leonid matthias will open its own new fashion concept store in Frankfurt Sachsenhausen, Walter-Kolb-Str. 7 (entry is on Schulstrasse)

extravagant couture meets cool streetwear, avantgarde meets folklore, classic meets glam rock…each collections tells a new story.
SHE and HE will find original, individual and high-class fashion beyond mainstream in the store. Belts, jewelry, bags and the interior line complete the range of products.

Am 22. Mai 2010 eröffnet ‘leonid matthias’ einen eigenen fashion concept store im Modeviertel
Sachsenhausen, Walter-Kolb-Strasse 7 / Eingang Schulstrasse.
Hier trifft extravagante Couture auf coole Streetwear, Avantgarde auf Folklore, Klassik auf Glam
Rock… Dabei erzählt jede Kollektion eine neue Geschichte.
Im Store finden SIE und ER originelle, individuelle und hochwertige Mode mit hohem Anspruch
abseits vom Mainstream.
Gürtel, Schmuck, Taschen und die Interieur Linie runden das Angebot ab.

More information:
www.leonidmatthias.com

Stilblüten is a fashion platform for regional and nationwide young designer to present their mostly unique and original fashion products: dresses, hats, jewellery, accessories and bags – most important is the idea and the manufacturing. Sustainability also is a very important topic: most designer produce their collections themselves or let them produce in Germany. Also part of the fair is the Werkstatt Frankfurt, which qualifies long-term unemployed women to be a tailor.

Stilblüten takes place twice a year and is more than just a fashion fair. Several Djs put on some records, a selection committee composed of designer, photographers and journalists awards the designer with the most creative and qualitative product, and there is food and drinks. Last but not least, there is an after-party on Saturday June 12th at the Yachtclub.

Some of the designers are:
Affentor, Ambacht, Ame Soeur by Taschén, And. Ant,  Anette Rack, Augenmädchen made by Lichtblau, BBags, Charlotte am Main, Chichino, Coco Lores, Designerie, dothebag, Esther Zita, Frank Harling, Faible for Label, Frankfurter Bubb, freimaid, Galerie Pequena, gamblersjewels, Glüxpfennig, grassgrün, goyagoya, ichwareindirndl, les petites folies de julie, re-cover, Schmitthut, Sheela Housewife Revolution, Leonid Matthias, little heroes, Nina Hollein, MiraBellenbaum, Miss TulaTrash,  Nachtschwester, Nonpareille, Paul & Paula, Rörth, Sandras Kleinod, Silke Schossig Textilkunst, Sylvain Merot, Winschu, Tastbar, Than Thuy, Thierfelder Manufaktur, Zoe Navah, Zukkaschnekke, Zwei and many more

More information:
Stilblüten #10
Modemesse Frankfurt am Main
Opening hours:  Saturday from 12 -20 , Sunday from 11 -19
Stephanstr. 1-3
60311 Frankfurt
www.stilblueten-frankfurt.com
Fotos: Diana Djeddi

Martin Kunert: Warsaw was where I was born and shortly thereafter, brought to the States by my mom.  I grew up around New York City, started New York University in pre-med and quickly switched into NYU’s film school.  Last 12 years, I’ve been a professional filmmaker;  writing and directing films and TV in Los Angeles.  Six months ago, my friend and fine art photographer, Noah Silverman, talked me into trying beauty and fashion photography.  I did.  Fell in love.  And have been doing it since

Superreizvoll: Please tell us when you started with photography and did you go to college or are you self-taught?

Martin Kunert: Well… that’s a tricky answer.  On one level, I’ve only been doing it for a few months.  I never touched a strobe until last December.  On the other hand, I spent a child hood drawing, often drawing beautiful women. During film school extra cash came my way by me illustrating story boards for commercials.  Film making gave me a fundamental understanding of light.  For example, I DP’ed a music video I directed for a friend (see: http://www.martinkunert.com)  The entire video was shoot in my dinning room and using a green screen.  But… but… but… as I’ve learned through trial and mostly error – photography and cinematography are two quite opposite things.  Films are shoot at f2.8 a 48/sec.  I shoot studios stills at f22, 200/sec.  And photography uses a lot LESS lights and ancillary gear (scrims, flags, silks, etc) .Once into photography, I’m self taught.

Superreizvoll: What equipment do you work with most of the time?

Martin Kunert: Canon 5d Mark II.  Canon’s 24-104mm f4 L lens.  Which is all the photo camera gear I have.  A used Profoto Acute 2400 strobe system with 2 heads is my main light, which I found on ebay.  Most of my shots are made by using only one head with a profoto beauty dish, no grid.  That dish provides the main light and illuminates the background.  Tried the grid for the beauty dish, but never seemed to get it to work to my liking.  I have two, big cheap soft boxes off ebay.  I use one occasionlly as a white background the rims the girl with light. 

I also own HMI’s, inkies, 2k’s and other continuous lights used for film making, though rarely use them in photography.  The few times I did are…

This shot was made with a 750w HMI light from coollights.biz and blasting it at my loft door

These pics were made by blasting the HMI (gelled orange) though the bathroom window and letting the light scatter of the white tiles.  An Kino-Flo diva light was placed atop the toilet tank which is out of shot on the left hand side.

The kino is un-gelled, hence it’s reflection is bright white while the rest of the scene takes on the orange glow of the gelled HMI.  This lighting is classic three pointing lighting used in cinematography.

Superreizvoll: Do you prefer studio or outdoor shoots, and why?

Martin Kunert: Studio as I get to experiment with light.

Superreizvoll: What do you think about retouching? Is is it a big part of the final work or just a tool to change small things?

How can people cover a model with layers of make up and then bitch about retouching with photoshop?  Same goes with spending endless time tweeking lights and then saying retouching light levels with photoshop isn’t what real photographers do.  Retouching is big.  It’s one of the many tools used to get the final image one wants.  Beauty and fashion photography isn’t photo journalisim.  It’s not suppose to be real. It’s fantasy.  Retouching helps create that fantasy. All my photos are retouched.

Superreizvoll: Who is you favorite photographer?

Martin Kunert: Right now, Andrea Klarin.  He… blows… my… mind.  To a great extent, the history of art is the history of capturing the beauty of women.  That art now lives and evolves in fashion photography.  And in that realm, Andrea is the best.  His work is classical and rich like the old masters.   Boy… what I would give to take that guy to lunch and pick his brain for an hour; better yet, to spend a couple days watching him work.

Superreizvoll: What do you love about your job?

Martin Kunert: My job is making movies.  I love it because it takes what’s amazing about photography, then adds story and emotion.

Superreizvoll: And what do you dislike?

Martin Kunert: About film-making… hmm… let me pull out the list.  About fashion photography,…. that I didn’t get into it earlier.  Beyond that, not much yet.

Superreizvoll: What advice would you give to someone just starting with photography?

Martin Kunert: Techniques and skills are easy to acquire.  Taste is not.  Study great art, fashion mags, and photographers you admire.  Learn classic composition and how paintings are made.  Artists have spend hundreds of years figuring out how to make beautiful images.  Use their collective knowledge to your advantage.  I went to film school (NYU is considered one of the two best in the US) and found it mostly a waste, so I’d venture photography school is likewise a waste.  Take the tuition money, buy gear and spend the rest of the dough on having the freedom to shoot everyday.  The only other advice I have – and maybe it’s just unique to me because of my back ground – is to learn 3-point lighting used in cinematography.  It will teach you have to make a 3D person appear 3D on a 2D surface (a photograph or film still).  From that basic understanding, you can vary the lighting and know you won’t make things look flat.  3-point lighting can be learned from a book or undoubtedly, a couple youtube videos.

Superreizvoll: Thank you for taking the time!!

Martin Kunert: Sure, you’re welcome.

All photos: Copyright Martin Kunert

More information:

Martin Kunert
www.BooyaStudios.com
www.MartinKunert.com

Anne Lass (*1978) works seem familiar, they show normality – so normal, that it starts being disturbing. Who are those poeple? What is the link between the pictures?

In his works, Christoph Engel (*1975) contemplates the world and it surface structure from a non ordinary point of view. High density residential areas appear as ornamental mix of lines, the flat roofs of greenhouses form a dense mosaic and golf courses in the desert remind of outstretched pamls of hands.

The series by Ofer Wolberger (*1976) is called “Live with Maggie” and it seems to be a photo diary of a young woman. She poses like at tourist in front of sunsets at the water, beautiful landscapes or modern architecture. The irritating thing about her normal travel photos is, that she always hides her identity behind a mask.

The works of Oskar Schmidt (*1977) are portraits and interiors at the same time. The persons and the space seem familiar, though they stay mysterious and inaccessible. It is not the individual attributes of these places and figures which are the focus of the photos, but its form and its position.

The exhibition is held at Deutsche Börse Frankfurt until June 4th 2010

More information: www.deutsche-boerse.com

Deutsche Börse AG
Neue Börsenstraße 1
60487 Frankfurt/Main
Germany

The works of the series “Neon Tigers” and “Paradise now” by German photographer Peter Bialobrzeski are shown at the Gallery m97 in Shanghai, starting on 15 May until 11 July, 2010. The artist reception is on Saturday May 15, from 5 to 7pm.

Photographed from 2000-2004, “Neon Tigers” illustrates the infrastructure boom and high-rises of Asia’s megacities, while “Paradise Now” shows the intermingling of nature and the man-made neon luminescence in a subtle and startling balance of lush greenery and neon phosphorescence.

Peter Bialobrzeski interprets his work neither as documentary nor as art but defines it as Cultural Practice. In the last ten years, six monographs have been published about his works, “XXXholy” (2000), “NEONTIGERS” (2004), “HEIMAT” (2005), and more recently “Lost in Transition” (2007), “Case Study Homes” (2007) and “Paradise Now” (2009).

More information:
m97 Gallery | Shanghai
97 Moganshan Road 2F
T.  +8621 6266.1597
info@m97gallery.com
www.m97gallery.com

All photos: © Peter Bialobrzeski. Courtesy of m97 Gallery

Superreizvoll: Please tell us when you started with photography and did you go to college or are you self-taught?

Gabi Moisa: I started photography six years ago, as a part of my job. I was working for a magazine as a graphic-designer and often needed images for my layouts. So I decided to make my own.
With time I got better and after a while I quit that job and started my own business in photography – a photo studio in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

Superreizvoll: In your opinion, what makes a shoot a successful shoot?

Gabi Moisa: A successful shoot is a shoot that the client, models, viewers and photographers appreciate. If the photo you are looking at has captured your attention for more than just a second and you start asking yourself questions about it then it must be successful.

Superreizvoll: Are you always satisfied with your work or is there something you would like to change the following shoot?

Gabi Moisa: As a photographer you always have to be better for the next shoot, you have to evolve, you have to try new things.

Superreizvoll: What do you think about retouching? Is is it a big part of the final work or just a tool to change small things?

Gabi Moisa: It really depends on the project and on the client. I always try to get the best photos in-camera, so that post-processing is minimal. Even if it’s minimal, it still exists. Everywhere.

Superreizvoll: What is your inspiration?

Gabi Moisa: From the beginning of my photography I have been looking at great pictures by other photographers and try to understand how they were done. How was the light set-up. Why did they use that location, that model, those clothes and so on.
I really love the works of Eugenio Recuenco for his wonderful painting-like images. I also love the works of Mario Testino which are more commercial.

Superreizvoll: Is there a model you would love to work with?

Gabi Moisa: I really like expressive faces. That is what I seek. There are a lot of wonderful models around the world – you just have to look in magazines like Vogue, Numero, or any other high-class glossy mag and you’ll see the best of the best.

Superreizvoll: What do you love about your job?

Gabi Moisa: I really like that I do new things all the time. It’s the best job.

Superreizvoll: And what do you dislike?

Gabi Moisa: I really dislike the fact that I live in a country where professional photography is not valued correctly.

Superreizvoll: What advice would you give to someone just starting with photography?

Gabi Moisa: Invest passion, a lot of passion into it. You have to love it. You have to grow into it. With time you will get better.

Thank you Gabi for taking the time to answer our questions!

More information: www.imagenic.ro

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Here is part one of the interview, still in German though: Interview with Frauenzimmer – part I

A little selection of her work and a look at her store:

Even if it took a little longer than it was supposed to be, today we will present the second part of the interview. Because Natascha had many interesting things to say about her work with her label Frauenzimmer, Fashion in general and our hometown Frankfurt, Germany.

Since it has been such a long time, the interview is still in German – don’t worry, the next ones will be in English again.

Superreizvoll: Woher kam die Idee zu dem Namen Frauenzimmer?

Frauenzimmer: Ich habe ziemlich lange darüber nachgedacht, da ich auf jeden Fall einen deutschen Namen haben wollte, ich möchte “made in Germany” vermitteln und dazu sollte auch der Name passen. Beim Marken- und Patentamt kann man online die Namen eingeben um zu prüfen ob Sie noch frei sind. Ich habe im Laufe der Zeit immer mal wieder Brainstorming gemacht und die Namen gesammelt. Dann habe ich Sie nacheinander geprüft und zum Schluss blieb nur Frauenzimmer übrig. Ich finde der Name beschreibt mich perfekt und das was ich Tun und vermitteln will auch. Dazu habe ich mir noch meine Lieblingsfarbe Pink ausgesucht, damit sich der Name gut im Kopf einprägt.

Superreizvoll: Wofür steht der Name Frauenzimmer?

Frauenzimmer: Also der Slogan ist “mutig, frech, stark”, der ist sowohl auf die Kunden bezogen als auch auf mich. Man soll einfach ein bisschen aus seiner alltäglichen Rolle schlüpfen, sich frei machen und auch mal den Mut für ein Unikat aufbringen. Natürlich möchte ich auch, dass “Frauenzimmer” im Laufe der Zeit immer weiter wächst und dass der Name zu einer Marke wird, die sich in Frankfurt etabliert.

Superreizvoll: Was ist der Schwerpunkt Deiner Arbeit?

Frauenzimmer: Schnell hat sich herauskristallisiert, dass eine sehr große Nachfrage nach Kleidern besteht, da anscheinend nicht genug Modelle mit guter Passform angeboten werden. Daraufhin kam ich zu dem Entschluss auch Modelle für Frauen mit weiblichen Rundungen anzubieten, mit großer Resonanz.

Superreizvoll: Hast du bestimmte Vorbilder in der Modeszene oder distanziert Du dich eher davon?

Frauenzimmer: Eher weniger. Es gibt natürlich Designer bei denen man sagt, die haben einen Weg hingelegt, da habe ich Respekt vor, zum Beispiel Karl Lagerfeld, der mit 70 immer noch die besten Entwürfe macht, das finde ich super. Aber damit möchte ich mich nicht vergleichen. Ich habe nicht das Bestreben eine Handelsmarke zu werden, sondern die Anerkennung meines Labels. Eine Kollektion ist vorerst nicht in Planung, da ich zur Zeit genug Ideen habe um meine Unikate zu forcieren.

Superreizvoll: Wenn es einen typischen Frankfurter Modestil gäbe, was wäre es dann? Oder gibt es ihn sogar?

Frauenzimmer: Ich würde den Stil als konservativ bezeichnen. Sehr Business-Like, durch den Einfluss der Banken in unserer Stadt. Zumindest im Frankfurter Nachtleben kommt ein eleganter und ausgefallener Stil zum Vorschein.

Superreizvoll: Wie würdest Du Deinen eigenen Look beschreiben?

Frauenzimmer: Ich bin eher der sportliche Typ, trage viel schwarz und grau. Ich glaube das ist ein Phänomen bei Designern, die nehmen sich gerne selbst zurück und präsentieren sich dann durch die eigene Mode ganz anders.

Thank you Natascha for taking the time to answer our questions!!

More information:

Frauenzimmer

Natascha Spendic

Wallstraße 4

60594 Frankfurt

Tel.069-60607117

Superreizvoll: Please tell us when you started with photography and did you go to college or are you self-taught?

Kemuel Valdes: I started photography during my college years as a transition from figure drawing. My universiy degree is in Exercise Physiology and this gave me access to photographing many athletes.

Superreizvoll: In your opinion, what makes a shoot a successful shoot?

Kemuel Valdes: To me, a successful shoot is one that achieves the initial goal. Whether it is to highlight a product or materialize a mental picture.

Superreizvoll: Are you always satisfied with your work or is there something you would like to change the following shoot?

Kemuel Valdes: After each shoot, I make mental notes of things I will do differently the next time. For the most part I’m satisfied, but there is always room for improvement.

Superreizvoll: What do you think about retouching? Is is it a big part of the final work or just a tool to change small things?

Kemuel Valdes: Retouching is another tool to achieve the vission.  I work to get lighting right during the shoot, but retouching colors and imperfections are great enhancements.

Superreizvoll: What is your inspiration?

Kemuel Valdes: Inspiration comes from light, color, Michaelangelo’s work. Many times I find my self studying the light at a restaurant. lol. To me, it really is all about lighting.

Superreizvoll: Is there a model you would love to work with?

Kemuel Valdes: Models I’d like to work with are the very smart ones. Photographying smart people keeps me very inspired. They understand where I’m going and do it so well that new concepts start coming to mind.

Superreizvoll: What do you love about your job?

Kemuel Valdes: One thing I love about my job is seeing the emotional response from someone who does not know me. Friends can be very kind, but if someone who is not connected to me, sees my work and understands it, that’s the greatest reward.

Superreizvoll: And what do you dislike?

Kemuel Valdes: I dislike the way I feel exhausted after a long shoot or how the nerves tense me up before an exhibition. lol.

Superreizvoll: What advice would you give to someone just starting with photography?

Kemuel Valdes: To someone who is starting, I say follow your inner voice but be discipline. If an image does not come out the way you envisioned it, learn to do it the right way. Don’t let the ego get in the way of learning. This way you’ll develop your own style, skills, strengths and truly express your self as an artist.

Thank you very much for taking the time to answer our questions!

More information and photos on: www.valdesarthouse.com

Superreizvoll: Please tell us when you started with photography and did you go to college or are you self-taught?

Sylvain Bertrand: I’m a totally a self-taught photographer. I started to get interested in photography 5-6 years ago. I’m professional since 2007 and I really work since 2008. And each day I learn more and more how to do my job.

Superreizvoll: In your opinion, what makes a shoot a successful shoot?

Sylvain Bertrand: A good harmony with the team. And a good mix between light and emotion.

Superreizvoll: Are you always satisfied with your work or is there something you would like to change the following shoot?

Sylvain Bertrand: Never satisfied! In general I like some of my pics during one week. And after that, I always think that it’s not good enough. It’s like I always have to restart again. And that’s a good thing.

Superreizvoll: What do you think about retouching? Is is it a big part of the final work or just a tool to change small things?

Sylvain Bertrand: Photoshop is a tool, and only a tool. Retouch won’t make a nice image if your shoot was bad. It’s better to take 20 minutes more during the shoot than spending 1 hour on each picture later on computer.
The light is so important. I hear to much time “I’ll change this on photoshop”. No.. change it during the shoot, it’s always better.
Retouch is only a step to have a the result that you want.

Superreizvoll: What is your inspiration?

Sylvain Bertrand: Two things, human’s emotion and the light. I prefer the natural light, more powerfull for me.

Superreizvoll: Is there a model you would love to work with?

Sylvain Bertrand: Not in particular, I think that everyone have something to give.
But if you want a name, I discovered this morning the portfolio of Gry Arnestad, and she’s a really nice model. I hope to work with her one day.

Superreizvoll: What do you love about your job?

Sylvain Bertrand: Everything. I’m a happy man and a happy worker.
I’m always learning. You can’t sleep on your knowledge.

Superreizvoll: And what do you dislike?

Sylvain Bertrand: Maybe the fact that sometimes I spend too much time with negociation, talk and talk and not enough with work or creation. But well, business is business..

Superreizvoll: What advice would you give to someone just starting with photography?

Sylvain Bertrand: To do what he really wants to do and not to do what the others do. It’s hard to be yourself in an art. But it’s a good way to follow.

Thanks to Sylvain Bertrand for taking the time to anwer the questions!

New works by Sylvain Bertrand: www.sylvainbertrand.com

Older works by Sylvain Bertrand: www.sylvainbertrand.book.fr