online 02.2011
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editorial
Please take a look at the Hasselblad Masters Finalist Gallery on our homepage, and let the impressive photographs inspire and encourage you to take part in selecting your favorite for the renowned Hasselblad Masters Award! The gallery introducing the 110 finalists has been online since February 1. It includes the creative achievements of ten international photographers in each of the eleven categories, which make up the Hasselblad Masters Award – from Fashion/Beauty to Up-and-Coming, from Wildlife to Product items. The works of the 110 finalists were chosen from among the submissions of over 2500 international photographers, and the selection process was far from easy, considering all the outstanding images. The general public is now invited to participate in the Public Voting, choosing their own personal favorite in each category from among the finalists. This vote carries weight: The public will serve as an additional “jury member”, helping the Masters Jury to select the eleven Hasselblad Masters. The jury of experts includes some of the industry’s most respected photographers and established magazine editors – such as Steve McCurry, Anton Corbijn, Tim Flach and Danqing Wen. As Hasselblad Photographer Relations Manager, I would be extremely happy if as many of you as possible were to support our jury by taking part in the Public Voting. The artistic originality, technical perfection and passion conveyed by the 110 finalists’ images have really impressed me; yet, many other photographers who did not make it into the top ten within their category have also submitted many stunning pictures. For this reason, we have decided to set up a separate gallery on our site especially for the 300 semi-finalists. This way we can make sure that you don’t miss those pictures either. Kevin Then from Malaysia has already been honored as a Hasselblad Master. The photographer won in the Wedding/Social category of the 2008 Awards. Starting on page 28 of this issue of VICTOR online, he brings us wedding photos that are a mixture of reportage and careful composition. For this particular series, he traveled with a bride and groom from Malaysia to Italy, where they shot pictures in Venice, Florence and Rome. Taken with among others an H4D-40, the images prove once more that Kevin Then is one of the most talented wedding photographers in the world. He has such a passion for photography, the art and his clients. Each of his wedding portraits is a unique piece of art made by the best in the industry. I hope you enjoy the new issue of VICTOR online.
Content
Graceful underwater images: Henrik Sørensen photographed dancers from the Royal Danish Ballet with his H3DII-50
4 >> News Exhibition: The “National Geographic” touring exhibition “Dolo mites – The Stone Heart of the World“ with pictures by Georg Tappeiner · Hasselblad Master Award: Images by the 110 finalists are online at the Hasselblad homepage, and open for Public Voting
6 >> henrik sørensen Equipped with an H3DII-50, Danish photographer, Henrik Sørensen, managed to get impressive underwater photos of dancers from the Royal Danish Ballet. With the masterful use of light and shadow, and the precise poses, the images completely captivate the viewer.
24 >> Eric lafforgue Users of the Hasselblad Owners’ Club have chosen an image by the French reportage photographer as Photo of the Month. At VICTOR online he introduces some of his most beautiful shots and explains why the look of the boy in the winning picture is so intense.
28 >> Kevin then Malaysian Hasselblad Master, Kevin Then, loves placing bridal couples in perfect settings. He wants the newly-weds to feel like stars, and spares no effort to achieve this. After all, the images will be with the couples for the rest of their lives.
38 >> preview The Nairobi National Park is home to the largest orphaned animal shelter in the whole of Africa. Using an H3D-31, German wildlife and reportage photographer, Joachim Schmeisser, traveled there and took moving black & white pictures of orphaned elephants.
Yours, Christian Nørgaard, Photographer Relations Manager Hasselblad
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victornEWS Exhibition Monumental images of the Dolomites
masters award finalists: vote for your favorite
“National Geographic Germany” is introducing a touring exhibition titled “Dolomites – The Stone Heart of the World” by Hasselblad photographer Georg Tappeiner. The 50 motifs that make up the exhibit show the untouched majesty of the Dolomite landscape, which UNESCO recognized as a world natural heritage site in 2009, due to its “unique, monumental beauty”. The special appeal of this unrivaled mountain range within the Italian Alps was captured by Merano photographer, Georg Tappeiner, with an H3DII-50. His distinctive images of the Dolomites underline an elemental and moving plea to treasure and protect these mountains – totally in line with the National Geographic Society’s mission of “Inspiring people to care about the planet”. The National Geographic exhibition “Dolomites – The Stone Heart of the World” was first presented at photokina 2010 in Cologne. Now it is on tour throughout Germany and Austria. Here are the dates:
From among 2500 competitors, the jury has selected ten finalists for each of the eleven categories for the Hasselblad Masters Award. The chosen pieces asserted themselves in the midst of a tough international competition, and can be seen at the Finalist Gallery on the Hasselblad homepage since February 1. At the gallery, you can not only enjoy the inspiring works of art, but can also take part in the Public Voting process until October 31. Every registered user can vote for a favorite in each category, making the public an additional “jury member” in support of our distinguished Masters Jury for the selection of the eleven Hasselblad Masters. “I’m so proud of the number of submissions from all around the world, and I’m particularly delighted in the increase from Latin America and the Far East,” Christian Nørgaard, Hasselblad Photographer Relations Manager, says. “But, not only the number of participants has grown, the photographers have further raised the bar, surpassing the already high quality of past years.” This clearly reflects how the competition, supported by Broncolor and SanDisk among others, is increasingly appreciated by the photo community. Hasselblad has created an additional online gallery to include all 300 semi-finalists, in honor of the outstanding quality of work. Starting on February 14, it will be accessible to the public at www.hasselblad.com until the end of October. Furthermore, high-quality prints of the 110 finalists’ works will be on exhibit at several Masters Events around the globe throughout this year. ■
March 9 to 13, 2011: ITB, Berlin/Germany April 15 to August 14, 2011: Zingst/Germany September 1 to October 30, 2011: Natural History Museum, Vienna/Austria November 21, 2011 to January 7, 2012: Kulturamt St. Ingbert/Germany More information can be found at www.national geographic.de/aktuelles/ausstellungen/nationalgeographic-fotoausstellung-dolomiten
The photographs by the 110 finalists of the Hasselblad Masters Award are being presented at the Finalists Gallery. This is where registered users can choose their favorites for each category
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Hasselblad users all over the world exchange news on the Hasselblad Owners’ Club (HOC) site. At the end of January, registered users chose a new Photo of the Month, taken by Alexander Martirosov. With this picture, the Russian photographer prevailed over the strong competition. We will fully introduce him in the March issue of VICTOR online. ■
Henrik Sørensen Danish photographer, Henrik Sørensen specializes in underwater pictures. Using Hasselblad cameras with Ultima Digital UW housing, his perfectly lit and composed images are imbued with elegance and weightlessness. The photos taken of the Royal Danish Ballet dancers with an H3DII-50 are a great example.
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Bubbles might disturb the pictures of synchronized swimmers (above), but Sørensen added lots to get an even more rocking image of the guitarist (left)
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“This shot for Getty Images/Stone proved harder than expected, as the papers were drifting due to the circulation in the pool,” Henrik Sørensen remembers
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For outdoor retailer Friluftland, Sørensen shot outdoor sports under water. It was a challenge for the model to jump into the pool and keep stable on the skis
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Above: “I tried to capture energy and got an almost religious figure.” Right: “I like to imagine there are tones hidden inside the bubbles. Humor is an important part of my work.”
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For both pictures for Getty Images/Stone the underwater specialist plays with light, a pro足fusion of bubbles (left) and well-placed reflections (above)
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Please find this movie at www.victorbyhasselblad.com
The making-of video offers a glimpse at Sørensen’s Hasselblad shoot with Royal Danish Ballet dancers, including this picture of Byron Mildwater (right)
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Additional cloth added much volume to ballet dancer Josephine Berggren’s dress, allowing Henrik Sørensen to take this flowing image with his H3DII-50
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Portfolio Henrik Sørensen
Around four years ago, Danish commercial photographer Henrik Sørensen chanced upon underwater photography. A choreographer colleague asked him if he had ever taken underwater shots, which led to their taking pictures in a swimming pool in Copenhagen. “I immediately found it to be a creative environment I had to explore. From day one I decided not to shoot ‘ordinary’ underwater images, but to try and use this liquid space in the most inventive way,” Sørensen remembers. “When I get the model to feel buoyant and relaxed, it’s possible to take some really graceful and powerful images.” For example, a model screaming under water produces impressive results, because the rising bubbles leave a trail like in a cartoon image. “Another thing that this clean and graphic space gives me is the dreamy light, the slight diffusion in the water that allows me to create peaceful imagery with smooth skin tones. Talking of skin, I should mention that the ‘floating’ factor does something to the face; in a way it takes gravity out of action,” Sørensen explains. At the same time, it is not possible to communicate with the model under water – each adjustment has to be
made on the surface. This produces another challenge – there is often only one shot where everything comes together. “That leads to the technical aspect, where both camera and light need to be really reliable. I can’t afford to miss the right shot due to technical problems,” the photographer adds. For this reason he uses an H3D-39 or H3DII-50 with Ultima Digital UW housing. The salt-water resistant, aluminum Ultima Digital case protects the camera in depths of up to 60 meters. As for the right lighting, Sørensen has plenty of experience. “From day one I tried to use the water as a creative medium, and I prefer to work with controllable lighting, always using a studio flash, often narrowing the light and trying to avoid bounding light in the pool. I’ve learned to use some of the walls and the bottom of the pool as a visual tool to reflect the light,” he explains. It is not just their dependability and high resolution that led him to choose Hasselblad cameras, but also the depth of color they can achieve. “Due to the wave length of light traveling through water, it is of utmost importance to be able to use the narrow color space it leaves you,” Sørensen explains.
Sørensen proved his capacity to master the particular conditions and challenges of underwater shooting during a campaign for Hasselblad. Together with choreographer Loise Seloy, he directed three dancers from the Royal Danish Ballet at a swimming pool in Copenhagen. “The concept was to capture the grace and elegance of these great artists, and use the water to add some extra weightlessness to the imagery,” Sørensen remembers. “The choreographer tried to keep the positions as classic as possible, so I could focus on the expression and the composition.” Because none of the dancers had any experience with underwater pictures, the preparations were very important. First of all, Sørensen made sure they felt safe and secure in the water, because, if they had been the slightest bit fearful, it would have been reflected in the pictures. The dancers, however, adapted to the unusual setting very quickly, so that neither hair extensions, big dresses or stage fright could make them lose their cool. The result of the two day photo shoot is a series of apparently weightless, perfectly composed and dramatic photographs imbued with timeless elegance. Sørensen photographed Berggren (left) for Hasselblad; the picture on the right for Oergreen glasses. “Portrait photography underwater is challenging due to communi cation difficulties; but the heroic pose works rather well.”
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Eric Lafforgue Members of the Hasselblad Owners’ Club have chosen a picture by Eric Lafforgue as Photo of the Month. Introducing the French reportage photographer and his aesthetic world.
Eric Lafforgue became interested in photography after working in a variety of other media. In 2006, before setting off on a long journey, he decided to buy an H2D. “The idea was to record remote tribes, using the most modern equipment,” Lafforgue remembers. “After posting my pictures on the web, I had many requests from prestigious magazines,” he explains. “When Geo Germany bought 10 pages of my New Guinea pictures, I thought about turning pro full time.” While travelling the world, he photographed the people because he was interested in their lives, traditions and cultures. Lafforgue has been using Hasselblads the whole time: After the H2D it was an H3D-39 and, more recently, an H4D-50. “I think I’m a good tester because, if the Hasselblad has survived Angola, Ethiopia, Vanuatu, Papua New Gui nea or North Korea, you can say it works!” The HOC winning picture (next page, top left), was taken with the H3D-39 just after landing on Ambrym, a small island in Oceania. “I was the only tourist on the weekly plane, and its arrival is the kids’ main entertainment! So as soon as I got out of the plane I saw this kid who was so surprised to see the big camera in my hands, that I took a picture,” he recalls. Photos that Lafforgue took in Asia and Oceania can be seen at the “Portraits of Asia” open air exhibition at Bangkok’s Central World Square, from February 10 to April 10, 2011. Vita: Born in Pau, France, 1964. Freelance photographer since 2007. Published, among others, in Geo, National Geographic and CNN Traveller. www.ericlafforgue.com www.hasselblad.com
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Hasselblad Master portfolio
7%$$).' social
Kevin Then “A wedding photo shouldn’t just be traditional, with the bride simply standing around wearing a white gown,� Malaysian wedding photographer Kevin Then explains. “It’s my style to make it more dramatic, more romantic. Like a movie director, I want the pictures a certain way, with everything perfect – the dress, veil, face, makeup, and hairstyle. After all, the pictures will be with the couple their whole lives.� With this in mind, it’s not surprising that Then puts a considerable amount of time and effort into the photo shoots. He once travelled with a couple from Malaysia to Italy, to take bombastic wedding pictures with the monumental backdrops of Venice, Florence and Rome. “The Hasselblad system is really helpful for creating a dramatic mood for the pictures. Of course I also give credit to the atmosphere and the extra lighting,� Then, who took the photos in Italy with an H3D-22 and an H4D-40, recalls. Whether saturated with colour or in powerful black & white, his pictures are perfectly composed and set up. The photographer also allows for the unexpected, using passers-by as extras for some motifs – like the couple kissing on Venetian Ponte dell’Accademia bridge, a street musician in an alleyway in Venice, or a boy passing over Ponte dell’Angelo in Rome. Kevin Then, co-owner of SG Bridal House in Malaysia, has been doing pre-nuptial and wedding day photography for nine years already. He is known for transforming the bridal couples into stars. His passion is to use his creativity to capture the special moments in wonderful and timeless images. www.kevinthen.com www.hasselblad.com
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Next victor online: 1 march 2011 Be surprised by inspiring portfolios, keep up-to-date with the most significant photographic trends and read leading news for the photography community. On March 1st, 2011, check your monitor for the next issue of VICTOR online.
joachim schmeisser >> his portraits of orphaned elephants in Kenya inspire tender feelings
mark holthusen >> product images reminiscent of the old masters
>> Discover the aesthetic world of the photographer who took the Hasselblad Owners’ Club photo of the month: Alexander Martirosov
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Hasselblad Owners’ Club 2/2011
Items and topics in the next issue of VICTOR online may be changed or post-poned due to editorial or other reasons.
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Imprint VICTOR online | 2/2011 www.victorbyhasselblad.com info@victorbyhasselblad.com
Realization: IDC Corporate Publishing GmbH, Hamburg, Germany
Publishing House /Advertising: Center of Service GmbH Hammerbrookstr. 93 20097 Hamburg, Germany Tel.: + 49.40.25 40 48-69 (Fax: - 40) E-mail: info@centerofservice.com
All articles and illustrations contained in the online magazine are subject to the laws of copyright. Any form of utilisation beyond the narrow limits imposed by the laws of copyright and without the expressed permission of the publisher is forbidden and will be prosecuted. We accept no responsibility for unsolicited material and this will only be returned if appropriate postage is included.
Photographer Relations Manager Hasselblad: Christian Nørgaard Christian.Norgaard@Hasselblad.dk
Hasselblad is a registered trademark of Victor Hasselblad A/S, Denmark. Place of jurisdiction and execution: Hamburg, Germany
Publisher: Stephan Bittner, Center of Service GmbH
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