https://www.simonbolz.com/blog 2025-11-05T13:37:00+01:00 Simon Bolz https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2025-11-04.php 2025-11-04T00:00:00+01:00 2025-11-04T00:00:00+01:00 There you stand with your high-end camera at a dreamy location. The model is beaming and the light is divine. Yet at the end of the day, you're missing the accompanying video footage once again. My clients regularly ask for it, and there I stand like a first-grader who forgot his lunchbox. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-10-28.php 2025-10-28T00:00:00+01:00 2025-10-28T00:00:00+01:00 I just got deleted by Google. Not because of dubious content, but because an artificial intelligence claimed that a particular OnlyFans creator appeared on my website. A woman I neither know nor have ever photographed. The AI confused two completely different people and turned it into a DMCA claim. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-10-21.php 2025-10-21T00:00:00+02:00 2025-10-21T00:00:00+02:00 The news from the film industry came as a surprise: The new Bob Dylan film "A Complete Unknown" was shot at ISO 12,800. What might sound like a technical gamble to many was a welcome validation for me as a photographer. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-10-15.php 2025-10-15T00:00:00+02:00 2025-10-15T00:00:00+02:00 A baker bakes rolls every day. I sometimes don't touch my camera for weeks. And every single time, there's that gnawing guilt: Shouldn't I be producing daily too, like a proper craftsman? Spoiler: No. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2025-10-09.php 2025-10-09T00:00:00+02:00 2025-10-09T00:00:00+02:00 One might think the work is done after the photoshoot. Models and clients are satisfied, the pictures are in the bag. What else could there be? Well, if only it were that simple. Because now begins the part of my work that hardly anyone gets to see. An odyssey of data security, driven by a healthy dose of paranoia and years of experience with the pitfalls of technology. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-10-01.php 2025-10-01T00:00:00+02:00 2025-10-01T00:00:00+02:00 Sometimes you just have to do something crazy. So there I was, standing in this little stationery shop, one of those special places that looks like it's from another era. Japanese envelopes everywhere, handmade papers, binding threads in every conceivable color. A paradise for anyone who loves tactile experiences. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-09-27.php 2025-09-27T00:00:00+02:00 2025-09-27T00:00:00+02:00 Recently at a shoot, I had to smile again. "Can my boyfriend be there?" the model asked me on the phone. Of course he can, but I already knew what would happen. After twenty minutes, she would be more focused on reading his reactions than following my directions. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2025-09-21.php 2025-09-21T00:00:00+02:00 2025-09-21T00:00:00+02:00 While we're still arguing about the latest AI image generators, Google has pulled its "Nano Banana" out of the hat. And I have to admit: this thing caught me completely off guard. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-09-14.php 2025-09-14T00:00:00+02:00 2025-09-14T00:00:00+02:00 Sometimes I wonder if I'm the last of the Mohicans. I've been producing my nude calendar every year since 2009, while all around me the moral fingers point ever higher. A photographic relic from a time when one could still celebrate the beauty of the naked body without worry. Am I a dinosaur? Perhaps. But one that refuses to go extinct. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-09-08.php 2025-09-08T00:00:00+02:00 2025-09-08T00:00:00+02:00 Recently at the airport. I'm standing in line for security and watching a man in front of me desperately trying to repack his suitcase. "The power bank must go in the carry-on," says the security officer with the sternness of an elementary school teacher explaining for the fifth time that two plus two equals four. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-08-29.php 2025-08-29T00:00:00+02:00 2025-08-29T00:00:00+02:00 You know how it is: by the end of November, Frankfurt is down for the count. Gray skies, the first slushy snow, and just thinking about the heating bill puts you in a foul mood. While others retreat into seasonal depression and mulled wine, I pack my camera gear and disappear to the Canary Islands. From November 27th to December 12th, I transform northern Fuerteventura into my personal outdoor studio. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2025-08-26.php 2025-08-26T00:00:00+02:00 2025-08-26T00:00:00+02:00 Ah, the Grande Nation and its loving relationship with the English language! There you are, a German photographer in 2025, standing on a picturesque beach in Fuerteventura. You've nurtured your school English for years, can distinguish between <em>aperture</em> and <em>shutter speed</em> and look forward to international communication — and then she strolls up, the French beauty, looking at you as if you'd just suggested serving camembert with pineapple. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-08-19.php 2025-08-19T00:00:00+02:00 2025-08-19T00:00:00+02:00 There are these moments in art history that make us blush today. Not because we've become prudish — quite the contrary. We blush because we feel caught in the act. As if our ancestors had caught us peeping through a keyhole. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2025-08-12.php 2025-08-12T00:00:00+02:00 2025-08-12T00:00:00+02:00 How a bit of paper creates more creative freedom and why it has nothing to do with being a control freak. Find a small helper for your own productions in this article. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2025-08-05.php 2025-08-05T00:00:00+02:00 2025-08-05T00:00:00+02:00 Do you know that feeling? You're editing a video of a refreshing interview and suddenly realize: Oops, 10 minutes of talking head. The viewer will fall asleep! Welcome to the wonderful world of B-Roll, or as I call it: The cinematic sauce that makes every interview truly delicious. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-07-28.php 2025-07-28T00:00:00+02:00 2025-07-28T00:00:00+02:00 You might not know the feeling: You spend years perfecting your artistic vision, meticulously crafting your visual language, and then some algorithm comes along and labels your website as pornographic. Welcome to my world. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-07-22.php 2025-07-22T00:00:00+02:00 2025-07-22T00:00:00+02:00 Travel has always been something we long for. In Schwetzingen Castle, there's a special building. A long, dark corridor that leads to what looks like "the end of the world". As a child, I loved this installation. There was something tempting about it, something that pulled me towards faraway places. Away from the limits of daily life, towards new horizons. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-07-16.php 2025-07-16T00:00:00+02:00 2025-07-16T00:00:00+02:00 The other day, I looked in the mirror and was terribly startled. Not because I looked particularly bad — no, because I looked completely normal. No flawless porcelain-like skin. No eyes gleaming like hand-polished marbles. And, God forbid, even a few wrinkles that testified to the fact that I had laughed once or twice in my life. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2025-07-09.php 2025-07-09T00:00:00+02:00 2025-07-09T00:00:00+02:00 We've all been there: A photo shoot is coming up, and you need to quickly print some inspiring reference images. Not as rigid templates to copy — that would be boring — but as visual cues. A small mood board, if you will, to help break through creative blocks when ideas run dry. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-07-05.php 2025-07-05T00:00:00+02:00 2025-07-05T00:00:00+02:00 We photographers are all somewhat vain, aren't we? Actually, I think people in general long for recognition. For being seen. And so I'm always delighted when there's a publication of mine in a magazine or my images appear somewhere else. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-07-02.php 2025-07-02T00:00:00+02:00 2025-07-02T00:00:00+02:00 As a photographer, you experience all sorts of things in front of the lens. But the latest posing trend is pushing even experienced professionals to their limits. A story about stretched necks, dominant chins, and the eternal search for the perfect shot. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2025-06-26.php 2025-06-26T00:00:00+02:00 2025-06-26T00:00:00+02:00 This morning I was staring at my Eizo ColorEdge screen, wrestling with color calibration. You might know this: You look at the same photo in different programs and suddenly it looks different everywhere. My lab prints in sRGB, so it shouldn't really be rocket science to set things up, I figured. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-06-20.php 2025-06-20T00:00:00+02:00 2025-06-20T00:00:00+02:00 Last Monday, I found myself once again at my computer, engaged in an epic battle with Adobe's artificial intelligence. You probably know the drill: you just want to quickly edit a photo for your blog, but the AI has decided to play moral guardian for the day. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2025-06-16.php 2025-06-16T00:00:00+02:00 2025-06-16T00:00:00+02:00 You barely open your phone in the morning before you're hit with the usual headlines. "AI revolutionizes photography," "Photographers on the brink," "Artificial intelligence makes humans obsolete." Oh, right. Here we go again. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-06-14.php 2025-06-14T00:00:00+02:00 2025-06-14T00:00:00+02:00 As a nude photographer, I know censorship all too well. Not from totalitarian states or distant regimes — no, I'm talking about censorship right here in the supposedly free Western world. The same West that's supposedly the land of unlimited possibilities. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-06-13.php 2025-06-13T00:00:00+02:00 2025-06-13T00:00:00+02:00 There is this magical moment between Paris and Frankfurt on the TGV, when the Champagne region passes by like an impressionist painting. 320 kilometers per hour of pure inspiration. While other passengers watch Netflix or stare into their laptops, tomorrow's images form in my mind. Not technical details or simple poses. It's something different. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-06-06.php 2025-06-06T00:00:00+02:00 2025-06-06T00:00:00+02:00 A garage sale? Well, not exactly. "Lingerie closet sale" sounds a bit odd too. But I had to call it something, this thing that's been going on these past few days… https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-06-04.php 2025-06-04T00:00:00+02:00 2025-06-04T00:00:00+02:00 In the photography scene, they're more common than velvet boxes at wedding photographers: self-proclaimed masters who consider their work priceless — but prefer to pay with "exposure" rather than euros. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-05-30.php 2025-05-30T00:00:00+02:00 2025-05-30T00:00:00+02:00 So I was standing with my camera in the allotment garden again. The model was sitting on this white plastic chair, you know the one, the one that's everywhere. While looking through the viewfinder, I had one of those realizations that make you pause for a moment: This chair is following me. It's always there. On every balcony in Mallorca, in every small garden plot in Munich-Moosach, even in cafés in Marseille. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2025-05-26.php 2025-05-26T00:00:00+02:00 2025-05-26T00:00:00+02:00 You know the drill: You're sitting at your computer, your coffee's gone cold, and the RAW files from your last shoot are staring at you accusingly. Quick processing session? Yeah, right. What usually follows is the grand fumbling with exposure sliders, the shadows-highlights dance, and that eternal question: "Was the light really that brutal, or am I just incompetent?" https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-05-23.php 2025-05-23T00:00:00+02:00 2025-05-23T00:00:00+02:00 Recently, I was sitting at the hairdresser's. A new one, just three minutes from my home. He cuts well, no question about that. But while I sit there staring into the mirror as he works meticulously on my hair, this strange feeling creeps over me: I simply don't know what to talk about with him. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2025-05-17.php 2025-05-17T00:00:00+02:00 2025-05-17T00:00:00+02:00 Last week I was at an outdoor photo shoot. The model wore sunglasses, which looked cool and added variety to the session. But my camera was confused: no autofocus on the eyes possible. This got me thinking: How do machines actually recognize faces? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-05-10.php 2025-05-10T00:00:00+02:00 2025-05-10T00:00:00+02:00 In today's art and photography scene, we're experiencing a veritable cult of minimalism and rapid production. While our grandparents treasured family photos like national treasures, today we feed our social media profiles with images faster than a hungry teenager. <em>Quick content</em> is the new cash cow. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-05-03.php 2025-05-03T00:00:00+02:00 2025-05-03T00:00:00+02:00 What grandmother once dismissed as a character flaw is now revealing itself as a special gift: sensitivity. Join me on a journey of discovery into the world of heightened senses, and learn why we urgently need to stop using <em>sensitive soul</em> as an insult. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2025-04-27.php 2025-04-27T00:00:00+02:00 2025-04-27T00:00:00+02:00 The days when humans decided on the appropriateness of images are long gone. Today, algorithms scan our photos for every square centimeter of skin. And it's frighteningly simple, as I'll show you in this article. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-04-23.php 2025-04-23T00:00:00+02:00 2025-04-23T00:00:00+02:00 As I sit here tweaking my website, I realize something: many of the improvements I make behind the scenes aren't immediately noticeable. Yet there's constantly something new happening! High time for a little update. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-04-20.php 2025-04-20T00:00:00+02:00 2025-04-20T00:00:00+02:00 Recently, during my evening wanderings through the TV landscape, I got stuck watching <em>First Dates</em> — a show that celebrates the magic of first impressions like no other. Amused, I observed how the protagonists, when asked about their first impressions, performed the same dance over and over like in a well-orchestrated ballet: <em>Those eyes...</em> https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-04-13.php 2025-04-13T00:00:00+02:00 2025-04-13T00:00:00+02:00 Recently at a photo shoot, a model asked me if I knew what <em>Male Gaze</em> meant. Of course I didn't know. I'm only a photographer with twenty years of experience. But apparently, in recent years, an entirely new language has developed to describe the world's injustices. So here's a little guide through the jungle of modern terminology. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2025-04-09.php 2025-04-09T00:00:00+02:00 2025-04-09T00:00:00+02:00 Sometimes you have to wonder why the most obvious solutions take so long to arrive. Recently, I discussed in a blog article how fantastic it would be if digital cameras had built-in LUTs. That is, the ability to select and see a specific look directly while taking photos. And all along, the answer was sitting right in my pocket. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-04-06.php 2025-04-06T00:00:00+02:00 2025-04-06T00:00:00+02:00 Just another evening at the Crazy Horse? Not quite! There I am, sitting in the front row of the legendary Parisian cabaret, watching the dancers glide past me on a conveyor belt. Being a photographer, I naturally pay attention to details. And suddenly something catches my eye that makes me suspicious. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-04-01.php 2025-04-01T00:00:00+02:00 2025-04-01T00:00:00+02:00 Recently, I was at a photo shoot with Alina when she told me a story so bizarre that it could only have come from the internet. You know, that place where people spend their days trying to redefine the boundaries of good taste. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2025-03-28.php 2025-03-28T00:00:00+01:00 2025-03-28T00:00:00+01:00 Imagine being able to measure the temperature of something that has no temperature. Something we see every day but can never touch. That's exactly what we do when we measure the temperature of light. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-03-24.php 2025-03-24T00:00:00+01:00 2025-03-24T00:00:00+01:00 Let me tell you about my recent digital tragicomedy. My website — my digital showcase, my virtual self — suddenly started behaving like a stubborn teenager. "HTTP/2 error server refused stream," it whispered to me. What a melodramatic exit for my images. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2025-03-21.php 2025-03-21T00:00:00+01:00 2025-03-21T00:00:00+01:00 Changing the white balance in post-processing on the computer is very easy, provided you don't have mixed light sources with different color temperatures. Otherwise, it will be disgusting and no fun at all. That's why it's helpful to determine the correct white balance on site. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2025-03-17.php 2025-03-17T00:00:00+01:00 2025-03-17T00:00:00+01:00 I love pancakes for breakfast. And I love them even more as a lens on my camera. Sounds strange? Not if you know that particularly flat lenses are affectionately called pancakes in the photography world. My latest acquisition in this category is the Viltrox 28mm. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2025-03-14.php 2025-03-14T00:00:00+01:00 2025-03-14T00:00:00+01:00 As a passionate photographer and self-proclaimed color enthusiast, I'm constantly looking for ways to optimize my workflow. One exciting aspects is the question: Wouldn't it be wonderful to see how an image would look with our individual color grading right at the moment of capture? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-03-08.php 2025-03-08T00:00:00+01:00 2025-03-08T00:00:00+01:00 The book trade is currently experiencing a remarkable transformation. However, not for the better. While social media overflow with edited body images, artistic nude photography books are quietly disappearing from the shelves. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-03-01.php 2025-03-01T00:00:00+01:00 2025-03-01T00:00:00+01:00 As we are dominated by filters and flawlessly retouched Instagram feeds, I find myself pondering a curious question: Why are we often more drawn to small imperfections, unexpected moments, and imperfect images? This theme has been following me for quite some time, making me wonder why I actually prefer imperfection. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-02-26.php 2025-02-26T00:00:00+01:00 2025-02-26T00:00:00+01:00 Of course, social media connects us all in some way. A heart here, a comment there, sometimes even a longer message. But do you know that feeling? That quiet sense that something gets lost between all the clicks and likes? The real encounter, the direct conversation, the shared laughter over a story that you really can't tell digitally? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2025-02-24.php 2025-02-24T00:00:00+01:00 2025-02-24T00:00:00+01:00 There's a new tool in the RAW converter software Capture One that has caused excitement in the industry. Many YouTubers have proclaimed it to be a game changer that would take color grading to new levels. With so much euphoria, I tend to be a bit skeptical at first. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-02-17.php 2025-02-17T00:00:00+01:00 2025-02-17T00:00:00+01:00 Last night, somewhere between dream and wake, I scribbled a thought for a blog post on a piece of paper: "The mountain doesn't wait for the climber." When I read what my drowsy brain had served up this morning, it made me smile. And it got me thinking about the transience in my profession. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-02-11.php 2025-02-11T00:00:00+01:00 2025-02-11T00:00:00+01:00 In our fast-paced, digitalized world, boredom seems to be a relic from times past. Yet what we perceive as annoying could actually be the key to our creativity. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-02-06.php 2025-02-06T00:00:00+01:00 2025-02-06T00:00:00+01:00 Taking a technically perfect photo is no great feat anymore. Modern camera technology makes it possible: sophisticated autofocus systems, precise exposure metering, and high-quality sensors ensure that almost every image is technically flawless. But worlds separate a technically correct photo from an image that touches people and tells stories. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-02-03.php 2025-02-03T00:00:00+01:00 2025-02-03T00:00:00+01:00 As a photographer, I find myself confronted with a frustrating reality in today's world dominated by social media: the necessity to censor my art. This practice, allegedly intended to comply with platform guidelines, feels like a direct threat to my artistic freedom and integrity. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-01-30.php 2025-01-30T00:00:00+01:00 2025-01-30T00:00:00+01:00 Once upon a time, when Rome was still great and mighty, a man named Valentine gave his life for love. He had secretly married couples. Though the story ended unhappily for him (he was beheaded), he at least was canonized and got his own holiday. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2025-01-27.php 2025-01-27T00:00:00+01:00 2025-01-27T00:00:00+01:00 Saturation is a powerful tool to enhance the intensity of colors and give your photos more expression. However, this is where a delicate touch is required: too much saturation can quickly look unnatural (or even embarrassing). That's why I've incorporated a subtle approach into a Photoshop action. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-01-19.php 2025-01-19T00:00:00+01:00 2025-01-19T00:00:00+01:00 In the relentless stream of images flooding our screens, a quiet undercurrent is gaining momentum in the world of photography. It's a return to the essence of the craft, a gentle rebellion against the tyranny of the algorithm. At least, I hope so. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2025-01-15.php 2025-01-15T00:00:00+01:00 2025-01-15T00:00:00+01:00 The new year is barely two weeks old, and my head is already buzzing with ideas. While others are still shaking off their winter sluggishness, I'm planning my first-ever book tour through Germany. Yes, you read that right — I'm going on tour. Well, "tour" might sound a bit grandiose for a photographer driving around with his photo book in the trunk. But that's exactly what I'm planning to do. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2025-01-13.php 2025-01-13T00:00:00+01:00 2025-01-13T00:00:00+01:00 <em>Paket kann nicht zugestellt werden — Empfänger hat keinen Gabelstapler</em> So oder so ähnlich hätte die Benachrichtigung meines Paketboten lauten können, als die limitierte "Licht und Schatten" Edition von Krolop und Gerst bei mir eintraf. Wer seinem Werk Handschuhe beilegt, meint es ernst. Eine Geste, die durchaus Bände spricht. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2025-01-07.php 2025-01-07T00:00:00+01:00 2025-01-07T00:00:00+01:00 Vivid Colors or Monochrome Representation? Both approaches have their unique strengths and can tell emotions and stories in entirely different ways. In this article, I delve into the dialectic between the vibrant diversity of color and the powerful reduction of black and white. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-12-31.php 2024-12-31T00:00:00+01:00 2024-12-31T00:00:00+01:00 A year of transformation. As always, the end of the year brings my very personal review. A lot has happened in my life over the past months, and I'm looking forward to the new year with anticipation. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-12-25.php 2024-12-25T00:00:00+01:00 2024-12-25T00:00:00+01:00 Women have long been told their bodies are sinful. Even today, women are raised not to show their pubic area under any circumstances. Vaginas are never seen in media except in pornography or medical situations. Isn't this puzzling in a society that claims to value freedom? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-12-18.php 2024-12-18T00:00:00+01:00 2024-12-18T00:00:00+01:00 There were more women involved in this shoot than you would think. Anna recommended Lina as a model, Erika organized Cesira's garden for me and my wife ironed the white dress I had bought. I already knew Alina from our first shoot and knew that she is interested in art and lives and breathes photography. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-12-15.php 2024-12-15T00:00:00+01:00 2024-12-15T00:00:00+01:00 Back in 2020 and 2022, I shared these winter drink recipes on my blog. Now that I'm running the blog in both English and German, I thought it would be perfect timing to revisit these recipes and share my little winter drink collection with all of you — whether you prefer your content in English or Deutsch. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-12-12.php 2024-12-12T00:00:00+01:00 2024-12-12T00:00:00+01:00 Whenever I travel, I realize how important it is to get away from home. That sounds strange because when I'm at home, I don't really want to leave my familiar surroundings. I've set up a good infrastructure at home and can work very well. Our household is well organized, meals are planned, and I exercise five times a week. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-12-11.php 2024-12-11T00:00:00+01:00 2024-12-11T00:00:00+01:00 The Bonanza bicycle featured a banana seat and was named in homage to the cool and rebellious style of chopper motorcycles. As a child, I had no idea about this. Consequently, the name Bonanza always puzzled me because there was this Bonanza Western TV series, and cowboys were supposed to ride horses, not bicycles. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-12-06.php 2024-12-06T00:00:00+01:00 2024-12-06T00:00:00+01:00 There are moments in an artist's life when you wonder if the world has completely lost its mind. One such moment was recently bestowed upon me by YouTube's staff, who I suspect must lead quite an adventurous love life. How else could I explain their latest decision? They've banned a trailer for my new photo book from their platform. A trailer, mind you, that I had already censored so thoroughly that even the Vatican's art commission would have found nothing to object to. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-12-04.php 2024-12-04T00:00:00+01:00 2024-12-04T00:00:00+01:00 The 90s were the best time after all. I have memories of techno nights in the club. There was this song called "The Realm". A woman moans phrases like "Something for your mind your body and your soul" and "Hot like the sun and wet like the rain" into the microphone. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/may-i-introduce/2024-11-28.php 2024-11-28T00:00:00+01:00 2024-11-28T00:00:00+01:00 On this dreary November day, as sunset already announces itself in late morning, I sit with Thomas Berlin at my dining table. Fresh brewed coffee wafts between us, and before us lies his first photo book <em>On Every New Day</em> — a fascinating work that captures the essence of three years of intensive photographic collaboration with his model Irina. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-11-27.php 2024-11-27T00:00:00+01:00 2024-11-27T00:00:00+01:00 Here I sit in front of my work, unable to let go. Too many images that mean something to me. Authors call it <em>kill your darlings</em> — this painful process of cutting out favorite passages that may be beautiful but don't serve the bigger picture. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-11-20.php 2024-11-20T00:00:00+01:00 2024-11-20T00:00:00+01:00 In Greek mythology, the <em>Mother of Eros</em> is usually considered to be the goddess Aphrodite. Eros is the god of love, and Aphrodite is considered his mother. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-11-13.php 2024-11-13T00:00:00+01:00 2024-11-13T00:00:00+01:00 The Airstream is the rock star of caravans, so to speak. Created by Wally Byam in the 1930s, this camper van rocked the streets with its cool, silver aluminum look, which earned it the nickname <em>Silver Bullet</em>. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2024-11-08.php 2024-11-08T00:00:00+01:00 2024-11-08T00:00:00+01:00 Perhaps you've wondered why there are no discounts or Black Friday deals available for my photo book <em>Mellow</em>. The reason lies in Germany's Fixed Book Price Law. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-11-06.php 2024-11-06T00:00:00+01:00 2024-11-06T00:00:00+01:00 Here are four more pictures from the great outdoors. With Tezz on Ibiza. In the rain, cold and wind. These are the rough motifs at the place Tezz had suggested to me. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-11-02.php 2024-11-02T00:00:00+01:00 2024-11-02T00:00:00+01:00 Imagine this: A 208-page book, packed with beautiful images, is going on a world tour. It's my photo book! Here's a little glimpse into where my book has already made its way. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-10-30.php 2024-10-30T00:00:00+01:00 2024-10-30T00:00:00+01:00 In addition to suspender belts, ears are also a regular accessory in my pictures. It's not really cosplay, but the reference to comics is definitely there. I had never used fox ears before. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2024-10-27.php 2024-10-27T00:00:00+02:00 2024-10-27T00:00:00+02:00 Als Martin mich zum Pizza-Backen nach Köln einlud, wusste ich erst nicht, was er genau meint. Aber ich esse gerne und Kochen ist auch eine meiner Leidenschaften. Also buchte ich mein Zugticket und ließ mich überraschen. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-10-23.php 2024-10-23T00:00:00+02:00 2024-10-23T00:00:00+02:00 In my job, it's important to have a good knowledge of human nature. After all, I'm constantly dealing with new people. It's usually only a few hours and I have to adapt to my counterpart in a very short space of time, find common ground and create a flow. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-10-20.php 2024-10-20T00:00:00+02:00 2024-10-20T00:00:00+02:00 I bet you cannot spontaneously enumerate all the colours of the rainbow and their order. Fear not: you're in good company! Whilst we've all marvelled at these magnificent arcs gracing our skies, there's a lot of knowledge behind rainbows that might surprise you. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-10-16.php 2024-10-16T00:00:00+02:00 2024-10-16T00:00:00+02:00 I knew that I would love to work with Lina Linn again. But I didn't know when and where. When I came across a pair of white and blue cowboy boots and a white country kitchen, my visual idea was born. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-10-11.php 2024-10-11T00:00:00+02:00 2024-10-11T00:00:00+02:00 Escape the winter chill and join me in the stunning paradise of Tenerife this upcoming February 2024. Whether you're a content creator looking to amplify your social media presence, a model with dreams of gracing the pages of Playboy, or an individual seeking a private and discreet photo session, this is your chance to capture unforgettable moments in the breathtaking settings of Tenerife. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-10-09.php 2024-10-09T00:00:00+02:00 2024-10-09T00:00:00+02:00 This is the only series that I took in two different years. Darina surprised me so positively at our first meeting that I wanted to take bonus pictures for the book. I used the color red as my theme. In each picture, Darina is wearing a different item of red clothing. Don't worry, it's not that many clothes. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2024-10-06.php 2024-10-06T00:00:00+02:00 2024-10-06T00:00:00+02:00 The concept of a magazine featuring AI-generated images instead of photos of real models has now become a reality. The first issue of plAIboy Magazine is now available in print and digital formats. Is it just a joke or a sad reality? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-10-02.php 2024-10-02T00:00:00+02:00 2024-10-02T00:00:00+02:00 Erwin gave me the tip about the location. Many thanks for that. And, of course, many thanks to the Seligenstadt pinball museum. The German crime series <em>Ein Fall für Zwei</em> has also been set here twice. And now, I was finally able to turn my wish to shoot a nude model with slot machines into reality. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-09-26.php 2024-09-26T00:00:00+02:00 2024-09-26T00:00:00+02:00 It's my pleasure to announce my calendar for the coming year. At the moment, I'm quite euphoric because I feel it's the best calendar I've photographed so far. As the saying goes: Self-praise stinks. Therefore, please form your own opinion. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-09-25.php 2024-09-25T00:00:00+02:00 2024-09-25T00:00:00+02:00 Of all my photo series, I think this one has the coolest title. I think it could be the title of a movie. I can't help but think of Pierre Richard in <em>The Tall Blonde with the Black Shoe</em>, although my series has nothing to do with it. Well, at least model Zu is also tall and blonde. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-09-18.php 2024-09-18T00:00:00+02:00 2024-09-18T00:00:00+02:00 Poolside Sheriff sounds kind of funny. And that's why I chose this title for my set with Alice. It's the second time that a series with Sheriff in the title is in my book, but since the titles are only at the end in small letters in the table of contents, it's ok. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-09-11.php 2024-09-11T00:00:00+02:00 2024-09-11T00:00:00+02:00 Plagiarism is the misappropriation of someone else's intellectual work. So obviously you can't plagiarize yourself. What do you call it when you imitate yourself? That's exactly what I did in this series. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2024-09-08.php 2024-09-08T00:00:00+02:00 2024-09-08T00:00:00+02:00 Do you collect photo books? Have you ever held a book with little dots in your hand and perhaps thought they were printing errors? These are paper particles and in this article I will tell you how you can easily remove them. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-09-04.php 2024-09-04T00:00:00+02:00 2024-09-04T00:00:00+02:00 The theme of women in nature is a classic motif. Despite everything, it is difficult for me. I have to admit that. I don't like photos that look too heavy. That seem too artistic. So somehow forced. I have to feel an image and sometimes this is very difficult for me with naked women in nature. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2024-08-31.php 2024-08-31T00:00:00+02:00 2024-08-31T00:00:00+02:00 In the world of photography, you often hear about 18% gray. For a while, I thought it was the average color value of every single image, which seemed a bit odd to me. But what does this gray really mean, and why 18%? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-08-28.php 2024-08-28T00:00:00+02:00 2024-08-28T00:00:00+02:00 Nothing in my photos happens by chance. And yet I allow myself a lot of spontaneity and I try out many things. Sometimes I throw the results away because I don't like them. My approach to my shoots is always similar. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-08-25.php 2024-08-25T00:00:00+02:00 2024-08-25T00:00:00+02:00 Today, I'd like to make you a special offer. As you know, my photo book »Mellow« is very close to my heart. Now I thought: Why not combine business with pleasure? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-08-21.php 2024-08-21T00:00:00+02:00 2024-08-21T00:00:00+02:00 In winter, when it's gray and dark outside, the mood is completely different than in summer. Perhaps you've felt that too. A candle inspired me to create my series with Kiki. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-08-14.php 2024-08-14T00:00:00+02:00 2024-08-14T00:00:00+02:00 Classical image analysis in visual arts involves a structured examination of a work of art in order to understand its various elements, techniques and meanings. As I studied art, we will look at the pair of pictures <em>Pink Painter</em> together, today. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-08-09.php 2024-08-09T00:00:00+02:00 2024-08-09T00:00:00+02:00 When I launched my Patreon channel just over a year ago, I had no idea how much it would change my work as a photographer. Today, I'd like to share my experiences with you and explain why Patreon has become so important for me and my art. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-08-07.php 2024-08-07T00:00:00+02:00 2024-08-07T00:00:00+02:00 I have traveled a lot and have often worked abroad. So I asked myself whether it shouldn't be possible to stage a beautiful story where I live. To incorporate nature and shoot a short series. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-08-03.php 2024-08-03T00:00:00+02:00 2024-08-03T00:00:00+02:00 Many know me as a Playboy photographer, but few are aware that I also offer private photo sessions. Today, I'd like to introduce you to this special opportunity. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-07-31.php 2024-07-31T00:00:00+02:00 2024-07-31T00:00:00+02:00 Sometimes things turn out differently than you think. I hadn't actually planned the shots with Effy for the book. But as I was on the island a few days before her, I was able to do a bit of location scouting. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-07-24.php 2024-07-24T00:00:00+02:00 2024-07-24T00:00:00+02:00 Finally, I have a little more to tell. Because this story is particularly close to my heart. Cheerleading as a topic. What a brilliant idea. I'm delighted that no one has thought of this before me. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-07-17.php 2024-07-17T00:00:00+02:00 2024-07-17T00:00:00+02:00 I like it when women can dance. Dance is also a form of courtship in humans. I find it very appealing to watch a body in motion. When it moves with verve and the rhythm carries you along. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2024-07-12.php 2024-07-12T00:00:00+02:00 2024-07-12T00:00:00+02:00 When I get upset about censorship and prudery, I always think it's just a modern-day phenomenon. I was reminded of the embarrassment of the music channel MTV in 1990. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-07-10.php 2024-07-10T00:00:00+02:00 2024-07-10T00:00:00+02:00 If you ever come to the island of Ibiza, make sure you visit the rocks of Es Vedra. You won't be the only one. The place is usually a tourist magnet and yet the view from the cliff is absolutely captivating. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-07-06.php 2024-07-06T00:00:00+02:00 2024-07-06T00:00:00+02:00 When I'm out and about for shoots, I often come across garbage. It never ceases to frustrate me and I don't understand it at all. It's an annoying topic. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-07-03.php 2024-07-03T00:00:00+02:00 2024-07-03T00:00:00+02:00 Because they look much more realistic, night shots are now actually filmed at night. This is called <em>night-for-night</em>. But in my series with Effy I was inspired by the good old <em>day-for-night</em> style. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-06-26.php 2024-06-26T00:00:00+02:00 2024-06-26T00:00:00+02:00 There is an old house in the forest that has been beautifully renovated. I photographed Viesta there. And accompanied her for a day with my camera. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-06-22.php 2024-06-22T00:00:00+02:00 2024-06-22T00:00:00+02:00 As a photographer, my mission is to capture fleeting moments and give them permanence. Beauty is ephemeral, but a well-taken photograph can make it immortal. Do you feel the desire to collect beautiful images? Then I have just the thing for you. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-06-19.php 2024-06-19T00:00:00+02:00 2024-06-19T00:00:00+02:00 Some of the pages in my book feel strange to me. I spend a whole day with a model on an island and still only get four pictures in the book. That feels odd. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-06-12.php 2024-06-12T00:00:00+02:00 2024-06-12T00:00:00+02:00 As you can easily see from the title of the series, we are in Italy. In ancient Rome, to be precise. I never had Latin at school, but <em>Dulce Periculum</em> fitted in well as a title for this series for me. It means <em>sweet temptation</em>. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-06-09.php 2024-06-09T00:00:00+02:00 2024-06-09T00:00:00+02:00 Music is the best way to get into a relaxed mood. When is that more important than during a nude shoot? To avoid always playing the same songs, I put together a new playlist for the production of my latest photo book. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-06-05.php 2024-06-05T00:00:00+02:00 2024-06-05T00:00:00+02:00 The pretty chambermaid who is cheeky and seduces you. A forbidden scene in this day and age. So absurd that I simply had to take a slightly ironic photo series of this topic. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-05-29.php 2024-05-29T00:00:00+02:00 2024-05-29T00:00:00+02:00 I have been going to Fuerteventura in winter for over 10 years to produce photo series. Each time I try to do something new and not to repeat myself. Over the years, of course, this has become more and more of a challenge. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-05-22.php 2024-05-22T00:00:00+02:00 2024-05-22T00:00:00+02:00 Some models do their thing without attracting much attention. One of them is Avery. I had my first shoot with her in winter and it was fine. When I was able to photograph her again in the summer, I was blown away. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-05-15.php 2024-05-15T00:00:00+02:00 2024-05-15T00:00:00+02:00 I met Hermann, the owner of the 1972 Opel GT, at a shoot for Playboy. At the time, I was photographing an Opel Manta that was celebrating its 50th anniversary and he told me about his yellow speedster. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-05-08.php 2024-05-08T00:00:00+02:00 2024-05-08T00:00:00+02:00 Taking photos in a greenhouse is actually a classic. And yet I've never done it before. I just didn't have the right little house. Then I discovered this tiny orangery… https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-05-01.php 2024-05-01T00:00:00+02:00 2024-05-01T00:00:00+02:00 Camping has become very popular again in Germany, at least since the pandemic. Many people have converted old vans and a kind of <em>van life fever</em> has broken out. Everything has always been bigger in the USA and when I saw an American motorhome for the first time, it was a completely different feeling. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-04-24.php 2024-04-24T00:00:00+02:00 2024-04-24T00:00:00+02:00 I spent a whole day in Ibiza with Tezz. I wanted to work with her by the sea, but the weather was dreadful. Rain, wind and 13 degrees. I had imagined things differently. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-04-17.php 2024-04-17T00:00:00+02:00 2024-04-17T00:00:00+02:00 What is the coffee table book »Mellow« about? I was asked this last summer when I first mentioned my new book and it was a good question. It forced me to put the common thread into words, to structure my thoughts and to verbally draw the bow. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2024-04-12.php 2024-04-12T00:00:00+02:00 2024-04-12T00:00:00+02:00 Although I'm always very careful on shoots, accidents happen quickly. I often come home with bruises and my wife asks me what I've been doing again. But I don't even remember bumping myself. It's a different story with a bleeding wound, though. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2024-04-06.php 2024-04-06T00:00:00+02:00 2024-04-06T00:00:00+02:00 After both Sandisk and Western Digital made so much bad news about their external hard drives last year, I was looking for an alternative. Small external hard drives are simply important for shooting trips. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2024-03-30.php 2024-03-30T00:00:00+01:00 2024-03-30T00:00:00+01:00 Taking photos by the sea is very beautiful. There is a lot of light as there is a huge flat area in front of you and the incredible amount of water is always breathtaking, too. The issue of tides should not be overlooked, though. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-03-25.php 2024-03-25T00:00:00+01:00 2024-03-25T00:00:00+01:00 Stefan and Timo from the podcast <em>After Shooting End</em> spoke with me about my new photo book. As the talk is in German, I will switch to German now. Wir haben mehr als zwei Stunden über die Geschichten aus dem Buch gesprochen und wie alles entstanden ist. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2024-03-23.php 2024-03-23T00:00:00+01:00 2024-03-23T00:00:00+01:00 Shipping my illustrated book overseas is damn expensive. There's no denying that. But I pack and ship the book in such a way that it can't be damaged en route, even if the parcel carrier treats it roughly. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-03-19.php 2024-03-19T00:00:00+01:00 2024-03-19T00:00:00+01:00 Auf YouTube sehe ich mir viele Beiträge von Fotografen an. Manchmal sind es Kameratests oder spannende Lichtaufbauten. Am liebsten sind mir aber persönliche Einblicke in die Arbeit anderer Fotografen. Und jetzt bin ich selbst mal einer davon. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2024-03-17.php 2024-03-17T00:00:00+01:00 2024-03-17T00:00:00+01:00 When you produce a book, the choice of paper is a crucial factor that often goes unnoticed by many. Every paper is different and for a high-quality printed matter, you have to take a few things into account. I would like to share the process of paper selection for my photo book with you and get more and more nerdy towards the end. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-03-10.php 2024-03-10T00:00:00+01:00 2024-03-10T00:00:00+01:00 As a nude photographer, I have never been a missionary. Everyone should be free to decide whether they want to see nude photos or not. Whether they like my pictures or not. In this article I would like to draw attention to how artists like me are often discriminated against. It's a topic that is hardly ever talked about, yet it hurts. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-03-01.php 2024-03-01T00:00:00+01:00 2024-03-01T00:00:00+01:00 It's done! After my books »Frisky« (2014) and »Sublime« (2018), I am happy to announce that my third coffee table book »Mellow« is now printed. As with my previous books, I was at the printing house for the entire printing process. Here is a little insight into the long day. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2024-02-23.php 2024-02-23T00:00:00+01:00 2024-02-23T00:00:00+01:00 When you take pictures outside, especially around trees and grass, you might notice an annoying green color in your photos. It's like a tint that messes with the real colors. The automatic tools in your photo software try to help, but they often miss the mark. Getting rid of this green tint can be tricky. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-02-14.php 2024-02-14T00:00:00+01:00 2024-02-14T00:00:00+01:00 A sale with a discount is normally made when something doesn't sell. Due to German legislation, however, this is different for my book. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2024-02-08.php 2024-02-08T00:00:00+01:00 2024-02-08T00:00:00+01:00 Have you ever stopped to ponder the peculiar nature of brown? Unlike the vibrant primary and secondary colors that dominate our artistic palettes and digital screens, brown stands apart as a shade that doesn't neatly fit into the established color categories. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2024-01-31.php 2024-01-31T00:00:00+01:00 2024-01-31T00:00:00+01:00 I have written about diffusion filters many times on this blog. Recently I bought lace socks for a shoot and the quality was so lousy that I could not use them. But they gave me an idea. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-01-22.php 2024-01-22T00:00:00+01:00 2024-01-22T00:00:00+01:00 After Frisky and Sublime, here comes my third photo book. I've named it Mellow. The title has been fixed for a year and a half and I've been working on the pictures since 2019, so I'm all the more pleased to finally be able to tell you about it. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2024-01-15.php 2024-01-15T00:00:00+01:00 2024-01-15T00:00:00+01:00 When I started photography, the annual Victoria' Secret Fashion Show was the hottest shit. There was no YouTube back then and getting the CBS broadcast was difficult for me in Germany. I remember at a party we had the show on loop on TV. Because the catwalk music was really cool and the whole vibe of the supermodels was just inspiring. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2024-01-08.php 2024-01-08T00:00:00+01:00 2024-01-08T00:00:00+01:00 With the new possibilities that AI offers in image processing, the question of how to deal with it morally also arises. Which use is justifiable? I have tried to create guidelines for myself and would like to communicate them transparently. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-12-31.php 2023-12-31T00:00:00+01:00 2023-12-31T00:00:00+01:00 Every year, I look forward to my annual end of the year article. It's the longest and most detailed article of the year. Reviewing the entire year is always nice for me too. Only this year, it's kind of hard for me. I don't feel like I've experienced any real highlights and I'm saddened by world events. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2023-12-25.php 2023-12-25T00:00:00+01:00 2023-12-25T00:00:00+01:00 Are you tired of the cold, clinical look of digital photography? Do you want to add a little warmth and personality to your shots? Look no further than diffusion filters. Here's how to make your own. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2023-12-17.php 2023-12-17T00:00:00+01:00 2023-12-17T00:00:00+01:00 As we all know, inspiration can be found everywhere. Sometimes you don't even really know what the inspiration will be for. This may sound a bit muddled, but in university I learned to consciously keep my eyes open in all directions. And that's how I discovered this. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2023-12-08.php 2023-12-08T00:00:00+01:00 2023-12-08T00:00:00+01:00 Sometimes I think that I could never live up North during the winter. It would be way too dark for me. Even in Germany, it's too gloomy for me from October to March. Today, I learned that there's a term for my preference for daylight: Photophilia. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/may-i-introduce/2023-12-01.php 2023-12-01T00:00:00+01:00 2023-12-01T00:00:00+01:00 On instagram I became aware of a photographer who posts an incredible number of photos and since these photos are also particularly beautiful, I thought it would be nice if we could meet so that I can write a portrait about him. No sooner said than done. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-11-26.php 2023-11-26T00:00:00+01:00 2023-11-26T00:00:00+01:00 Nowadays, photos are taken all the time, but many people don't like to be photographed. They are afraid of not being photogenic. As a photographer, this angers me and I wonder what role the psyche actually plays in being photographed. It's a fascinating topic if you dive deep into it. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2023-11-21.php 2023-11-21T00:00:00+01:00 2023-11-21T00:00:00+01:00 There's been a lot of talk in recent months about the new Artificial Intelligence in Photoshop. Especially the topic of Generative Fill and the wondrous things you can do with it. I downloaded the beta version and took a look at it as well. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-11-14.php 2023-11-14T00:00:00+01:00 2023-11-14T00:00:00+01:00 For the past few years, I have traditionally offered a quartet of small artworks in museum grade quality in passepartouts in December. This year three new series are available again. But already in November. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2023-11-05.php 2023-11-05T00:00:00+01:00 2023-11-05T00:00:00+01:00 Last night I woke up from the rain. It was pelting so loudly against the window and on the street, a question arose in me. When we think of summer weather, we immediately have a postcard sky in mind. Yet this summer in Frankfurt, there was virtually no idyllic blue sky. Why is that? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-10-28.php 2023-10-28T00:00:00+02:00 2023-10-28T00:00:00+02:00 Are you a morning person or a night owl? This question has been debated for decades, with some people believing that the early bird catches the worm, while others swear by the saying, <em>the night is young</em>. In the world of photography, this debate is particularly relevant, as the timing of photo shoots can be critical to the success of a project. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-10-21.php 2023-10-21T00:00:00+02:00 2023-10-21T00:00:00+02:00 Escape the winter chill and join me in the stunning paradise of the Canary Islands this upcoming December 2023 and February 2024. Whether you're a content creator looking to amplify your social media presence, a model with dreams of gracing the pages of Playboy, or an individual seeking a private and discreet photo session, this is your chance to capture unforgettable moments in the breathtaking settings of Fuerteventura and Tenerife. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-10-14.php 2023-10-14T00:00:00+02:00 2023-10-14T00:00:00+02:00 Attentive readers of my blog know that I have always been critical of social media. Nevertheless, I have been active on many platforms for many years. Since the summer of this year, however, I have prescribed myself a social media detox. And this is how I feel about it. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-10-12.php 2023-10-12T00:00:00+02:00 2023-10-12T00:00:00+02:00 Mallorca, the picturesque Mediterranean island, is renowned for its stunning beaches and vibrant tourist spots. But there's so much more to this island paradise than what meets the eye. I am happy to announce a new pictorial in Playboy, at newsstands from now. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2023-10-05.php 2023-10-05T00:00:00+02:00 2023-10-05T00:00:00+02:00 Last night I woke up from the rain. It was pelting so loudly against the window and on the street, a question arose in me. When we think of summer weather, we immediately have a postcard sky in mind. Yet this summer in Frankfurt, there was virtually no idyllic blue sky. Why is that? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2023-09-28.php 2023-09-28T00:00:00+02:00 2023-09-28T00:00:00+02:00 Have you wondered, why you barely see bras in my photographs? If you ever thought, shopping shoes online is difficult, don't even think of looking for bras. Shopping for bras can be a challenging task, and it becomes even more complicated when you're trying to find the right size for someone else. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-09-13.php 2023-09-13T00:00:00+02:00 2023-09-13T00:00:00+02:00 Since 2019 I'm working on my new coffee table book and all the work on it I keep secret. Next year my book will be published and now there is something to see for the first time. Because by a funny coincidence I appear on television. During my work on a new photo series with recreational vehicles. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-09-06.php 2023-09-06T00:00:00+02:00 2023-09-06T00:00:00+02:00 For the sixteenth time I am pleased to present my new calendar. For the year 2024 I have again photographed many models and compiled unpublished photos for the calendar. This is what it looks like. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-08-28.php 2023-08-28T00:00:00+02:00 2023-08-28T00:00:00+02:00 Although we live in an enlightened society, nudity is often still perceived as indecent and many people view nude photography as scandalous. This piqued my curiosity and I began to search for the origins of our sense of shame regarding nudity. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2023-08-20.php 2023-08-20T00:00:00+02:00 2023-08-20T00:00:00+02:00 Mirrors are an everyday object that we often take for granted, but they can be surprisingly complex and mysterious. Despite their ubiquity, many people have misconceptions about how mirrors work and why they can be so confusing for our brains to understand. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-08-14.php 2023-08-14T00:00:00+02:00 2023-08-14T00:00:00+02:00 I just read in an internet forum that <em>Simon Bolz will have it even harder in the future because models will be generated by artificial intelligence</em>. So before it's too late, with a wink, I thought I'd bake myself my dream model. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-08-07.php 2023-08-07T00:00:00+02:00 2023-08-07T00:00:00+02:00 Do you know it, when some foreign words just don't want to be memorized in your brain? There is this word that I sometimes need to describe a lifestyle that looks good in nude photography. It's about <em>hedonism</em>. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-07-30.php 2023-07-30T00:00:00+02:00 2023-07-30T00:00:00+02:00 Before the pandemic, I had planned another book project. I wanted to dedicate a new coffee table book to the good old theme of cars and girls. This cliché topic suits me very well and I was very keen on it. I like cars as a location and I really enjoy photographing women and cars. But the zeitgeist… https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-07-22.php 2023-07-22T00:00:00+02:00 2023-07-22T00:00:00+02:00 I get asked quite often how one actually becomes a Playboy photographer. Often, photographers who actually photograph completely different things want to do it on the side. To check it off their bucket list, so to speak. Is this a good approach? There's always stagnation in the comfort zone, right? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2023-07-15.php 2023-07-15T00:00:00+02:00 2023-07-15T00:00:00+02:00 A while ago, I fell in love with diffusion filters. Digital photos often felt too perfect to me. Too much perfection can easily look robotic and to add a human touch to my pictures, these diffusion filters work well. I couldn't resist and bought a new filter. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2023-07-07.php 2023-07-07T00:00:00+02:00 2023-07-07T00:00:00+02:00 Sometime in the spring, my social media feeds were full of ads for an LED steady light from Zhiyun Tech. A real tongue twister company name, but the product immediately piqued my interest. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2023-07-04.php 2023-07-04T00:00:00+02:00 2023-07-04T00:00:00+02:00 I live in Frankfurt and here in the Rhine-Main region there is really only one company that is dedicated to photography and that is Leica. At the company headquarters in Wetzlar, an exhibition by Rankin is running until September 2023. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-06-30.php 2023-06-30T00:00:00+02:00 2023-06-30T00:00:00+02:00 When you hear the word hypersensitivity, you immediately think of a crybaby. Someone who cries when he forgets his packed lunch. Or the bus drove away in front of them. But hyper only means excessive, and I have found that I am also more sensitive than many others. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-06-24.php 2023-06-24T00:00:00+02:00 2023-06-24T00:00:00+02:00 Alone at night in the department store? Or in the natural history museum? As a child you have such fantasies and the thought of such images excites me to this day. I've now learned that there's even a term for the feeling that accompanies it all: Kenopsia. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-06-16.php 2023-06-16T00:00:00+02:00 2023-06-16T00:00:00+02:00 Many people believe that beauty is subjective and that everyone has their own unique preferences. However, there are objective standards of beauty that everyone can appreciate. In this article, I write about features and qualities that are considered beautiful by most people and how this understanding can help us in photography. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-06-08.php 2023-06-08T00:00:00+02:00 2023-06-08T00:00:00+02:00 My fourth Playboy publication this year is now on the newsstand. I'm very happy to finally be able to speak about this pictorial, because it was a very nice production in the Canary Islands. Working there is simply a dream. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-06-02.php 2023-06-02T00:00:00+02:00 2023-06-02T00:00:00+02:00 In today's digital world, there are no more hurdles and people can share their thoughts and opinions faster and more directly. Sometimes manners fall by the wayside, and that's exactly what I've experienced now. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2023-05-25.php 2023-05-25T00:00:00+02:00 2023-05-25T00:00:00+02:00 In glamour photography, skin is actually always shiny. For this you need body lotion or oil, so in any case greasy skin. But also in post-processing you can push the image even more easily. I have created a little Photoshop action for this. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-05-17.php 2023-05-17T00:00:00+02:00 2023-05-17T00:00:00+02:00 We live in a world of sensory overload. I've written about that many times. Our brain is overwhelmed by too much information from the senses, leading to a sense of confusion, fatigue, and anxiety. But how does this affect photography and which method do I prefer? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-05-09.php 2023-05-09T00:00:00+02:00 2023-05-09T00:00:00+02:00 There are many photographers who imitate the film look or even shoot on film. Our technology is getting better and better, but the old-fashioned and past looks more interesting. Why is that? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2023-05-01.php 2023-05-01T00:00:00+02:00 2023-05-01T00:00:00+02:00 Colors have an enormous effect on the mood of the image. If the colors aren't right, a picture doesn't feel finished to me. There are many ways to colorize images. Today I explain why LUTs are perfect for me. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-04-24.php 2023-04-24T00:00:00+02:00 2023-04-24T00:00:00+02:00 Dissatisfaction can be a powerful drive for artistic creativity. Many artists have created their art out of a sense of dissatisfaction with the world around them. Since I've realized that dissatisfaction is my drive, too, I've found it easier to deal with. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2023-04-16.php 2023-04-16T00:00:00+02:00 2023-04-16T00:00:00+02:00 To find ideas for a shoot, you have to look left and right. Beyond the edge of your nose. And then you discover things everywhere that would be potentially interesting. My readership (or do you say viewership?) is similar to my age. That's why things from the eighties fit pretty well. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-04-10.php 2023-04-10T00:00:00+02:00 2023-04-10T00:00:00+02:00 There are different genres of photography and there is this nice saying that you can't dance on all weddings at the same time. I completely agree with that, which is why I specialized early on. But how exactly? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-04-02.php 2023-04-02T00:00:00+02:00 2023-04-02T00:00:00+02:00 Nude photography can be divided into different genres such as Classic Studio Nude, Fine Art Nudes or Erotic Nude. Recently I was talking with a friend and he was of the opinion that all genres have in common that almost every scene depicted is bullshit. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2023-03-24.php 2023-03-24T00:00:00+01:00 2023-03-24T00:00:00+01:00 We all know them. Those plastic sun visors that you can screw onto your lens. Somewhere deep in the photo bag they lie around at first. Then you realize that you can get much crisper photos with these things because they block out stray light. I admit, I still don't use them anymore. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2023-03-21.php 2023-03-21T00:00:00+01:00 2023-03-21T00:00:00+01:00 You can also colorize videos filmed without any special profile using LUTs. This allows you to give your normal video the same color scheme as your photos without the hassle of filming in S-LOG, V-LOG or other flat profiles. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2023-03-18.php 2023-03-18T00:00:00+01:00 2023-03-18T00:00:00+01:00 Photography has come a long way since the days of film cameras and darkrooms. With the rise of digital technology and the ubiquitous presence of smartphones, photography has completely changed. Did you notice that a photo isn't a photo anymore? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-03-09.php 2023-03-09T00:00:00+01:00 2023-03-09T00:00:00+01:00 Hooray, finally it's that time again. In the April issue of the German Playboy you can find a picture spread that I produced. It was a particularly nice experience for me, because I had two great models in front of the camera at the same time. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-03-01.php 2023-03-01T00:00:00+01:00 2023-03-01T00:00:00+01:00 In Germany, photo calendars for craft businesses and workshops have a long tradition. It used to be good manners to give calendars to your customers. I myself have photographed individual calendars for various industrial companies. This tradition seems to be coming to an end. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-02-24.php 2023-02-24T00:00:00+01:00 2023-02-24T00:00:00+01:00 Job interviews are tedious. You always have to fear rejection. Who doesn't know this? And especially as a model, you know that you get rejected in about 90% of all job applications. On average, I probably even turn down 95 out of 100 applicants. But how can you deal with rejection? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-02-17.php 2023-02-17T00:00:00+01:00 2023-02-17T00:00:00+01:00 Recently a friend told me that he had seen my first coffee table book at an art auction. For the very first time, a copy had appeared for sale on Catawiki. Out of curiosity I followed the auction and was very surprised what a high price was paid for Frisky. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-02-10.php 2023-02-10T00:00:00+01:00 2023-02-10T00:00:00+01:00 Actually, my blog is all about photography and my life as a photographer. But since I travel a lot, I have also experienced many stories while flying. Some are so absurd that it would be just too bad not to tell them. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-02-05.php 2023-02-05T00:00:00+01:00 2023-02-05T00:00:00+01:00 For seventeen years I have shown photo series for free on my website. Two new series every month. In the meantime I have arrived at a one-month rhythm. And since Saturday I decided to stop showing my photos for free. The concept of offering them for free doesn't work anymore. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-02-02.php 2023-02-02T00:00:00+01:00 2023-02-02T00:00:00+01:00 I think every artist knows it: The creative hole. You have completed a large project and suddenly nothing works anymore. You are unmotivated to start something new and afraid of failure. What has been achieved so far seems so good that repeating it is either boring or one fears the viewer might be disappointed with what you create next. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2023-01-27.php 2023-01-27T00:00:00+01:00 2023-01-27T00:00:00+01:00 For quick color grading, I sometimes used pre-made presets from Photoshop's Camera Raw filter. There are a lot of presets there and it takes a long time to go through all of them. When Photoshop 2023 came out, I took the time to work through the complete list and report my recommendations here. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2023-01-21.php 2023-01-21T00:00:00+01:00 2023-01-21T00:00:00+01:00 Music is a wondrous thing. It creates a soft carpet of sounds and washes it into our ears. It gets us in the mood and that's exactly why it's helpful to play beautiful music at a shoot. But what is beautiful music? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2023-01-15.php 2023-01-15T00:00:00+01:00 2023-01-15T00:00:00+01:00 For about a year now, fear has been running rampant in the graphics industry. Artificial intelligence is getting better and better and now independently generates images that were only described by entering a text prompt. Are artificially generated images a competition to be taken seriously? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2023-01-06.php 2023-01-06T00:00:00+01:00 2023-01-06T00:00:00+01:00 Here is a drawing by Lugduni Batavorum. I could have taken any picture out there to explain my thoughts, but the classic one by Magritte is copyrighted, so we can have a closer look at this piece of art instead. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-12-30.php 2022-12-30T00:00:00+01:00 2022-12-30T00:00:00+01:00 Lately I sometimes wonder how nude photography will continue. I'm getting older and times are changing. By now I have much more experience, know much better what I want to portray, but the social change is clearly working against me. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-12-20.php 2022-12-20T00:00:00+01:00 2022-12-20T00:00:00+01:00 It is December. Like so often I get up before sunrise, because I am a morning person. I open the balcony door and while I brush my teeth, I look at the sea. I hear the Fred Olsen ferry coming from Lanzarote and it toots three times as it enters the harbor. A light breeze, rather warm than cold, blows around my ears and I know that today will be a good day. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-12-13.php 2022-12-13T00:00:00+01:00 2022-12-13T00:00:00+01:00 I had a dream. And when I woke up, the images were still there in a very concrete way. Unfortunately, that does not happen very often. Sometimes you only remember vaguely or not at all. Because the images were so intense, it made me think. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-12-09.php 2022-12-09T00:00:00+01:00 2022-12-09T00:00:00+01:00 Bigger, faster, further. This ever-popular motto has always gotten on my nerves. And because last year I had the idea for the smallest works of art in the world, I thought that this year there should be a continuation. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-12-04.php 2022-12-04T00:00:00+01:00 2022-12-04T00:00:00+01:00 This year I wrote so many articles for my blog, so I thought I allow myself once again an off-topic article in the pre-Christmas period. Let us toast with a delicious homemade mulled wine fruit punch! https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-12-02.php 2022-12-02T00:00:00+01:00 2022-12-02T00:00:00+01:00 With every photo project these days, you create accompanying video footage. It has become so commonplace because it can be used very well for online marketing. Even for my own projects, such as my next photo book, I force myself to do this. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2022-11-28.php 2022-11-28T00:00:00+01:00 2022-11-28T00:00:00+01:00 The dark season is somehow always time for thick books, I believe. And exactly such a book has just been published again. It's not a picture book and not a textbook, but a hybrid from Krolop and Gerst. Who is Gerst, anyway? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2022-11-24.php 2022-11-24T00:00:00+01:00 2022-11-24T00:00:00+01:00 It is not the first time that I have been upset about labels in underwear. Manufacturers just continue to sew tags on the finest lace lingerie. There is nothing you can do but to use the right tools. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-11-17.php 2022-11-17T00:00:00+01:00 2022-11-17T00:00:00+01:00 The year is slowly coming to an end and you might wonder where my Playmate spread for Playboy Germany this year is. Don't worry, here it comes! The December issue of the German Playboy magazine has just been published and in it you can see a Playmate pictorial that I shot with *** on Tenerife. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-11-11.php 2022-11-11T00:00:00+01:00 2022-11-11T00:00:00+01:00 Stefan and Timo from the podcast <em>After Shooting End</em> invited me and so I went to Gießen to speak with them for an hour and a half about my work as a photographer, my work for Playboy and a bit nerdy about photography. Take a listen. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-11-06.php 2022-11-06T00:00:00+01:00 2022-11-06T00:00:00+01:00 This is once again a very personal article. I ask myself the question where I would like to live in the future. To this day I live exactly 25 years in Frankfurt. I have not lived longer in any other place. Yet Frankfurt is actually not a good city for a photographer. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2022-10-30.php 2022-10-30T00:00:00+02:00 2022-10-30T00:00:00+02:00 When it comes to wet hair, opinions differ. For some, the look reminds them of greasy and unwashed hair, while others — like me — celebrate the look. It has to match the hairstyle and hair texture, of course. But when it does, I totally go for it. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-10-23.php 2022-10-23T00:00:00+02:00 2022-10-23T00:00:00+02:00 Reading and learning body language are really powerful tools when working as a photographer or model. A sexy facial expression is usually a little bit evil, with a poker face and slightly squinted eyes. But smiling in nude photography is massively underestimated! https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2022-10-15.php 2022-10-15T00:00:00+02:00 2022-10-15T00:00:00+02:00 Is it warm enough for outdoor nudes? Will it be sunny? As a photographer, I am very dependent on the weather. Sun without clouds is brutally hard. Cloud cover often provides pretty boring light, though. And when it rains, everything becomes much more difficult. So where would I be without the good old weather report? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-10-06.php 2022-10-06T00:00:00+02:00 2022-10-06T00:00:00+02:00 I have been working on a new book since 2019. During the pandemic, I had to forgo larger projects for almost two whole years. In the meantime, however, I travel a lot again and have planned great picture series. For this I am looking for models. This is a model call. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-09-30.php 2022-09-30T00:00:00+02:00 2022-09-30T00:00:00+02:00 Each era brings with it a certain spirit of the times. The 70s were characterized by the spirit of the hippie movement. Love, Peace and Happiness. In the 80s, computers made their first appearances in everyday life and music, and the economic boom shaped a decade. And where are we today? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/may-i-introduce/2022-09-22.php 2022-09-22T00:00:00+02:00 2022-09-22T00:00:00+02:00 Social media has pushed us to just be broadcasters. We don't really know anything about each other and because I think that's a shame, I invited Tim. It's a hot summer's day in Frankfurt when Tim Nikischin stops by the café. The wasps are buzzing around his grapefruit soda and in front of me is a young man brimming with enthusiasm. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2022-09-13.php 2022-09-13T00:00:00+02:00 2022-09-13T00:00:00+02:00 I have been a secret fan of Penélope Cruz for many years. I am fascinated by the way she plays, because she seems completely authentic. At the same time, she embodies what I always try to capture in women: Pride and strength. Without losing her femininity! One of her first films is called Jamón, Jamón and it is now on arte. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2022-09-04.php 2022-09-04T00:00:00+02:00 2022-09-04T00:00:00+02:00 Sometimes people make fun of the German language. They say German sounds hard and has very complicated words. But that's not always the case. There is this one word that, amazingly, doesn't exist like that in English: Schokoladenseite. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-08-27.php 2022-08-27T00:00:00+02:00 2022-08-27T00:00:00+02:00 As a society, we're not really good at talking openly about sex. But since we have a stereotyped thinking, I feel it's pretty important to be assigned to the right stereotype. So what counts as pornography? And what is erotica? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2022-08-20.php 2022-08-20T00:00:00+02:00 2022-08-20T00:00:00+02:00 My favorite focal length is 55mm. But you can't get by without a 35mm. As a wide angle, it stretches the body nicely and the framing is nice, too. Since there are so many different 35mm lenses for Sony available now, I have treated myself to a new lens. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-08-12.php 2022-08-12T00:00:00+02:00 2022-08-12T00:00:00+02:00 At the moment I'm reading several books about creativity and I'm thinking a lot about what it takes to be an artist. Although I've been in museums constantly since I was a child, I think artists are geniuses, of which there are very few. And I have the idea that you have to do something down-to-earth professionally and cannot achieve living from art. Why? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-08-08.php 2022-08-08T00:00:00+02:00 2022-08-08T00:00:00+02:00 Sometimes it happens that a shoot has to be cancelled. I knock on wood. Fortunately, it hasn't happened to me for a long time. But from talking to other photographers, I know the problem all too well. And so here is the ultimate list of the five most popular shoot cancellations. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-08-01.php 2022-08-01T00:00:00+02:00 2022-08-01T00:00:00+02:00 Skin tones play a big role in my work and I spend a lot of time adjusting colors in post production. There are skin tones that I find particularly beautiful. And those that we all find particularly beautiful. All of us? No, it's not quite that simple. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2022-07-26.php 2022-07-26T00:00:00+02:00 2022-07-26T00:00:00+02:00 I like to give my images another dimension with effects. But I never do this in Photoshop, I do it right on the set. When I learned about Haze Spray, I had to try this out right away. Professional Haze sounded really promising. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-07-16.php 2022-07-16T00:00:00+02:00 2022-07-16T00:00:00+02:00 For the 50th anniversary of Playboy Germany, I was invited to design one of 50 cover motifs. For me, this was a huge honor and a project that I was really excited about. I was given a free hand in the design. Only a reference to Playboy had to be recognizable. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-07-07.php 2022-07-07T00:00:00+02:00 2022-07-07T00:00:00+02:00 Currently, my calendar for 2023 is in print. This is always a special moment, because unpacking and signing the finished copies feels special every year. I put a lot of effort into creating a beautiful calendar that you can enjoy for a whole year. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-06-30.php 2022-06-30T00:00:00+02:00 2022-06-30T00:00:00+02:00 In terms of my photography, I also deal with role stereotypes and social issues around the zeitgeist. I describe myself as a feminist. Rarely have discussions on the subject been so wild as in the current time. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-06-21.php 2022-06-21T00:00:00+02:00 2022-06-21T00:00:00+02:00 Our brain is a masterpiece. An insanely good machine. But it is also easily fooled. When we look at a painting, we are aware that this work is a representation of a painter. But with a photograph, the brain has a harder time. A photograph appears to be objective. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2022-06-13.php 2022-06-13T00:00:00+02:00 2022-06-13T00:00:00+02:00 Some music videos have an iconic character. But maybe I'm wrong and that's just a very personal impression. But since music videos are often the playground of talented directors, there might be something to it. I speak of clips like <em>Lies</em> by <em>Is Tropical</em>. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-06-03.php 2022-06-03T00:00:00+02:00 2022-06-03T00:00:00+02:00 If you watch an older movie, you immediately realize that the narration speed used to be slower. A film from the 90s seems immediately lame. Even without being a film expert, we feel it subconsciously. In recent years, life in all areas has become many times faster. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-05-27.php 2022-05-27T00:00:00+02:00 2022-05-27T00:00:00+02:00 I am constantly looking for new models for my calendar and book projects. However, the formerly successful model platforms are hardly ever used by prospective models. Everyone is on Instagram these days. And one thing really struck me. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2022-05-19.php 2022-05-19T00:00:00+02:00 2022-05-19T00:00:00+02:00 In the 1980s, quite a few films were shot that shaped my youth or conveyed the feeling of the time incredibly well. When I was a child <em>Crocodile Dundee</em> was cool. But I refer more to the teenage years and blockbusters like <em>La Boum</em> or <em>Dirty Dancing</em>. And there are also lesser-known strips. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-05-12.php 2022-05-12T00:00:00+02:00 2022-05-12T00:00:00+02:00 I just returned from Paris and one of my first walks was to the newsstand. I bought a copy of the new Playboy Germany edition that just came out. The edition is called <em>June</em> and the numbering is confusing me a little as it's just the beginning of May. But that's not the point here. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-05-09.php 2022-05-09T00:00:00+02:00 2022-05-09T00:00:00+02:00 Our life is based on experiences. We collect these from a young age on. We try to get up, fall down and this is how we learn to walk. At some point we eat a chocolate cake for the first time or swim in the sea. These moments shape us (not speaking about calories here). First times are always something special. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2022-05-01.php 2022-05-01T00:00:00+02:00 2022-05-01T00:00:00+02:00 Sometimes it's really good to think outside the box. As a photographer, I am not only interested in photographs. I'm interested and fascinated by the skills of other artists and find it meditative and inspiring to see what they create. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-04-22.php 2022-04-22T00:00:00+02:00 2022-04-22T00:00:00+02:00 I am writing this article for aspiring photographers. Photographers who still dream of being published one day. I want to encourage them and share my own experiences. Because everyone starts small. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/may-i-introduce/2022-04-13.php 2022-04-13T00:00:00+02:00 2022-04-13T00:00:00+02:00 When we met on the street in front of the café, I immediately noticed that Hannes is at rest within himself. The photographer from southern Germany radiates composure and thus conveys a sense of security that is helpful in his work as a nude photographer. In our 90-minute conversation, he revealed surprising things to me about his way of working. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2022-04-04.php 2022-04-04T00:00:00+02:00 2022-04-04T00:00:00+02:00 If I was to name an artist who inspires me the most currently, my answer would be: Cameron Hammond. The Australian based photographer transports the feeling of the 80s like no other. Nostalgia is a wonderful feeling when viewing images, so don't miss his work. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2022-03-26.php 2022-03-26T00:00:00+01:00 2022-03-26T00:00:00+01:00 Krolop and Gerst have been an institution when it comes to lighting and equipment in Germany for a good two decades. I don't know of any other photographers who would have dealt more intensively with the subject of light and shadow. If there are technical questions, the answer is clear: Krolop and Gerst. In this article I reveal who their new book is not suitable for. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-03-24.php 2022-03-24T00:00:00+01:00 2022-03-24T00:00:00+01:00 Electronic media have become incredibly important in our lives. We can't really imagine living without the internet anymore. From other parts of the world we hear that the internet is being curtailed. Now, unfortunately, I had to realize once again that even in the middle of Europe there is secret censorship happening — my website is being banned. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-03-17.php 2022-03-17T00:00:00+01:00 2022-03-17T00:00:00+01:00 In my blog, I have written every six months how the Corona restrictions affect my life as a photographer. Since I plan articles for my blog three to four months in advance, I was already making notes of what I wanted to report on the subject of Corona in March 2022. However, with the start of the war, this has become obsolete. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-03-09.php 2022-03-09T00:00:00+01:00 2022-03-09T00:00:00+01:00 The elevator pitch was originally an idea by sales people to convince customers of their product during an elevator ride. Because it rarely lasted longer than 60 seconds, all relevant information had to fit into this time window. I was recently told my website was not on point. So I'm taking you on a short elevator ride with me. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-03-01.php 2022-03-01T00:00:00+01:00 2022-03-01T00:00:00+01:00 Around one year ago I heard of NFTs for the first time. NFT stands for Non-Fungible Tokens and is a major trend in the world of selling art. However the term non-fungible token isn't self-explaining. It stands for a unique digital identifier that cannot be copied and is recorded in a blockchain that is used to certify authenticity and ownership. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-02-24.php 2022-02-24T00:00:00+01:00 2022-02-24T00:00:00+01:00 Who does not know it? The creative hole. The work has become routine and nothing new comes to mind. Where are all the good ideas? Why are others so creative? I recently heard a lecture that said happiness is the way out of such a creative crisis. I would disagree. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-02-14.php 2022-02-14T00:00:00+01:00 2022-02-14T00:00:00+01:00 Valentine's Day doesn't have a big tradition in Germany and therefore doesn't mean anything to me. But on the 14th of February exactly 10 years ago something special happened and I have great memories of it. Six months after my job interview in the Munich office of the Burda publishing house, I flew to the capital of Austria for my very first production for Playboy. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-02-07.php 2022-02-07T00:00:00+01:00 2022-02-07T00:00:00+01:00 I have photographed many women naked. Women with small breasts, with large breasts, with flat and bulging décolletés. The question never arose for me as to whether what I was photographing was real or not. But I keep getting asked that question myself. Why? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2022-02-01.php 2022-02-01T00:00:00+01:00 2022-02-01T00:00:00+01:00 When I registered the domain simonbolz.com around 20 years ago, I didn't know what I would do with it one day. Now I'm very happy about it. And it was once again time to overhaul the website. A lot has happened. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2021-12-30.php 2021-12-30T00:00:00+01:00 2021-12-30T00:00:00+01:00 Last year my review of the year was a bit frugal. It was almost only about Corona. 2021 wasn't that much different and felt a bit like a year to forget. Actually, my annual review is therefore more of a look back at the fourth quarter of 2021. But at least that was special. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2021-12-24.php 2021-12-24T00:00:00+01:00 2021-12-24T00:00:00+01:00 Christmas time is always time to browse through photo books. And so I am very much pleased that Czech photographer Lukas Dvorak has just published a book. The specialist for black and white motives has fascinated me for a long time and his works from the past thirteen years are now presented in this printed edition. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2021-12-20.php 2021-12-20T00:00:00+01:00 2021-12-20T00:00:00+01:00 I recently wrote about the fact that grain in photos has an indefinable effect. Somehow we find a structure in photos to be pleasant. It gives the photo character and feels good. In this article I also described that I somehow don't get really warm with the technical application of grain. That has now changed and I am happy to pass on my knowledge. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2021-12-14.php 2021-12-14T00:00:00+01:00 2021-12-14T00:00:00+01:00 Nowadays there are no more out of cam photos. Such a thing as out of cam doesn't exist. All photos have always passed through some sort of filter. These are algorithms that compile the color information from the camera's image sensor according to certain criteria into a JPG. Or filters that work in the same way and manipulate color values to achieve a certain look. It happens more and more often that my clients tell me to put my look on the pictures. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2021-12-09.php 2021-12-09T00:00:00+01:00 2021-12-09T00:00:00+01:00 Body height plays an important role in our society. Smaller people are often not taken seriously. I know that from experience, because I'm pretty small. I can handle it well because I know what I can do and I don't mind that my wife is two inches taller than me. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2021-12-01.php 2021-12-01T00:00:00+01:00 2021-12-01T00:00:00+01:00 For Christmas I am offering a special for my art of the month prints. This series of four comes in square passepartouts (each 15x15cm) amd you might want to frame the images. Nowadays, it's not so easy to find decent frames in regular stores downtown, so I decided to provide you with a list of potential candidates for your space. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2021-11-24.php 2021-11-24T00:00:00+01:00 2021-11-24T00:00:00+01:00 Art is a strange craft. And creativity sometimes behaves like a cat. It has a mind of its own and it is difficult for you to lead it. But I need creativity to get ahead. It's a bit of a vicious circle. What helps me sometimes is to rigorously clean up. And so I did. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2021-11-15.php 2021-11-15T00:00:00+01:00 2021-11-15T00:00:00+01:00 There is always a certain ideal of beauty within a culture. It is a contemporary idea of what is perceived as beautiful. These fashions are always changing and have great regional differences. Perhaps it is worthwhile to start a signature campaign against an ideal of beauty that is currently threatening to assert itself. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2021-11-07.php 2021-11-07T00:00:00+01:00 2021-11-07T00:00:00+01:00 Art inspires and other artists fascinate and inspire me. Thinking outside the box is particularly fascinating. I have nothing to do with acrobatics, but when I saw Marion Crampe dancing on the pole, I was deeply impressed. She is a multiple champion in her field and I saw immediately why. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2021-10-31.php 2021-10-31T00:00:00+02:00 2021-10-31T00:00:00+02:00 Not much has changed for me in the last 15 years: location search remains the most difficult part of my job. While a fashion shoot can take place practically anywhere, a nude shoot requires a bit of sensitivity. And so I'm constantly looking for suitable locations. These are my criteria. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2021-10-22.php 2021-10-22T00:00:00+02:00 2021-10-22T00:00:00+02:00 Over the years I have found out that my emotional states switch more or less the same during every photo project that I have. I take my job very seriously. Maybe too serious sometimes. But it's kind of amusing that I go through these five phases with every single shoot. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2021-10-15.php 2021-10-15T00:00:00+02:00 2021-10-15T00:00:00+02:00 Some photographers are returning to working with old film cameras. It is about returning to slower photography. A film only has 36 frames. You don't want to waste them pointlessly. Photos taken on film have different colors, but you can recognize them mainly by their grain which is a trademark of film compared to the digital. But what actually makes grain beautiful? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2021-10-06.php 2021-10-06T00:00:00+02:00 2021-10-06T00:00:00+02:00 The great thing about my job is that visual inspiration can be found everywhere in everyday life. On a walk through nature, in a shopping center, while traveling. And although I focus myself on photography, it is often different art that helps to create connections and encourage new ideas. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2021-09-27.php 2021-09-27T00:00:00+02:00 2021-09-27T00:00:00+02:00 I asked myself what is the difference between art and decoration? Does art take precedence over decoration? And is photography even art? The topic is very extensive and I could perhaps write a doctoral thesis on it. Then I would be a PhD in photography. But I neither value titles that much nor does this title exist. Nevertheless, I am still thinking about these questions. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2021-09-18.php 2021-09-18T00:00:00+02:00 2021-09-18T00:00:00+02:00 Every year starting in August, I get regular emails from people asking about my new calendar. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about it and of course I have produced another calendar for the coming year. My 2022 calendar has now been published. As always in a limited edition. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2021-09-09.php 2021-09-09T00:00:00+02:00 2021-09-09T00:00:00+02:00 I often think about my own work. In doing so, I realize that I'm too good, that I repeat myself too much and that I don't really produce enough new things. It's not that easy to break free of conventions and to dare to try out something completely new. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2021-09-03.php 2021-09-03T00:00:00+02:00 2021-09-03T00:00:00+02:00 I would like to give you a little update on how I am doing during the pandemic and what has changed for me in the past 18 months. At the end of last year I was still very optimistic and my watchword was that 2021 can only be better than 2020. Unfortunately, I was not right. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2021-08-26.php 2021-08-26T00:00:00+02:00 2021-08-26T00:00:00+02:00 Even though I am a nude photographer I get inspired by many things around me. There's architecture, nature and of course, also fashion. I love to watch runway shows, okay, not on a daily basis, but every now and then. This one by Iris van Herpen is amazing. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2021-08-20.php 2021-08-20T00:00:00+02:00 2021-08-20T00:00:00+02:00 If I were to name a trend in photography, it would be the use of diffusion filters. People just prefer photos that show humans a little softer. And so I decided to have different diffusion filters compete against each other in a short photo walk with gorgeous Natalie. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2021-08-12.php 2021-08-12T00:00:00+02:00 2021-08-12T00:00:00+02:00 When you ask someone what is most important to them in a person, the answer usually is honesty and humor. I understand the part with the humor, but honesty is such a thing. Because once we are really honest, we see that we are constantly lying to one another. We even lie to ourselves. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2021-08-03.php 2021-08-03T00:00:00+02:00 2021-08-03T00:00:00+02:00 Movies have always had these great colors. Even when I was young and had nothing to do with photography, I already felt that filmmakers were really working hard to deliver particularly beautiful images. Colors that flatter, charm and inspire you. And so I did an experiment to see if I could translate these tricks into a simple workflow when taking photographs in modern Sony cameras. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2021-07-28.php 2021-07-28T00:00:00+02:00 2021-07-28T00:00:00+02:00 Image manipulation has always been done. In the past this was done by hand and often still in the dark room. Most photographs — and especially the famous ones — are retouched. Retouching has never been easier than today. Lately artificial intelligence was added to Photoshop and after working with it for a while, I would like to share my conclusion. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2021-07-19.php 2021-07-19T00:00:00+02:00 2021-07-19T00:00:00+02:00 Great news: The August issue of Playboy Germany contains a newly shot pictorial by me with Playmate Leni. We produced the series in good old Germany, actually in my hometown Frankfurt, to be exact. During summer, it isn't bad here at all, escpecially because I was able to plan the shoot very well ahead. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2021-07-14.php 2021-07-14T00:00:00+02:00 2021-07-14T00:00:00+02:00 When you read <em>Shades of Gray</em> you might have thought about the novel immediately, but I am not referring to <em>Fifty Shades of Grey</em> here in any way. I wanted to write about the variations of the color gray which can be interesting when working with black and white art. Here are my thoughts on pleasing gray tones. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2021-07-07.php 2021-07-07T00:00:00+02:00 2021-07-07T00:00:00+02:00 As a kid, my parents took me to every museum and exhibition. Wherever we traveled, they found a museum. This could be my fate as a teacher's child. From today's perspective I am really thankful to them, though. Because, basially from my early ages I thought about art. And about the question: What is art? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2021-06-30.php 2021-06-30T00:00:00+02:00 2021-06-30T00:00:00+02:00 A few weeks ago the new <em>Enhance Super Resolution</em> feature was introduced in Photoshop. Many YouTubers have presented this hidden technique as a great innovation. Such videos always makes me sceptical. So I thought I'd compare the different ways to enlarge images in Photoshop. Here is my review. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2021-06-24.php 2021-06-24T00:00:00+02:00 2021-06-24T00:00:00+02:00 Watching behind the scenes of a photo shoot is great. Unfortunately I have not produced such clips for a long time. Yet, I have to admit, if they are done right, they are a huge inspiration to me. Moving pictures instantly tell about the mood and transport a feeling. This is underlined by the music. And it feels like the model is flirting with the viewer. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2021-06-17.php 2021-06-17T00:00:00+02:00 2021-06-17T00:00:00+02:00 When I watch a film, I can't help but pay attention to the color grading. I wonder which colors were touched and why. And of course how the overall look was achieved. If I liked the grading, I try to imitate this result myself. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2021-06-09.php 2021-06-09T00:00:00+02:00 2021-06-09T00:00:00+02:00 For me, physical fitness is one of the basic requirements a good model should bring. A bit of jogging, cycling, swimming and climbing stairs are good for endurance. And with 5 to 15 minutes a day, you can also train your muscles very well. I have trained with YouTube for the past twelve months. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2021-05-30.php 2021-05-30T00:00:00+02:00 2021-05-30T00:00:00+02:00 It is only a matter of time before virtual models will conquer our screens. It isn't the question if this is going to happen, but when. The technical possibilities are endless and since I cannot take photos during the pandemic, I asked myself whether I could render female 3D models and create real looking photo series. It's a fascinating new world that is opening up, so why not give it a try. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2021-05-20.php 2021-05-20T00:00:00+02:00 2021-05-20T00:00:00+02:00 There is a lot of talk in the media about the fact that magazines and books are no longer selling well and that the future is digital. If you believe the big publishers, the book market is getting smaller and smaller. Digital lives. Print is dead. To be honest, I don't believe in this. Because nude photo books bring quite a return on investment. I took a look around. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2021-05-13.php 2021-05-13T00:00:00+02:00 2021-05-13T00:00:00+02:00 How true is advertising's most repeated phrase? Is sex really the most effective way to sell products? If you expect answers, this is not the place to search for them. I did not do any research, but watched some old commercials and made my own conclusion. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2021-05-08.php 2021-05-08T00:00:00+02:00 2021-05-08T00:00:00+02:00 Buying a picture frame is not that difficult, I always thought. You choose a color and thickness of the frame and buy it. Unfortunately, it's not that simple. There are big differences in the qualities and you should also know exactly what you need when choosing the glass. I did some research on this and would like to share it with you. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2021-05-01.php 2021-05-01T00:00:00+02:00 2021-05-01T00:00:00+02:00 How often is too often? When does work become a routine and a passion for nude shoots turns only into a business? In the beginning as a hobbyist photographer taking pictures didn't involve pressure. Does having to earn a living get in the way at some point? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2021-04-23.php 2021-04-23T00:00:00+02:00 2021-04-23T00:00:00+02:00 I still remember well how my professor deducted points from me at the academy of visual arts because I had not presented my term papers in a passe-partout. There were twenty works and, to be honest, it seemed too expensive to buy extra passe-partouts at the time. Especially since I didn't intend to keep my pictures at all. In the meantime, things have changed. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2021-04-15.php 2021-04-15T00:00:00+02:00 2021-04-15T00:00:00+02:00 Brexit negotiations were long and tough. When Great Britain left the EU, it was said that free trade was not affected. But unfortunately that's not true. I will explain what this means for my clients from the UK and how shipping has changed. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2021-04-07.php 2021-04-07T00:00:00+02:00 2021-04-07T00:00:00+02:00 When I was in school, I took the advanced math course. I find analytical and logical thinking fascinating. And so I am amazed by the scientific knowledge of teachers like da Vinci or Fibonacci. The fact that sequences of numbers have a meaning for my work as a photographer seems absurd at first glance. Sometimes also at second glance. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2021-03-30.php 2021-03-30T00:00:00+02:00 2021-03-30T00:00:00+02:00 Every photographer has their own style. The longer I work as a photographer, the more I notice how my style consolidates, how perspectives and poses repeat. Sometimes I'm afraid of being able to keep up with the zeitgeist. It's just that I don't want to become the old guy who still takes photos from twenty years ago. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2021-03-22.php 2021-03-22T00:00:00+01:00 2021-03-22T00:00:00+01:00 A year ago things started with the Corona pandemic and the lockdowns. All of my planned projects were cancelled and I could no longer do my job. I would like to take the anniversary as an occasion and briefly give an update on how I am currently doing. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2021-03-11.php 2021-03-11T00:00:00+01:00 2021-03-11T00:00:00+01:00 I've been working for Playboy Germany for nine years now, and yet it is always a great pleasure for me to see a new issue with a series of pictures photographed by me. That shows how important art is to me and that my work never mutates into a work to rule, no matter what. During the pandemic I often have the feeling that my life happens in slow motion. This makes the April 2021 issue of Playboy Germany even more special for me. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2021-03-03.php 2021-03-03T00:00:00+01:00 2021-03-03T00:00:00+01:00 Most recently I wrote an article about morbid charm. And what fascinates me so much about it. There is another similar aspect that evokes strong emotions. It's loneliness. We humans are social beings and yet feel a strong attraction in empty places, in solitude. This has nothing to do with depression and certainly nothing to do with Corona. I'll try to explain the concept of the liminal space. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2021-02-25.php 2021-02-25T00:00:00+01:00 2021-02-25T00:00:00+01:00 For years I have been wondering what attraction the morbid, the decay has on me. It is a fact that there are places of longing that are incredibly suitable as locations for photo shoots. But why are rotten places so appealing? Where does this attraction come from? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2021-02-16.php 2021-02-16T00:00:00+01:00 2021-02-16T00:00:00+01:00 Yesterday I caught myself doing it. I edited pictures and worked on a motif for a while. The perspective in the picture didn't fit properly, the legs looked too fat. I thought... but if I edit it, I could... and after half an hour of post-processing, I knew it. The photo was not good. I should have rather listened to my gut feeling right away. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2021-02-06.php 2021-02-06T00:00:00+01:00 2021-02-06T00:00:00+01:00 As a photographer I learned the importance of looking left and right. You find inspiration everywhere if you keep your eyes open. But what about when you want to fall asleep? Recently I learned about a trend called ASMR. And to my surprise this is eye-opening when you check it out on YouTube. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2021-02-01.php 2021-02-01T00:00:00+01:00 2021-02-01T00:00:00+01:00 Instagram has become a ten ton gorilla for photographers. It's the place to be. This is where you share your works and connect with other artists. And where you find the models' sedcards. But something stinks! And to prove it, I tested it out on my own instagram account. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/may-i-introduce/2021-01-24.php 2021-01-24T00:00:00+01:00 2021-01-24T00:00:00+01:00 Photographers agree on the fact that the pandemic makes working extremely difficult. But there are exceptions, I found out. For Video Girl Ary not that much has changed as she mainly takes sensual nude pictures of herself. What is it like to be your own subject of interest? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2021-01-15.php 2021-01-15T00:00:00+01:00 2021-01-15T00:00:00+01:00 You hear me saying: inspiration is everywhere. I get inspired by so many things I see and experience. But to be honest, the truth is: Most of the time, I get <em>uninspired</em>. Uninspiration is part of the process, I guess. Like there is day and night, sunshine and rain or sense and nonsense. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2021-01-05.php 2021-01-05T00:00:00+01:00 2021-01-05T00:00:00+01:00 I woke up at the sound of a gun going off. I must have been five or six years old and it was six o'clock in the morning. My mum dialed the number of the police and later in the morning I learned that my dad had hidden in our garden and shot in the air with an alarm pistol to disturb a voyeur who came to spy through my parents' bedroom window every morning. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-12-27.php 2020-12-27T00:00:00+01:00 2020-12-27T00:00:00+01:00 Usually my end-of-the-year review is an article I am all excited about. I am going through my collection of recent photographs to use in my article. And seeing those images takes me back to great moments I experienced. Most of the time this is about traveling and meeting cool people. But like for all of us, 2020 has been a very special year for me, too. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2020-12-21.php 2020-12-21T00:00:00+01:00 2020-12-21T00:00:00+01:00 During Corona times I happen to do a lot more desk work than usual. Currently, I am working on theoretical knowledge for my next book project. As I literally know nothing about cars, but fancy the cars and girls theme, I began to educate myself on the car subject. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2020-12-16.php 2020-12-16T00:00:00+01:00 2020-12-16T00:00:00+01:00 Since 2007 photography has become a very popular thing. Because nowadays, everyone has a camera in their pocket. It's called a phone, but I believe, people spend more time taking photos than doing phone calls. This phenomenon has widely changed our perception and the way we remember things. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-12-10.php 2020-12-10T00:00:00+01:00 2020-12-10T00:00:00+01:00 Warning: This article is totally off-topic. It has nothing to do with photography, except for that I took the title photo for my blog. I wish everyone happy holidays and as there are no Christmas markets in 2020 due to Corona, here's a recipe for a winterly cocktail to get you into the mood. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2020-12-06.php 2020-12-06T00:00:00+01:00 2020-12-06T00:00:00+01:00 For some it's a melody, for some it's a scent. For me, the right visuals get me into a feel-good mood. A mix of childhood feelings, warmth and security, combined with the exotic charme of unknown places. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-11-28.php 2020-11-28T00:00:00+01:00 2020-11-28T00:00:00+01:00 Working with naked women on a regular basis makes me forget that other people get fooled by nude photographs. I would like to write about some (and not only male) misinterpretations and misunderstandings. For a better understanding of today's world and for a better tomorrow. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2020-11-21.php 2020-11-21T00:00:00+01:00 2020-11-21T00:00:00+01:00 I would sing this song to my cats on a daily basis (if I had cats). This Miami Vice tribute by the band <em>Dance With the Dead</em> from their album <em>Out of Body</em> is amazing. To be honest, the whole album has no filling songs. Every piece is an amazing frame of mind. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2020-11-15.php 2020-11-15T00:00:00+01:00 2020-11-15T00:00:00+01:00 Sometimes you want to give your images a vintage look. There are various film simulations out there, but I don't intend to emulate a specific film manufacturer. For the vintage looks, it's enough to tweak your image subtly in Photoshop. Here is one of the many possible approaches step-by-step explained. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2020-11-07.php 2020-11-07T00:00:00+01:00 2020-11-07T00:00:00+01:00 As a matter of course I am asked to deliver stable video footage along with my pictures these days. Whether it's an interview or video clips, I am always looking for the most simple setup. Schedules (and budgets) are usually tight, so I benefit from easy to use and reliable gear. This is why I bought the brand new dji gimbal. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-10-28.php 2020-10-28T00:00:00+01:00 2020-10-28T00:00:00+01:00 How did breasts and buns become a turn on thing? And are men more into boobs or behinds? Is this universal, I mean is it the same around the globe? Did you know a brand even sells marshmallows that are shaped like butts and breasts? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2020-10-19.php 2020-10-19T00:00:00+02:00 2020-10-19T00:00:00+02:00 Initial D is a Japanese street racing manga series written and illustrated by Shuichi Shigeno. At the moment I am working on the concept of my next photo book which circles around cars. Therefore I am sucking up everything inspiring about cars. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-10-10.php 2020-10-10T00:00:00+02:00 2020-10-10T00:00:00+02:00 The November issue of Playboy Germany is out now. And it is featuring an Opel Manta for Playboy Cars. I was asked to shoot the story and it felt like traveling back in time: childhood memories. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-10-01.php 2020-10-01T00:00:00+02:00 2020-10-01T00:00:00+02:00 During the lockdown in May I decided that it was the perfect time to work on an experiment. A year before, I had made notes about several techniques to re-produce images. One of those were the so-called diamond paintings. So a big do-it-yourself project started. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-09-26.php 2020-09-26T00:00:00+02:00 2020-09-26T00:00:00+02:00 2020 has been very different than I had planned. The past months have developed in ways that I would never have imagined. No traveling, no photo shoots, not being able to plan anything ahead. And constantly changing rules that make it difficult to remain positive. And when will this situation be over? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2020-09-20.php 2020-09-20T00:00:00+02:00 2020-09-20T00:00:00+02:00 Google is one of the companies that rule the world. More than half of the people subscribing to my newsletter have an account there. But unfortunately Google sends emails from me, directly to their spam folder. Here's how to avoid this. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2020-09-09.php 2020-09-09T00:00:00+02:00 2020-09-09T00:00:00+02:00 Technically German is a complicated language. But there are some expressions that get straight to the point. The German term 'Schokoladenseite' is one of those examples. It refers to which side of your face looks prettier than the other. Because they are not the same. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-08-27.php 2020-08-27T00:00:00+02:00 2020-08-27T00:00:00+02:00 Dermatologists say it's more hygienic to refrain from shaving. Pubic hair protects sensitive skin and traps bacteria before they enter the vagina. But this is not a medical blog, so the question is if pubic hair is good for photographs. Let's discuss. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2020-08-19.php 2020-08-19T00:00:00+02:00 2020-08-19T00:00:00+02:00 Being photogenic means looking good in pictures. But if you look ugly in pictures, does it mean you are ugly in real life, too? And is someone who looks beautiful automatically photogenic? In a world where 1.8 billion photos get taken every day, these questions finally deserve answers. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-08-09.php 2020-08-09T00:00:00+02:00 2020-08-09T00:00:00+02:00 A dream of many girls is to become a model. They want to live in glamour and visit the most beautiful places in the world. Getting admired is a wonderful aspect, too. But besides hard work, talent and luck, there are certain things, that are not spoken about. I will tell you some insights on modeling that might interest you. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-07-30.php 2020-07-30T00:00:00+02:00 2020-07-30T00:00:00+02:00 What a strange year this is! Looking at the past months, it feels just like having stepped out of the washing machine after a turbulent ride. But it's summer time. The best time of the year for me as a photographer based in Germany. And so, I am looking for new models again. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-07-20.php 2020-07-20T00:00:00+02:00 2020-07-20T00:00:00+02:00 There was a newspaper article where a number of book stores complained that the overwhelming power of Amazon is ruining their business. They were all whining that is has become so difficult to sell books in their shops and this annoyed me so much that I want to share my opnion on this. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-07-01.php 2020-07-01T00:00:00+02:00 2020-07-01T00:00:00+02:00 Usually I am printing my new calendar in August each year, so it can be ready for sale from September. But as I wasn't allowed to travel and stayed in my home office pretty much all of this year so far, I finished the calendar project earlier this time. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2020-06-28.php 2020-06-28T00:00:00+02:00 2020-06-28T00:00:00+02:00 In an unexpected statement, German chancellor Angie Merkel announced to introduce a temporary reduction of the German VAT rates. The measure is part of a huge stimulus package aimed to reduce the economic impact of the Corona pandemic and boost domestic demand. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2020-06-25.php 2020-06-25T00:00:00+02:00 2020-06-25T00:00:00+02:00 Underwear is something light. Hiding a bit but showing a lot. To me, it's a piece of art as well. Something that emphasizes female beauty. To others, it's just a business. They need to sew a big logo inside the tiny piece of lingerie and add long washing instructions, too. But finally, I found someone who does it my way. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2020-06-16.php 2020-06-16T00:00:00+02:00 2020-06-16T00:00:00+02:00 I am often astonished that in today's world there are still many taboo subjects. We claim to be an enlightened society, but in the end there's so much between females and males that is never talked about. Until now. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-06-05.php 2020-06-05T00:00:00+02:00 2020-06-05T00:00:00+02:00 Ooops, one month is already over again. I was surprised to see, we're in June already. Definitely don't want to get on anyone's nerves, but just would like to share with you that again, a new Playmate pictorial by me has been printed in the new issue of Playboy Germany. We barely had time for this shoot. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2020-05-30.php 2020-05-30T00:00:00+02:00 2020-05-30T00:00:00+02:00 Gigi Ben Artzi is a New York-based film director and photographer. He is best known for his narrative short film and music videos. They are often disturbing, ironical, totally off or at least very unusual. What makes them inspiring to me. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-05-21.php 2020-05-21T00:00:00+02:00 2020-05-21T00:00:00+02:00 Positive news from Corona times. Finally, I am done with renovating my office space. I painted everything in white, installed new blinds and lamps. And I build a large new desk, sideboard and storage space. This is my minimalistic approach to distraction-free working. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-05-08.php 2020-05-08T00:00:00+02:00 2020-05-08T00:00:00+02:00 In times like these, it pays off, when you are producing content ahead of time. Last summer, I was commissioned by Playboy to produce a pictorial in the countryside. I drove to Wandlitz and photographed Playmate Jeany in nature. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-05-02.php 2020-05-02T00:00:00+02:00 2020-05-02T00:00:00+02:00 When the Corona media coverage began end of January, I never thought this would have an impact on my life. I was confident as my planned destinations were far away from China and I was planning to shoot from end of March. But now, everything is cancelled. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2020-04-30.php 2020-04-30T00:00:00+02:00 2020-04-30T00:00:00+02:00 A guy who calls himself Kikiboy is bored by romantic photosets. He wants to do love stories with models. And here's one from the streets, filmed at Topshop in Russia with two fun girls. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2020-04-18.php 2020-04-18T00:00:00+02:00 2020-04-18T00:00:00+02:00 For a couple of years, I am very much interested in color grading. I am fascinated by colors and play with color. But instead of just giving a scene a specific look, I also want to look into color correction. The process of fixing skin tones for example. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-04-15.php 2020-04-15T00:00:00+02:00 2020-04-15T00:00:00+02:00 A good 150 years ago, the printing house C. Adelmann was founded. It was situated right in the center of Frankfurt. Downtown. Something that is not possible anymore in the year 2020. So, for the last time I was there today. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-04-09.php 2020-04-09T00:00:00+02:00 2020-04-09T00:00:00+02:00 During a shoot I usually take hundreds of photographs. It's a challenge to choose the best ones and to put them together as a nice series. I really like doing this, but I also realised that the selection process has a lot to do with personal taste. Even though preferences are different, there is no right or wrong. But I use certain rules when I make my compilations. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-03-30.php 2020-03-30T00:00:00+02:00 2020-03-30T00:00:00+02:00 The world-wide Corona crisis hit all of us. Photographer Ben Hammer came up with the idea of creating a blog chain letter where creatives introduce themselves. I found the idea nice and so, this is my contribution to the project. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2020-03-28.php 2020-03-28T00:00:00+01:00 2020-03-28T00:00:00+01:00 I love the playful easiness of French women, their imperfect, almost randomly looking style and the self-confidence they have in their appeal. It's a French thing that allows women to look and feel sexy while being strong and confident, on eye level with men. If you want to work with them, however, I recommend you to learn their language. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-03-22.php 2020-03-22T00:00:00+01:00 2020-03-22T00:00:00+01:00 When the season ends for me, around October, I begin to plan the year ahead. I search for locations, models, think about themes, styling and book trips. I dislike dark German winter and always look forward to waking up from winter sleep. This year, waking up didn't feel good at all. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-03-18.php 2020-03-18T00:00:00+01:00 2020-03-18T00:00:00+01:00 This question sounds good but if you answer 'yesterday' the questioner won't be satisfied with your answer. What did you do for the first time, yesterday? This one is more precise, but what really made me wonder is what is so magical about a 'first time'. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-03-07.php 2020-03-07T00:00:00+01:00 2020-03-07T00:00:00+01:00 Being a Playboy photographer is the best thing that ever happened to me work-wise. With these words, I would like to announce the April issue of Playboy Germany. The pictorial of Playmate Jessica Witmann, a 12 pager plus centerfold, was produced by me on a sunny island. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2020-03-01.php 2020-03-01T00:00:00+01:00 2020-03-01T00:00:00+01:00 A few years ago, I was asked to tell the readers of the whatsinmybag.com website, what gear I take on the road. The site doesn't exist anymore, but I really liked the idea. So, here is a quick update of what I am currently travelling with. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-02-24.php 2020-02-24T00:00:00+01:00 2020-02-24T00:00:00+01:00 In 2013 I photographed a very special photo series with Carla Monaco in Leeds. It was with a racing version of a Porsche 964 and while the car crashed and got completely destroyed a couple of years ago in Australia, my images still live on. On a week-end full of rain, I decided to re-color and re-retouch the series, just because I felt like doing so. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2020-02-16.php 2020-02-16T00:00:00+01:00 2020-02-16T00:00:00+01:00 In nude photography you will often see shiny skin. It's like a visual touch of an oil massage, I guess. At least, it looks good and many people have already offered me to be the body oil assistant. But there is no such job. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2020-02-06.php 2020-02-06T00:00:00+01:00 2020-02-06T00:00:00+01:00 While IKEA is using CGI in their catalogs for many years already, it's still not widely spread with not safe for work images. So, it was very interesting for me to discover the work of Andrew Ternell. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2020-01-26.php 2020-01-26T00:00:00+01:00 2020-01-26T00:00:00+01:00 On my sixteenth birthday, I was celebrating with three guys and 18 outgoing girls. I had been in a school exchange and on my birthday, they were visiting us in Germany. When I saw the tilted video, it reminded me of the good times we had. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2020-01-16.php 2020-01-16T00:00:00+01:00 2020-01-16T00:00:00+01:00 Being creative on a professional basis is challenging. For a few years photograhy has become super popular. Especially as smartphone cameras have become quite competitive and pretty much everyone can take decent images. Over the past few weeks, I thought about what it takes to improve your skills as a photographer to stand out. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2020-01-06.php 2020-01-06T00:00:00+01:00 2020-01-06T00:00:00+01:00 Labeling a piece of underwear with its size and type of fabric is something important to do. You also need to add washing instructions. And another label for the country of production is popular as well. You might want to add your logo, too. But have you ever though about the comfort of wearing these labels on your skin? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-12-29.php 2019-12-29T00:00:00+01:00 2019-12-29T00:00:00+01:00 In twentynineteen again time passed quickly. Maybe it's just a sign of me getting old. Or it's due to the fact that I never get bored and always have stuff to do. This year, I only traveled sixteen times for shoots. Basically, I needed a break after the launch of my last book. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-12-21.php 2019-12-21T00:00:00+01:00 2019-12-21T00:00:00+01:00 We have reached the final story of Sublime. One year of blogging about my last photo book is over. When I photographed Julia, I was in the middle of selecting images already. It was really the last story I was about to shoot. Therefore I decided to capture her in a movie theater in Frankfurt. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2019-12-17.php 2019-12-17T00:00:00+01:00 2019-12-17T00:00:00+01:00 More and more people are offering presets and styles with which you can apply a certain look to your images. Even I was selling mine a few years ago. Here's why I believe it's better not to use presets and why I stopped doing it. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-12-12.php 2019-12-12T00:00:00+01:00 2019-12-12T00:00:00+01:00 Towards the end, you could think, you need to fill up a book with some left over images. Hell no! I saved the best for last, well, at least, I can promise I put all my energy into creating a book that is interesting from the beginning all the way to the end. And with the irresistible looks of Chiara, I believe, the images speak for themselves. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-12-01.php 2019-12-01T00:00:00+01:00 2019-12-01T00:00:00+01:00 It was the third time I worked with Katia. I had known her since she was 21 years old. Now, she was 23 and looked better than ever. When she walked through the gate at the airport I just wowed. This was going to be a great day. I had booked Katia only for the day (return flight in the evening) and I wanted to shoot the cover for Sublime. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2019-11-27.php 2019-11-27T00:00:00+01:00 2019-11-27T00:00:00+01:00 At the end of the year, I recall what happened in the past months, slow down and somehow start feeling sentimental. My past year has been pretty much about selling books. Now, that I have opened the last palette of books, I decided to cover the shipping costs, worldwide. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-11-24.php 2019-11-24T00:00:00+01:00 2019-11-24T00:00:00+01:00 When I started out with photography, I thought, one day, I would run around with my camera and shoot everyday. But reality is different. Most of the time, I sit at my computer, do office work from promoting photo series to selecting and retouching images. Or I simply plan photo shoots which takes up so much more time than the actual shoot. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-11-15.php 2019-11-15T00:00:00+01:00 2019-11-15T00:00:00+01:00 Photographing outside is so much nicer than inside, I think. But living in Germany, the climate limits the possibility for outdoor shoots to around four to five months per year. So once, the summer is over, I need to find places abroad. Like this villa in Sitges where I worked on a pool series with Sloane. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2019-11-13.php 2019-11-13T00:00:00+01:00 2019-11-13T00:00:00+01:00 Yesterday my Profoto Connect for Sony arrived. It's a wireless flash trigger which is compatible with my new Profoto B10 flash using their so-called Air technology. Unfortunately I hadn't read the small print. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-11-08.php 2019-11-08T00:00:00+01:00 2019-11-08T00:00:00+01:00 This time, it's all about male fantasies. Creating erotic photographs, is all about fantasy. What is the deal with the apparently universal male fantasy of being with two lesbian women? I would say, the fantasy is not about lesbians but about being with two hot women who are so turned on by the guy they lose all control and play with each other. It's really all about men. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-10-28.php 2019-10-28T00:00:00+01:00 2019-10-28T00:00:00+01:00 In my sketch book which is full of themes that I desire to shoot some day, there had been a diver story for a long time. Not only did I want to shoot with a boat in the sea, I also wanted to try out underwater photography and filming. When I went to Mallorca to work with Sophia, I made this dream come true. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2019-10-23.php 2019-10-23T00:00:00+02:00 2019-10-23T00:00:00+02:00 For around 15 years, I am using Profoto light equipment and their stuff never let me down. Personally, I know better what I need now (just one small flash head like the B10), but if you're photographing in a studio situation, you might want to get some of my used stuff. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2019-10-22.php 2019-10-22T00:00:00+02:00 2019-10-22T00:00:00+02:00 I have been styling with lingerie by Maison Close for more than 10 years now. In summer, they produced a moody film in Ibiza. It has the typical exaggerated beauty that leaves you in doubt if you can be part of it. Yet it is so appealing. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-10-17.php 2019-10-17T00:00:00+02:00 2019-10-17T00:00:00+02:00 Being in the middle of nowhere with Katia was such a relief. There was nothing around us which could disturb us from work. The next houses were far away, you only heard the sounds of animals every now and then. This did not only feel calming, but it allowed concentrated and targeted work. A fantastic experience and the first time I spent the Easter holidays alone with a model. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-10-11.php 2019-10-11T00:00:00+02:00 2019-10-11T00:00:00+02:00 Looking back at the production of my book, reminds me of how difficult some of the shoots actually were. And that it is rather normal to take up challenges. But my shoot in Riga was much more difficult than I had expected. Here's what happened in the capital city of Latvia where I shot a story with Anna. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2019-10-06.php 2019-10-06T00:00:00+02:00 2019-10-06T00:00:00+02:00 A few years ago, I discovered the works of Stefan Rappo. I was immediately blown away by the intensity of his photographs and he soon became one of my favorite photographers of today. Now, I had the chance to meet Stefan in Paris and get his first coffee table book called Nude. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2019-10-05.php 2019-10-05T00:00:00+02:00 2019-10-05T00:00:00+02:00 When filiming interviews like I do for Playboy sometimes, you need to record the voice of the Playmate properly. The build in microphone won't do. I checked out the new shotgun microphone from Sony that just came out. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-09-30.php 2019-09-30T00:00:00+02:00 2019-09-30T00:00:00+02:00 Photographing a roadtrip as a theme has probably been done too often. Even by myself. But traveling is something we love. And a roadtrip embodies the feeling of freedom, the spirit of being young and it can be a lot of fun. Also a car is a safe haven for a shoot. You can turn on the heating when it's getting cold and avoid harsh sunlight when the girl poses inside. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2019-09-25.php 2019-09-25T00:00:00+02:00 2019-09-25T00:00:00+02:00 Have you ever realised that broken feelings and melancholia is what counts in the art world? A song that cries with emotion will touch you more than a happy tune. I deeply had this feeling when browsing Ben Hammer's latest book. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-09-20.php 2019-09-20T00:00:00+02:00 2019-09-20T00:00:00+02:00 Let's face it. What do you need for an erotic photograph? A special light atmosphere? A crazily cool styling? An outstanding location? Or maybe, just a beautiful girl? It's a rhetorical question and a relief for us photographers. If beauty is there, we just have to capture it. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2019-09-13.php 2019-09-13T00:00:00+02:00 2019-09-13T00:00:00+02:00 A few days ago, I received my new Sony camera. I am upgrading from the a7RII, therefore the a7 R IV feels amazing. It took me three full days to read the manual and to go through all settings in detail. I felt like learning photography from scratch, but luckily that was only my feeling after reading so many technical information. To save you some time, I will speak about the advantages I see in the new camera and tell you my menu settings and how I customized the buttons. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-09-11.php 2019-09-11T00:00:00+02:00 2019-09-11T00:00:00+02:00 Blood takes 23 seconds to circulate through the body. The average male in Germany masturbates 23 times a month. The day we switch to daylight savings time has only 23 hours. Princess Diana died in Paris at 00:23 in the morning. A lot of conspiracy circles around the number 23. Here's what I have to add. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2019-09-06.php 2019-09-06T00:00:00+02:00 2019-09-06T00:00:00+02:00 All digital cameras count how many times the shutter has been released. But with many of the cameras it is difficult to find out that number. If you ever sell or buy a used one, this is handy to know. So here is how it works with Sony cameras. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-09-01.php 2019-09-01T00:00:00+02:00 2019-09-01T00:00:00+02:00 Sometimes things don't work out the way you planned them. Either it's the weather or the location. Both have such a big influence on the shoot that it is always good to have a plan b. But let us be honest. Who prepares a plan b when it is unlikely to happen? I didn't. And the location became a huge problem. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2019-08-28.php 2019-08-28T00:00:00+02:00 2019-08-28T00:00:00+02:00 Movies always have a great influence on me. I love arthouse movies. The categorization is a bit silly, but in the end, many of those movies stand out. And there is one in specific that I can highly recommend. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-08-24.php 2019-08-24T00:00:00+02:00 2019-08-24T00:00:00+02:00 My life feels odd sometimes. Because with every photo shoot that I have, I get this awkward blind date feeling. You know, this feeling when you are waiting for a girl you have never seen in your life. And with every person that passes by, you ask yourself, if this is her. And you feel nervous like being on a date. And then she arrives and you have to do some small talk to get to know each other. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-08-16.php 2019-08-16T00:00:00+02:00 2019-08-16T00:00:00+02:00 You are probably not aware of this. But Blondes are an endangered species. No kidding. So, it took me a while to find a beautiful blonde girl like Lara. We met in Paris where I had rented an amazingly furnished and very cozy apartment for our shoot. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2019-08-14.php 2019-08-14T00:00:00+02:00 2019-08-14T00:00:00+02:00 The Sony A7 RIV was announced mid of July but the echo was divided. The simple reason was that the new camera came much earlier than expected and the new features shocked people who had just bought the RIII model. I placed my order right after the press conference, though. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2019-08-11.php 2019-08-11T00:00:00+02:00 2019-08-11T00:00:00+02:00 All women have vaginas. But today society moves backwards claiming this is something to feel ashamed of. Come on! Viva la vulva. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-08-10.php 2019-08-10T00:00:00+02:00 2019-08-10T00:00:00+02:00 When we were kids, people thought someone is either creative or not. Oh, what a creative kid, it draws such a beautiful picture. But working as a photographer, you come to a point where you realise, it doesn't come by itself. Like a comedian has to find methods to work on his jokes, it's the same with artists like us. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-08-04.php 2019-08-04T00:00:00+02:00 2019-08-04T00:00:00+02:00 Ibiza is one of my favorite islands in the mediteranean sea. Summer, sun, freckles and a redhead. I departed to capture a classical woman in nature scenario. Not my typical style. I simply wanted to experiment and try out new fields of photography. But then so many things went wrong. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-07-25.php 2019-07-25T00:00:00+02:00 2019-07-25T00:00:00+02:00 The best pairings are the simple ones. There's salt and pepper. Romeo and Juliet. Thunder and lightning. Gin and Tonic. I am a big fan of simple pairings and one very cliché pairing is of girls and horses. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-07-15.php 2019-07-15T00:00:00+02:00 2019-07-15T00:00:00+02:00 There is always a lot of thinking behind my photographs. I am always prepared and know what I want to capture. But I also try to find a nice balance between my intentions and spontaneity. This morning I realised, I keep saying, that there's a lot of thinking behind my works, but I never really explained what it was about. So here we go. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-07-07.php 2019-07-07T00:00:00+02:00 2019-07-07T00:00:00+02:00 I have secretly put 7 pictures into Sublime that are a homage to photographers I admire. This title picture is one of them. The way Chiara poses, her expressions are so much like in the photographs of... Can you guess who? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-06-30.php 2019-06-30T00:00:00+02:00 2019-06-30T00:00:00+02:00 Do you sometimes think a girl is too beautiful? I mean, is there such a thing as too much beauty? I am still brooding over this question. If exaggerated gracefulness exists, Olga is the living proof. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-06-28.php 2019-06-28T00:00:00+02:00 2019-06-28T00:00:00+02:00 If you ever dreamt of sleeping with my pics, now you can. I feel honored to announce that a wonderful hotel with beautiful architecture and a great concept has just opened its doors in Frankurt. The opening party was last night, so I am finally able to speak about my contribution. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-06-21.php 2019-06-21T00:00:00+02:00 2019-06-21T00:00:00+02:00 Sabi is not only a healthy person, she also loves nature. As Tenerife is known for its black sanded beaches, we headed to the North of the island to explore the rocky beaches. It was a long but scenic drive along the coast. On the far right you could see Grand Canary and soon we crossed a small mountain and took a serpentine road to the beach. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/may-i-introduce/2019-06-15.php 2019-06-15T00:00:00+02:00 2019-06-15T00:00:00+02:00 For more than 20 years, Konstantin Dahlem produces erotic photographs for calendar publishers. This is how I came across his work a while ago. At first Konstantin wasn't sure if an interview with him made sense and if his story was interesting enough. But I convinced him and visited him in his studio near Mannheim. Surprisingly enough, I could hardly keep up writing down all the stories he had to tell. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2019-06-14.php 2019-06-14T00:00:00+02:00 2019-06-14T00:00:00+02:00 This is a warning: Someone is sending out fake casting calls using my name to gain trust. More than ten models informed me, so I decided to put up this blog post to warn you about the fake casting. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-06-13.php 2019-06-13T00:00:00+02:00 2019-06-13T00:00:00+02:00 Mallorca, the epitome of a summer holiday (at least for a German). Mallorca, an island so beautiful, it leaves you speechless. Beautiful beaches, cozy bays and lovely fields. If only there was no hay allergy. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-06-04.php 2019-06-04T00:00:00+02:00 2019-06-04T00:00:00+02:00 No other girl has more images in the photobook Sublime than Katia. As she is the cover model and as I photographed her when she was 21, 22 and 23 years old, I figured that is ok. After having produced many indoor series, I definitely wanted to shoot outdoors again. Somewhere warm. So Katia and I flew to Portugal. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-05-27.php 2019-05-27T00:00:00+02:00 2019-05-27T00:00:00+02:00 When I meet girls that love to express themselves, it's wonderful. Jelena is like that. She adores nude art and simply loves to act in front of the camera. This might surprise you, but quite a lot of the women that work as nude models are extremely shy and insecure. So, it felt refreshing to work with Jelena. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2019-05-24.php 2019-05-24T00:00:00+02:00 2019-05-24T00:00:00+02:00 In August 2015 I purchased my Sony alpha 7RII. A wonderful camera that outpaced my previous Canon camera at so many points. But when it comes to the build quality, I would advise Sony to improve their work a bit. Read what I am moaning about. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-05-18.php 2019-05-18T00:00:00+02:00 2019-05-18T00:00:00+02:00 I knew Franzi for a few years and we wanted to shoot again for a long time. Somehow we postponed again, but one day, she told me she was going to stop modelling and that we could do a final shoot in Berlin in June. I checked flights and booked a return flight for the same day. Quite unusual, but this way, I was traveling light. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2019-05-10.php 2019-05-10T00:00:00+02:00 2019-05-10T00:00:00+02:00 In August 1991, the summer dreaming song by Kate Yanai made it to the top of the German charts. The single remained at #1 for eight weeks. If I was to mention one song that describes longings and summer emtions very well, this would be it. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-05-08.php 2019-05-08T00:00:00+02:00 2019-05-08T00:00:00+02:00 Girls and cars, a classic theme that always works. I like stereotypes and find it challenging to work with such themes. Especially because cars are so small on the inside, difficult to pose for a model and not easy to find good angles to shoot from. But when you run into a beautiful DeLorean DMC-12, you know this is going to get great. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-05-06.php 2019-05-06T00:00:00+02:00 2019-05-06T00:00:00+02:00 For the third time this year, there are twelve pages by me in Playboy. It's the German edition of Playboy and you can find it at newsstands everywhere currently. I know, this is blunt self promotion, but this is how it works, right? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-04-28.php 2019-04-28T00:00:00+02:00 2019-04-28T00:00:00+02:00 In art school I began to maintain my personal idea book. It's a small notepad that I usually carry with me and whenever I see something interesting, I take a note. It's full of incoherent things. I give them time to ripe. And when they're ready, I turn them into a photo story. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2019-04-21.php 2019-04-21T00:00:00+02:00 2019-04-21T00:00:00+02:00 For more than 20 years we see an orange and teal look in the cinemas. It is a very popular way of color grading movies. Sometimes it is highly overdone and feels surreal, but when used subtle it adds to the atmosphere and appeals to us viewers. I wanted to understand why and digged up an old book from art school about colors. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-04-15.php 2019-04-15T00:00:00+02:00 2019-04-15T00:00:00+02:00 Five of the stories for Sublime were photographed in Frankfurt. I find it very difficult to photograph in this rather uninspiring city. The main reason could be the lack of cool locations and the unstable weather. But after days of searching, I found an allotment garden that looked nice and bargained with the owner to rent it for a shoot. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2019-04-11.php 2019-04-11T00:00:00+02:00 2019-04-11T00:00:00+02:00 Last year, I wanted to do an interview with Ana for my blog, but she is traveling so much, we missed each other when I was in Portugal. So, I figured, I'll introduce her through her latest behind the scenes clip from a Playboy production she did in Puerto Rico. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-04-02.php 2019-04-02T00:00:00+02:00 2019-04-02T00:00:00+02:00 My whole book is about contrasts. Outdoors vs indoors, small breats vs big boobs, natural vs artificial and so on. Contrasts help to create interest, I learned in art school. And Benidorm, the secret capital of skyscrapers in Europe, had always been a dream to me. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-03-30.php 2019-03-30T00:00:00+01:00 2019-03-30T00:00:00+01:00 Smartphones dominate our lifes. Mine not so much, to be honest. Still, I am always keeping up to date with changing trends and find it interesting to watch and follow. Therefore I needed to create a new instagram account and from now on you can follow me there again. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-03-20.php 2019-03-20T00:00:00+01:00 2019-03-20T00:00:00+01:00 Yesterday, on the treadmill in the gym, I decided to write a few tales for my blog. The stories of Sublime. A little behind the scenes to all the 30 pictorials that are in the book. Whether you own a copy or not, I hope this will be a bit entertaining. A deep insight in the photo productions for my latest book. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2019-03-15.php 2019-03-15T00:00:00+01:00 2019-03-15T00:00:00+01:00 When traveling we have a different mindset. We are more curious and we leave all the burden of everyday life behind us. Joan Bosch summarizes this with a beautiful video clip. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2019-03-08.php 2019-03-08T00:00:00+01:00 2019-03-08T00:00:00+01:00 For more than 15 years, I use Profoto lights. Now, if they asked me, I would have given them this wish list: Make it smaller, lighter, so I can take it on a plane, remove the cable and make it chargeable while using. Oh, and if you could add a display with large numbers, it would be nice, too. Profot hasn't asked me. But they still fulfilled my wishes. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/may-i-introduce/2019-02-28.php 2019-02-28T00:00:00+01:00 2019-02-28T00:00:00+01:00 Often photographers tell me that their work doesn't get valued enough and that the photographer's profession is not enough to make a living. In these changing times, I ran into Frederik who has a studio only one mile away from my home. He is full of enthusiasm and told me his secret of success. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-02-16.php 2019-02-16T00:00:00+01:00 2019-02-16T00:00:00+01:00 Great news again. The new issue of Playboy magazine Germany is out and I am happy to tell you that, again, I photographed the Playmate series. This time the production took place in Fuerteventura. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-01-20.php 2019-01-20T00:00:00+01:00 2019-01-20T00:00:00+01:00 What a wonderful start into 2019. I am happy to announce that I photographed the Playmate series for Playboy Germany February 2019. I will let you glimpse behind the scenes of the production. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2019-01-16.php 2019-01-16T00:00:00+01:00 2019-01-16T00:00:00+01:00 I discovered additional footage that I filmed as behind the scenes from working with the girls for my book Sublime. So, I cut it together for you to see. I guess, it's not about travel, it's about freedom. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2019-01-09.php 2019-01-09T00:00:00+01:00 2019-01-09T00:00:00+01:00 The past few weeks, I spent many days on the couch. Enjoying the quieter days at the end of the year. And I watched many tutorials on color grading, filming b-roll and how to achieve cool things with gimbals when filming. Now, this clip just blew me away. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2019-01-04.php 2019-01-04T00:00:00+01:00 2019-01-04T00:00:00+01:00 When photographing humans, no matter what you do in the retouching process, the skin tones are the most important colors. While Canon tends to give warm skin tones, Sony's color math leads to cooler images. What is right and what is wrong? I recently heard about the secret skin tone formula. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2018-12-19.php 2018-12-19T00:00:00+01:00 2018-12-19T00:00:00+01:00 Sometimes I am jealous at musicians, because they have the power to create something that rests deep in our brains. Music sets the mood. No wonder, I like to play music during my shootings. Here is my current four hours set that I play. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2018-12-10.php 2018-12-10T00:00:00+01:00 2018-12-10T00:00:00+01:00 If I was to describe the past year with one adjective, it would be 'full'. For me, the year was packed with amazing journeys, a lot of work and not much time in between. It's better than the opposite though and looking back, it's hard to believe what I have been all up to. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2018-12-01.php 2018-12-01T00:00:00+01:00 2018-12-01T00:00:00+01:00 Like every year for so many years, I produced a calendar again. As last year there were only indoor shots in the calendar, I decided to put in only outdoor photos this time. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2018-11-22.php 2018-11-22T00:00:00+01:00 2018-11-22T00:00:00+01:00 For the past three years, I captured the atmosphere of working on my photo book. And I mixed it up into a four minutes clip for you to enjoy. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2018-11-16.php 2018-11-16T00:00:00+01:00 2018-11-16T00:00:00+01:00 Ten years ago a model introduced me to Tony Kelly. I instantly liked his vivid colors and the irony in his images. One of his key pieces is photographing model figures on models. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2018-11-08.php 2018-11-08T00:00:00+01:00 2018-11-08T00:00:00+01:00 There are two common color spaces and it is a highly technical topic. One is larger than the other, one is more common, especially when displaying images on screen. So which color space should you use? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2018-10-26.php 2018-10-26T00:00:00+02:00 2018-10-26T00:00:00+02:00 When Martin heard I was making a new book, he invited me over to Cologne to speak about it on camera. We had a very spontaneous meeting and talked for about 45 minutes about my latest book. The interview is in German. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2018-10-21.php 2018-10-21T00:00:00+02:00 2018-10-21T00:00:00+02:00 Photographers are vain people. They live for applause. Maybe it's not such much about vanity, but about being seen and appreciated for what you do. So, I am very grateful that my work has been put on the cover of Playboy Cars, November 2018 issue. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2018-10-12.php 2018-10-12T00:00:00+02:00 2018-10-12T00:00:00+02:00 Recently I had a wonderful presentation of my new photo book in Frankfurt. It was a lovely evening with yummy food, tasty drinks, photos and stories about my work. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2018-09-07.php 2018-09-07T00:00:00+02:00 2018-09-07T00:00:00+02:00 Belgian Fine Art photographer Frank De Mulder is annoyed by the social media circus that is ruled by unrealistic standards and full of fake pictures. So he had the idea to photograph four women as simply as possible, exposing their souls as much as possible and portraying their personality. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/may-i-introduce/2018-08-29.php 2018-08-29T00:00:00+02:00 2018-08-29T00:00:00+02:00 Even though we only live four and a half miles apart from each other we had never met. I decided, it's about time for a change and cycled to Hannes. We sat down for a couple of hours and spoke about his vision on photography. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2018-08-13.php 2018-08-13T00:00:00+02:00 2018-08-13T00:00:00+02:00 After the success of my first book, I decided I wanted to give something back to my dear supporters. In Germany, we have an agreement of the fixing of book prices. It's actually not an agreement, it's a dead serious law. For eighteen months the book price must stay fix without any exceptions. No discounts and no price increase. But hey, eighteen months? My last book was sold out in nine. But then I had an idea... https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2018-08-05.php 2018-08-05T00:00:00+02:00 2018-08-05T00:00:00+02:00 As my second photo book is going to be available soon and Frisky is no longer an item in my menu bar, I decided to create a page in my blog, allowing you to look at my first photo book. Still feeling frisky, after all these years. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2018-07-20.php 2018-07-20T00:00:00+02:00 2018-07-20T00:00:00+02:00 As I invested so much time in producing the content for my new book, I wanted to attend the printing process as well. So, as with my previous book, I joined the print workers and witnessed the fascinating process of printing the sheets. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2018-07-04.php 2018-07-04T00:00:00+02:00 2018-07-04T00:00:00+02:00 I spent the last few weeks selecting images. Or kicking out images. However you want to call it. And now, I am finally done with the selection. I know what my book will feel like. But there's no book yet. First, there's the layout. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2018-06-27.php 2018-06-27T00:00:00+02:00 2018-06-27T00:00:00+02:00 When I read discussions on photo gear, it's all about lenses. People keep asking what kind of lens they should take on their trips and which lenses perform better than others. Here's an introduction to what I photograph with. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2018-06-18.php 2018-06-18T00:00:00+02:00 2018-06-18T00:00:00+02:00 Staying connected to the youth is essential for my work. Because we all want to stay young, freeze the best years of our lives. When nothing mattered more than joyful moments and you had no sorrows. Playfulness, childishness, crazyness. How do you put this into a visual experience? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2018-06-09.php 2018-06-09T00:00:00+02:00 2018-06-09T00:00:00+02:00 Three years of work lay behind me. All shootings for my new book are wrapped. After 31 sessions with around 800 – 1,200 images each, I had a hard time selecting the best ones and putting them into nice series. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2018-05-31.php 2018-05-31T00:00:00+02:00 2018-05-31T00:00:00+02:00 For me a car is just a tool to get from A to B. Nothing more. But why? Most probably because the design ideas of the 70s weren't compatible to our markets. Check out this dreamy introduction to Grand Basel, showcasing a very rare Lancia Sibilo. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2018-05-22.php 2018-05-22T00:00:00+02:00 2018-05-22T00:00:00+02:00 I discovered Katia when she was 19 years old. By that time I had just finished the proof printing of my first book. It was too late to put her into this book. But I knew, she was someone special. So, I beared her in mind and contacted her when the time was right. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2018-04-26.php 2018-04-26T00:00:00+02:00 2018-04-26T00:00:00+02:00 Time seems to fly. It's always like that when you're busy. I am so happy to announce that the cover page of my new book is finished. The title of the book has been set for 10 months already and the logo is ready now, too. So, as you can imagine, I am in the final steps and in a couple of months, after three years of intense work, my new coffee table book will be out. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/may-i-introduce/2018-02-09.php 2018-02-09T00:00:00+01:00 2018-02-09T00:00:00+01:00 There's something about Italian girls. They are considered impulsive and sanguigni (lit: bloody) because they can't hold their tongues and raise their voices. Chiara is such a passionate Italian woman and here's what she told me when I met her in Milan. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2018-01-24.php 2018-01-24T00:00:00+01:00 2018-01-24T00:00:00+01:00 After a couple of years, you can judge better what gear is useful and what stuff rests in the drawer for years. There's one little camera tripod I am constantly using and that barely anyone knows. So, I thought, I tell you about it. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2018-01-10.php 2018-01-10T00:00:00+01:00 2018-01-10T00:00:00+01:00 I admire the work of Guido Argentini. The way he works with light, colors and composition ist outstanding. So when I stumbled upon his new work, I was very happy to also find this video where he explains what it is all about. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2017-12-20.php 2017-12-20T00:00:00+01:00 2017-12-20T00:00:00+01:00 For a couple of weeks the successor of my Sony camera is out on the market. You could read many opinions in internet forums from people who had only read the technical specs from Sony's press release. Luckily I was invited to get hands-on information through a professional Sony expert at my local dealer. Here are my (rather non-technical) conclusions. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2017-12-01.php 2017-12-01T00:00:00+01:00 2017-12-01T00:00:00+01:00 So it's already December again. An exciting year is drawing to a close. I travelled to many places in 2017 and worked on very interesting projects. Many things have been pushed forward in the past months and while I usually rather remain the invisible guy behind the camera, I am happy to tell you a bit about my adventures of 2017. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/may-i-introduce/2017-11-21.php 2017-11-21T00:00:00+01:00 2017-11-21T00:00:00+01:00 Shooting with ancient cameras on instant film requires a good portion of madness. Who is this guy who goes through this struggle? So right when Stefan Merz – who's artist name is Herr Merzi – returned from an exhibition during Paris Photo fair I met with him and we chatted about him and his view on photography. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2017-10-31.php 2017-10-31T00:00:00+01:00 2017-10-31T00:00:00+01:00 Halloween means nothing to me. Yet, I had to smile when I re-watched this advertisement from Agent Provocateur which was featured at the Berlin Fashion Film Festival. Unique, for sure. Check this out. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2017-10-18.php 2017-10-18T00:00:00+02:00 2017-10-18T00:00:00+02:00 Picasso had his pink period and his blue period. I am in my blonde period right now, Hugh Heffner once said. And I am with him at this point as I currently seek a blonde model for a story for my next book. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2017-10-06.php 2017-10-06T00:00:00+02:00 2017-10-06T00:00:00+02:00 In 2009 I created my first calendar. So this year's issue is the 10th anniversary publication. Hooray! It makes me happy to make others happy with my work and I put a decent amount of work into it. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2017-09-25.php 2017-09-25T00:00:00+02:00 2017-09-25T00:00:00+02:00 Most recently I neglected my blog a little. Sorry for that. I was so focussed on my work that I simply did not find the time. But of course, I kept my eyes open and here's a inspirational great clip for you. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/may-i-introduce/2017-09-06.php 2017-09-06T00:00:00+02:00 2017-09-06T00:00:00+02:00 For many years I have been following Martin's work as a nude photographer. His black and white calendar is known far beyond the borders of Austria. As I was heading to a production to Vienna myself, I decided to make a stop-over in Neunkirchen, the hometown of Martin Wieland. We chatted about models, shooting experiences and his new large-sized photo book. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2017-08-01.php 2017-08-01T00:00:00+02:00 2017-08-01T00:00:00+02:00 Even though my Sony A7RII has an In Body Image Stabilization (IBIS), I was a bit unhappy with videos I filmed freehand lately. When walking, it's just impossible to keep a shot steady without the use of additional gear. So I decided to search for a suitable gimbal that can hold my Sony steady with ease. With the Zhiyun Crane 3 I found a proper tool. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2017-06-28.php 2017-06-28T00:00:00+02:00 2017-06-28T00:00:00+02:00 When you make a mood board of a certain decade, it is interesting to see how colors, patterns and things universally describe an era. But how do such things happen? And who created the look of the 80s? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/may-i-introduce/2017-06-16.php 2017-06-16T00:00:00+02:00 2017-06-16T00:00:00+02:00 Meeting people who are enthousiastic about photography is always awesome. Woj spoke with me about different aspects of photography in a very personal conversation. He described to me how he feels liberated and enjoys his creativity after splitting up with his model girl-friend. And why he would call himself a romantic pervert. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2017-06-08.php 2017-06-08T00:00:00+02:00 2017-06-08T00:00:00+02:00 Looking back, it turns out, I have always been a visual person. My childhood still plays a role when it comes to creating my photo stories. I memorize scenes from the past and get nostalgic feelings. With the internet, you can easily dive back into your childhood. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2017-05-30.php 2017-05-30T00:00:00+02:00 2017-05-30T00:00:00+02:00 Instagram is the place to be. There's nothing else. You can have thousands of followers and become famous. And even get freebies from companies. Instagram is open 24 hours every day so you should not miss out. This is what I learned during my past shootings. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2017-05-22.php 2017-05-22T00:00:00+02:00 2017-05-22T00:00:00+02:00 While it is always about the beauty and appeal of a gorgeous woman, the location unobtrusively adds to the atmosphere. These subtle moments recently inspired me the most. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/may-i-introduce/2017-05-11.php 2017-05-11T00:00:00+02:00 2017-05-11T00:00:00+02:00 Ben is a 26 year old photographer from Cologne. He just published his first photo book which is a documentary of his last year when he took a time out and the plunge to own a photo studio. With all its ups and downs. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2017-05-04.php 2017-05-04T00:00:00+02:00 2017-05-04T00:00:00+02:00 Sticking close to the zeitgeist and not losing touch with the life of the young generation drives me. Curiosity makes me wander through the world with my eyes wide open. And inspiration can even be found in advertisings. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2017-04-26.php 2017-04-26T00:00:00+02:00 2017-04-26T00:00:00+02:00 From time to time, people email me and ask me how they can get started doing a photo shoot. The obvious answer would be: Just do it. But actually there is quite some work involved. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2017-04-19.php 2017-04-19T00:00:00+02:00 2017-04-19T00:00:00+02:00 When I was a kid, my father taught me that a good photograph needs a foreground, middleground and background. It is one of the very basic composition rules. And still valid today. But what if you're not shooting landscapes? And what if there is no foreground on your set? https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/may-i-introduce/2017-04-03.php 2017-04-03T00:00:00+02:00 2017-04-03T00:00:00+02:00 In 2009 I discovered Rene de Haan on the internet and asked him what he thinks about my latest photo series. He critisized a lot, but his honesty brought me further. We soon became friends and exchange mails several times a week, still. Rene is a laid-back and modest person. But with far more than 100 shootings for Playboy, he has a lot to tell. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2017-03-22.php 2017-03-22T00:00:00+01:00 2017-03-22T00:00:00+01:00 Instagram is the new Facebook, they say. In Germany it's a big thing and a lot of people speak about this platform. It took me a while to jump on the bandwagon. But now, I am finally signed up with an Instagram account, too. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2017-03-08.php 2017-03-08T00:00:00+01:00 2017-03-08T00:00:00+01:00 Winter time in Germany sucks big time for a photographer like me. Wanting to work with available light, makes it almost impossible to shoot. Outside the trees have no leaves and it is too cold to shoot nudes. Inside you need locations with large windows. And then you can still only photograph for a couple of hours in the middle of the day. Now, I finally kicked off the shooting season for 2017. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2017-02-28.php 2017-02-28T00:00:00+01:00 2017-02-28T00:00:00+01:00 When it comes to color grading, there are thousands of techniques. You can't say one method is better than the other. And none of them works universal for all images. Probably like all photographers, I try to photograph light and colors in a way I want them, so I have less work in post production. For images that look almost perfect out of cam, color grading using Photoshop's gradient map is a very quick method. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/may-i-introduce/2017-02-22.php 2017-02-22T00:00:00+01:00 2017-02-22T00:00:00+01:00 So far, I only introduced males in this section of my blog. As we both know that you came here because of your interest in females, I am happy to tell you that I have something for you. I spoke with Playmate of the month May 2016 and asked her about her private life and her dreams. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2017-02-10.php 2017-02-10T00:00:00+01:00 2017-02-10T00:00:00+01:00 For me, styling has always been part of the process. When I make a concept for a photo shoot, I also decide what the model will be wearing and I imagine the whole scene. So, I regularly by new clothing, lingerie, high heels, accessories, everything that suits my shooting ideas. And the consequence was: A damn full wardrobe with over 50 pairs of heels, 300 knickers, 50 times legwear and so on. Time for a clearance sale. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2017-01-25.php 2017-01-25T00:00:00+01:00 2017-01-25T00:00:00+01:00 From yellow submarines to twitter birds, Playboy bunnies to tribals, stylishly written names to something I would call copy text, I have photographed all of this as tattoos, already. But there's a reason why I prefer to shoot women without inked skin. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/may-i-introduce/2017-01-18.php 2017-01-18T00:00:00+01:00 2017-01-18T00:00:00+01:00 In today's world, photography is everywhere. We are over-saturated by looking at images all day long. The average attention span is less than 10 seconds now. But trust me, there are artists who deserve much more of our time. Jonas Skorpil is one of them. I met him and we spoke for a couple of hours. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2017-01-11.php 2017-01-11T00:00:00+01:00 2017-01-11T00:00:00+01:00 Just like salt and pepper, yin and yang, bacon and eggs, I believe, girls and cars are a suitable, natural pairing. I agree it can easily get cheesy (which I try to avoid). But I don't mind photographing something that's been done a thousand times before. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2017-01-04.php 2017-01-04T00:00:00+01:00 2017-01-04T00:00:00+01:00 I used to deejay. Music still plays an important role in my life. Just like photographs, songs transports a certain mood and can evoke emotions, create memories. For my book release party a while ago, I created this frisky playlist. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2016-12-28.php 2016-12-28T00:00:00+01:00 2016-12-28T00:00:00+01:00 Henrik Purienne is a photographer whose work I follow for a long time. I remember first having found his website when I was still attending design school, so that must have been around the year 2000. His photos stand out because they transport the lifestyle of the seventies so well. Now, his second photo book is out. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2016-12-21.php 2016-12-21T00:00:00+01:00 2016-12-21T00:00:00+01:00 In photography it's all about light. The quality and quantity of light, soft and harsh light. But one of the most important aspects is the direction of light. It's always good to know from where the sun shines at what time. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2016-12-13.php 2016-12-13T00:00:00+01:00 2016-12-13T00:00:00+01:00 No, this is not an advertising for a camera bag. I am simply writing about what I pack when I go on my trips, because many people ask me this. And switching from Canon to Sony gear changed a lot for me. Having the experience from so many trips, I know very well what I need when I am under way. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2016-12-06.php 2016-12-06T00:00:00+01:00 2016-12-06T00:00:00+01:00 At the beginning of the German winter season, when it gets dark outside at 5 pm already, it is just the perfect time for browsing photo books. Luckily, there's a new one out which looks promising. The superficially unarranged pictures of 15 photographers convey a subtle form of sexyness despite today's social media masked requirements. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/may-i-introduce/2016-12-01.php 2016-12-01T00:00:00+01:00 2016-12-01T00:00:00+01:00 This was a bit surreal. One afternoon, I walk out of the door of my local supermarket and there stands a guy with a camera. At a quick glance I notice he holds a Canon 5D. The photographer looks at me and after a short moment of hesitation, he asks: “Simon?”. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2016-11-25.php 2016-11-25T00:00:00+01:00 2016-11-25T00:00:00+01:00 Today, I realized that of all months, December is somehow a very poor one. It gets left out in all the annual reviews that you watch on tv. And so it is with my personal review of 2016 as well. Even though exciting projects are coming up in December, I decided to already tell you about the shooting trips from this year, so far. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2016-11-13.php 2016-11-13T00:00:00+01:00 2016-11-13T00:00:00+01:00 After owning a Sony Alpha 7R2 for more than one year now, I decided to share my experiences with this mirrorless camera. A lot of blog posts you find are written by techno enthusiasts, so my personal opinion might add something as I am definitely not the type of person who you can win over with more megapixels or other tech specs. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2016-10-12.php 2016-10-12T00:00:00+02:00 2016-10-12T00:00:00+02:00 When I was asked by Marc Gerst, if I could imagine to take part in a production where they showcase how photographers work, I didn't hesitate one moment. We flew to Barcelona and I was filmed during a typical shooting of mine, then interviewed about how I work. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2016-10-10.php 2016-10-10T00:00:00+02:00 2016-10-10T00:00:00+02:00 When Edelkrone announced a new slider called Wing, many photo enthusiasts complained that it was too pricey and not motorized. Somehow, I instantly fell in love with the idea of a highly portable slider that keeps the camera constantly on one level while unfolding like a wing. Because Edelkrone is known to manufacture solid gear, I bought one. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/hands-on/2016-09-28.php 2016-09-28T00:00:00+02:00 2016-09-28T00:00:00+02:00 From all retouching techniques for skin, I like the so-called inverted high pass method the most. It looks very natural and the process is being used by professionals around the world. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/in-the-mood/2016-09-17.php 2016-09-17T00:00:00+02:00 2016-09-17T00:00:00+02:00 I surely don't want to complain about the late summer here in Frankfurt. It has been fantastic this year. Yet, I am dreaming of waves, sand and surfing. It's all about salty air, sun-kissed hair and making the most of longer days and warmer nights. https://www.simonbolz.com/blog/behind-the-scenes/2016-06-10.php 2016-06-10T00:00:00+02:00 2016-06-10T00:00:00+02:00 I was pleased to welcome Ben Hammer in my dining room to speak with him for one hour about my work as a photographer. Being in front of the camera surely isn't my favourite thing, but once you forget the cameras pointing at you, it's alright. And it was great to tell my stories.