cologne. I have been working internationally as a people & portrait photographer since 2010. But I also photograph in areas such as: advertising & business and work as a director of photography and as a set photographer for cine & TV productions. VIPs like Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, De Bruyne, Dante, Van der Vaart, athletes like Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Niki Lauda, Nico Rosberg, Betty Heidler stood in front of my camera. Top international soccer players, as well as all soccer national players, the boxing legends Klitschko's, Felix Sturm, Jerry Elliot, Prince Lorenzo.
Musicians like the German rapper Sido & the singer Iggy von Lionshead, Die Höhner, R.Zuckowski, well-known showmen like Captain Jack Sparrow, Carmen Electra, Wilma Elles, Alain Delon, the German Alexandra Kamp, Luca Zamperoni, Peter Lohmeyer, Martin Semmelrogge, Claude - Oliver Rudolph, but also top models like Gia Skova, Marcelo Molina, Nadja Atwal, GNTM, politicians like F.W. Steinmeyer, U.von der Leyen, the Federal Interior Minister Thomas de Mazière. He also shot for many big advertising campaigns and on numerous DJ sets in the electro scene.
Can you still remember your first photo?
What was it like?" As a child, I took pictures with an analogue camera with film. Unfortunately, I don't remember the first photo. But I do remember my first photographs with a bridge camera and with my first digital SLR camera. The I won first prizes with photos I took with the Bridge camera in Australia in the outback. That was a 3 megapixel camera :-)"
How did you get into photography?
"As a child, my parents always had analogue cameras lying around at home. My father liked to take photos in Croatia and on vacation. That's why I liked it as a child. I just grabbed his camera and didn't let go."
When are you satisfied with your work?
"Never :-)
I'm a perfectionist and while I enjoy my photographs, I'm my biggest competitor. I'm still looking for the perfect photo or favorite photo if there is one at all. Photography tells the story of the past, present and future - the light sometimes has to travel a long way before it reaches my lens. "
When is the right time to contact the photographer?
"If the customer knows what he wants and has given it enough thought and he has his own ideas and can convey them to the photographer. "
What do you think makes a good photo?
A good photo should first and foremost please you. It should appeal to the inside, satisfy the inner needs and possibly have an inner WOW effect. A photo is a composition of many factors such as light and shadow, emotions, stillness or liveliness - like the calm sea and the unpredictable wonderful play of fire in a fireplace. It consists of depth of fantasy, it tells a story - it may have infinite expanses or touched and reminds someone of a time or a situation. A photo may exist also without colors and was created in black and white. A small piece of a whole life that becomes infinity and thus tangible. Movement and blurring can add dynamism to a moment. Deliberate sharpness and areas of blur allow the eye to wander across an image, just as light and dark areas in an image can draw the eye in."
What do you enjoy most about professional photography?
"The endless possibilities - no moment is like the other and no lighting situation like the previous one. Catching the right moment is motivation and joy coupled with enthusiasm. Various techniques that can be used. Playing with light and shadow and sharpening as well as blurring. Emotions presented in an artful view. But photography is also about being calm with yourself and the camera. I forget about time and the rotating world around me. It seems as if I'm portraying myself in this situation."
What is special about the genre you have specialized in?
"At the beginning of my time I only wanted to photograph landscapes and animals. I was so enthusiastic about nature and its endless possibilities, colors and the life and movement in it. But when I ended up in the People & Portrait genre - I was also fascinated "The change or the opportunity to photograph in many areas revitalizes me and inspires me at the same time. I love the diversity. I specialize because I'm a perfectionist who wants to make a perfect shot with a precision rifle. After the click has been made be the result of the 100% hit that I expected. At best, one or the other detail should particularly appeal to my eye or stand out in retrospect. After that, the art really only begins for me. I would like to perfect myself in many genres. That the anticipation is there and the joy of execution at the same time :-) "
What details only a professional photographer can see?"
The final photo is already in my head before I pull the trigger. I know how it should work and look in the final processing. As a professional, one should be aware of all the details of an image and their implications - constantly observing situations and lighting conditions, and the camera is just the tool to complete the mental image. You should be able to master the instrument, but without an eye even the best tool is useless. The imagination, the wealth of ideas and the creative implementation are important."
How do you continue your education?
"You never stop learning in photography because every moment is different ... every place, every time, every light and every contrast is different. Further training is the development of a photographer to groove into new situations. There are always new challenges in photography. Whoever stops getting better has stopped being good is my motto. When I started I forgot time and space and as I always funny say... read the internet blank about photography."
What do you want to express with your photos?
"a story that's buzzing around in my head :-) I want to present my view of the story in visual form - as I see and have experienced the moment. I can't say in general how I want to express my photos, but they often have the same character and same quirks. I would say my photographs are recognizable."
What is your favorite gear to shoot with?
"which I would most like to deal with at that point in time. The choice of which camera or which lens. Whether studio flash or brightener depends entirely on the situation on site. I decide that at the moment I'm in it. Of course, I'll do it me a plan about which tools I will pack and use for this.Sometimes I'm just tempted to take pictures with my Nikon D3X and an old analog 50mm 1.4 Nikkor with available light.I really like the combination of new technology and old lenses.It has a certain character on pictures - it sometimes looks like a cinema light effect in pictures.
The variety really appeals to me. I also like to try out new techniques and I am far from having reached the end of the road. "
How important is technique in photography?"
I think the focus is on the photographic eye ... without the right eye and the right imagination, even the best technology is useless. Let's compare it to a craftsman.... who does not know how a room will appear with the right choice of tiles may have the best tools for installation but unfortunately make the totally wrong choice of tiles and make the room worse than it is to beautify. The technique is not the most important thing. It is more important to know how the picture should be drawn. What it should look like in the end and what effect it should have on people."
What did you do to get the first photo orders?
"As I said, I really only wanted to serve landscape photography. When I published my first photographs, I got my first awards from many magazines. I wanted to stay in the field of landscape photography. But on recommendation, I kept getting new customers and I was recommended more and more "I never really had to make an effort to get a job. Of course, not every photographer feels the same way. Everyone should make a plan for how to use PR & marketing tools to transport their work to the outside world and of course set goals. To keep the focus and to develop the right approach to ultimately end up with the right project, the right campaign. I would focus primarily on good photographs, everything else will come later on by itself. The development of a photographer is very important in this. It shouldn't be too steep either go straight up because every staircase is a new experience"
How important is digital post-processing to you?
“We had out of cam in the past with analog photography. Nowadays, every digital medium is digitally post-processed, even if it’s just for color correction or sharpness or contrast. For me, digital post-processing is a building block like shooting the Photos with the camera. In the digital post-processing, I come up with further ideas that complete my artwork or bring it to life. For me, it is a pleasure to use the technology in a variety of ways."
What tips would you give a hobby photographer to take better photos?
Study photos by good photographers. Why did the photographer take the photo from this angle. What kind of light did the photographer use or did he only work with available light. How was the person in the picture staged and why. What is special about the picture why does it look so good? Where does the light come from and what light source was used. Each photo should be examined and analyzed in more detail. Learn from it and train your eye. This is the most important part of the foundation, the alpha. Train the eye - recognize things the details. What if this detail were missing in the picture, would the picture still have the same effect? Unfortunately, people are no longer so conscious these days. Time pressure makes people disappear in a kind of hamster wheel. But photography is conscious experience and awareness. Consciously choose a situation to hold on to. Otherwise I would say to everyone - Enjoy your photography trip into the world :-)
What should aspiring photographers invest in and why?
"TIME TIME TIME.. your eyes should be able to transport the image to your soul. Photography is versatile... it never sleeps... it's always evolving... Show me your Eyes your Moments and your Pictures
#ARP ANDRÉ RUESSEL PHOTOGRAPHY
andreruessel.com
#ARP ANDRÉ RUESSEL PHOTOGRAPHY
Can you introduce yourself?"
My name is André Ruessel and I am a people & portrait photographer based in Cologne. I have been working internationally as a people & portrait photographer since 2010. But I also photograph in areas such as: advertising & business and work as a director of photography and as a set photographer for cine & TV productions. VIPs like Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, De Bruyne, Dante, Van der Vaart, athletes like Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Niki Lauda, Nico Rosberg, Betty Heidler stood in front of my camera. Top international soccer players, as well as all soccer national players, the boxing legends Klitschko's, Felix Sturm, Jerry Elliot, Prince Lorenzo.
Musicians like the German rapper Sido & the singer Iggy von Lionshead, Die Höhner, R.Zuckowski, well-known showmen like Captain Jack Sparrow, Carmen Electra, Wilma Elles, Alain Delon, the German Alexandra Kamp, Luca Zamperoni, Peter Lohmeyer, Martin Semmelrogge, Claude - Oliver Rudolph, but also top models like Gia Skova, Marcelo Molina, Nadja Atwal, GNTM, politicians like F.W. Steinmeyer, U.von der Leyen, the Federal Interior Minister Thomas de Mazière. He also shot for many big advertising campaigns and on numerous DJ sets in the electro scene.
Can you still remember your first photo?
What was it like?" As a child, I took pictures with an analogue camera with film. Unfortunately, I don't remember the first photo. But I do remember my first photographs with a bridge camera and with my first digital SLR camera. The I won first prizes with photos I took with the Bridge camera in Australia in the outback. That was a 3 megapixel camera :-)"
How did you get into photography?
"As a child, my parents always had analogue cameras lying around at home. My father liked to take photos in Croatia and on vacation. That's why I liked it as a child. I just grabbed his camera and didn't let go."
When are you satisfied with your work?
"Never :-)
I'm a perfectionist and while I enjoy my photographs, I'm my biggest competitor. I'm still looking for the perfect photo or favorite photo if there is one at all. Photography tells the story of the past, present and future - the light sometimes has to travel a long way before it reaches my lens. "
When is the right time to contact the photographer?
"If the customer knows what he wants and has given it enough thought and he has his own ideas and can convey them to the photographer. "
What do you think makes a good photo?
A good photo should first and foremost please you. It should appeal to the inside, satisfy the inner needs and possibly have an inner WOW effect. A photo is a composition of many factors such as light and shadow, emotions, stillness or liveliness - like the calm sea and the unpredictable wonderful play of fire in a fireplace. It consists of depth of fantasy, it tells a story - it may have infinite expanses or touched and reminds someone of a time or a situation. A photo may exist also without colors and was created in black and white. A small piece of a whole life that becomes infinity and thus tangible. Movement and blurring can add dynamism to a moment. Deliberate sharpness and areas of blur allow the eye to wander across an image, just as light and dark areas in an image can draw the eye in."
What do you enjoy most about professional photography?
"The endless possibilities - no moment is like the other and no lighting situation like the previous one. Catching the right moment is motivation and joy coupled with enthusiasm. Various techniques that can be used. Playing with light and shadow and sharpening as well as blurring. Emotions presented in an artful view. But photography is also about being calm with yourself and the camera. I forget about time and the rotating world around me. It seems as if I'm portraying myself in this situation."
What is special about the genre you have specialized in?
"At the beginning of my time I only wanted to photograph landscapes and animals. I was so enthusiastic about nature and its endless possibilities, colors and the life and movement in it. But when I ended up in the People & Portrait genre - I was also fascinated "The change or the opportunity to photograph in many areas revitalizes me and inspires me at the same time. I love the diversity. I specialize because I'm a perfectionist who wants to make a perfect shot with a precision rifle. After the click has been made be the result of the 100% hit that I expected. At best, one or the other detail should particularly appeal to my eye or stand out in retrospect. After that, the art really only begins for me. I would like to perfect myself in many genres. That the anticipation is there and the joy of execution at the same time :-) "
What details only a professional photographer can see?"
The final photo is already in my head before I pull the trigger. I know how it should work and look in the final processing. As a professional, one should be aware of all the details of an image and their implications - constantly observing situations and lighting conditions, and the camera is just the tool to complete the mental image. You should be able to master the instrument, but without an eye even the best tool is useless. The imagination, the wealth of ideas and the creative implementation are important."
How do you continue your education?
"You never stop learning in photography because every moment is different ... every place, every time, every light and every contrast is different. Further training is the development of a photographer to groove into new situations. There are always new challenges in photography. Whoever stops getting better has stopped being good is my motto. When I started I forgot time and space and as I always funny say... read the internet blank about photography."
What do you want to express with your photos?
"a story that's buzzing around in my head :-) I want to present my view of the story in visual form - as I see and have experienced the moment. I can't say in general how I want to express my photos, but they often have the same character and same quirks. I would say my photographs are recognizable."
What is your favorite gear to shoot with?
"which I would most like to deal with at that point in time. The choice of which camera or which lens. Whether studio flash or brightener depends entirely on the situation on site. I decide that at the moment I'm in it. Of course, I'll do it me a plan about which tools I will pack and use for this.Sometimes I'm just tempted to take pictures with my Nikon D3X and an old analog 50mm 1.4 Nikkor with available light.I really like the combination of new technology and old lenses.It has a certain character on pictures - it sometimes looks like a cinema light effect in pictures.
The variety really appeals to me. I also like to try out new techniques and I am far from having reached the end of the road. "
How important is technique in photography?"
I think the focus is on the photographic eye ... without the right eye and the right imagination, even the best technology is useless. Let's compare it to a craftsman.... who does not know how a room will appear with the right choice of tiles may have the best tools for installation but unfortunately make the totally wrong choice of tiles and make the room worse than it is to beautify. The technique is not the most important thing. It is more important to know how the picture should be drawn. What it should look like in the end and what effect it should have on people."
What did you do to get the first photo orders?
"As I said, I really only wanted to serve landscape photography. When I published my first photographs, I got my first awards from many magazines. I wanted to stay in the field of landscape photography. But on recommendation, I kept getting new customers and I was recommended more and more "I never really had to make an effort to get a job. Of course, not every photographer feels the same way. Everyone should make a plan for how to use PR & marketing tools to transport their work to the outside world and of course set goals. To keep the focus and to develop the right approach to ultimately end up with the right project, the right campaign. I would focus primarily on good photographs, everything else will come later on by itself. The development of a photographer is very important in this. It shouldn't be too steep either go straight up because every staircase is a new experience"
How important is digital post-processing to you?
“We had out of cam in the past with analog photography. Nowadays, every digital medium is digitally post-processed, even if it’s just for color correction or sharpness or contrast. For me, digital post-processing is a building block like shooting the Photos with the camera. In the digital post-processing, I come up with further ideas that complete my artwork or bring it to life. For me, it is a pleasure to use the technology in a variety of ways."
What tips would you give a hobby photographer to take better photos?
Study photos by good photographers. Why did the photographer take the photo from this angle. What kind of light did the photographer use or did he only work with available light. How was the person in the picture staged and why. What is special about the picture why does it look so good? Where does the light come from and what light source was used. Each photo should be examined and analyzed in more detail. Learn from it and train your eye. This is the most important part of the foundation, the alpha. Train the eye - recognize things the details. What if this detail were missing in the picture, would the picture still have the same effect? Unfortunately, people are no longer so conscious these days. Time pressure makes people disappear in a kind of hamster wheel. But photography is conscious experience and awareness. Consciously choose a situation to hold on to. Otherwise I would say to everyone - Enjoy your photography trip into the world :-)
What should aspiring photographers invest in and why?
"TIME TIME TIME.. your eyes should be able to transport the image to your soul. Photography is versatile... it never sleeps... it's always evolving... Show me your Eyes your Moments and your Pictures
#ARP ANDRÉ RUESSEL PHOTOGRAPHY
andreruessel.com
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