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EDITORIAL
As Hasselblad’s Global Photographer Relations Manager, I am in the enviable position of meeting and working with photographers from around the globe. It’s one of the best aspects of my job and this year is particularly exciting with last month’s launch of the 2014 Masters Competition and call for submissions. We’ve already received scores of applications and images representing the diversity and talents of the international photographic community and look forward to the participation of many more photographers over the next couple of months. I want to encourage photographers—whether they are newcomers to the profession or well-established, Hasselblad users or not—to join the competition. Submissions will be accepted until August 31st, so there’s plenty of time to enter your images. Since this is a photokina year, I look forward to meeting many of you this September in Cologne and hope you stop by the Hasselblad booth to say hello. While you’re there, check out our latest gear and be sure to join in the many activities we have planned for the upcoming trade fair. I’m currently working with the eleven 2012 Masters on their projects for the Masters Book Vol. 3, which will launch at photokina, giving you another great reason to visit the Hasselblad stand. But you don’t have to wait until photokina to hear interesting news or see the work of talented photographers. Just read through the pages of this issue of VICTOR. Turn to the News page for more details, but I wanted to personally thank you for your loyalty in reading the magazine and to let you know that this will be the last issue of VICTOR by Hasselblad online. However, I’m really thrilled to tell you that VICTOR will be back in the fall—in print! So be prepared to pick up a copy when it’s available. In other news, Hasselblad has launched an innovative marketing program with steep price reductions on new cameras and kits that we’re sure will bring many more people into the Hasselblad family. As always, you’ll find fascinating stories and fantastic photographs in this issue of VICTOR, from the astounding images of industrial photographer Monty Rakusen to the exquisite fashion photography of 2002 Hasselblad Master, Rodney Smith. I hope you enjoy reading this issue of VICTOR by Hasselblad!
CONTENT
Monty Rakusen’s photographs of industrial sites are second to none. With his insatiable curiosity, technical expertise and artistic vision, Rakusen consistently creates stunning images, even under the most challenging conditions.
4 >> NEWS Price Reductions on New Hasselblad Cameras Announced: Find out more about this groundbreaking marketing initiative with prices of a half-dozen Hasselblad cameras reduced by up to 22.9%. VICTOR in print—coming soon!: Back by popular demand, VICTOR magazine will be coming to you in print this fall. Read more about this exciting announcement as we say farewell to VICTOR online.
6 >> MONTY RAKUSEN Whether he’s braving some of the world’s darkest locations or exploring the calm beauty of an apple orchard, this industrial photographer brings his innate talents and graphic design background to every shoot.
24 >> JO FOBER Members of the Hasselblad Owners’ Club have chosen an image by fashion and architectural photographer Jo Fober for the winning photograph. We invite you to explore his striking images at VICTOR online.
28 >> RODNEY SMITH Fashion photographer Rodney Smith received his Hasselblad Masters Award 10 years ago and continues to capture his exquisite images on film. Learn more about this talented photographer and what motivated him, after 30 years of working solely in black and white, to start shooting in color.
Yours, Paul Waterworth, Global Photographer Relations Manager
40 >> FAREWELL VICTOR ONLINE We would like to leave you with our thanks for joining us online to share wonderful stories and amazing images with a look at some of our favorite VICTOR covers. We will be back—in print—this fall! online 3.2009
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VICTORNEWS HASSELBLAD COMING SOON VICTOR MAGAZINE IN PRINT! Yes, we’re bringing back VICTOR in print! We’ve listened to your feedback and paid attention to your many requests for the return of the award-winning print version of VICTOR so we’re re-launching the magazine this fall. And it’s going to be better than ever with the quality you’ve come to expect from Hasselblad. Amazing images created by some of the best photographers in the world will grace the pages of this high end publication and we know you’ll be thrilled with what we have planned. But please be patient. It will take us a few months to
get everything in place to go back to print but we promise that the new version of VICTOR will be well worth the brief wait. Print is, after all, the best way to appreciate and experience high caliber photography. At the same time, we are saying farewell to VICTOR online. This is the final issue and we want to thank you for spending the past several years with us and visiting the site month after month. We have enjoyed introducing you to so many wonderful Hasselblad photographers and their fantastic work. But this isn’t goodbye. We’ll be back with the print edition in just a few short months.
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HASSELBLAD GROUNDBREAKING PRICE REDUCTIONS ON NEW HASSELBLAD SYSTEMS Thanks to a new and innovative marketing strategy, more photographers than ever before will have the opportunity to own one of the world’s most advanced camera systems. With price reductions of up to 22.9%, says Chris Russell-Fish, Hasselblad’s global sales and marketing director, “This is a groundbreaking move and a very important day indeed for every photographer who aspires to own one of the best camera’s in the world.” With photokina only a few months away, this is the perfect opportunity for serious creative photographers to become part of the Hasselblad family—at a price they can afford. Among the six models that are part of this new marketing strategy is the H4D-31, complete with 35-90mm at a cost of 11,995 euros, which reflects a 22.9% (3,565 euro) reduction in price. The H4D-60—the ultimate photography tool—is now available for 23,900 euros thanks to a 20.59% (6,200 euro) drop in price. Photographers may continue to benefit from Hasselblad’s popular trade-in program, which has been adjusted to reflect the new price structure. And, customers who purchase a new Hasselblad camera and lens before the end of July 2012 are eligible to purchase a second lens at 50% of the manufacturer’s suggested sales price. For more information about these exciting cost-saving opportunities, visit http:// www.hasselblad.com/price-reduction ■ www.hasselblad.com
HOC
HASSELBLAD OWNERS’ CLUB 6/2012
Hasselblad users all over the world exchange news on the Hasselblad Owners’ Club (HOC) site. At the end of May, registered users chose a new Photo of the Month, taken by Zixin Chen With this picture, the UK-based photographer prevailed over the strong competition. You can learn more about the photographer and see his work at Hasselblad.com and in the next issue of the Hasselblad Bulletin. ■
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MONTY RAKUSEN Industrial photography has never looked so good thanks to U.K.-based photographer Monty Rakusen’s talent at turning even the grittiest of buildings and locations into stunning images— even as he’s working under some of the most challenging conditions.
As 90 tons of molten steel was poured into a mold at this steel mill, Rakusen faced many challenges in this difficult environment. But, even in low light, the image turned out beautifully thanks, in part, says Rakusen to the “massive dynamic range”6/2012 of the H4D-50. ONLINE
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Although Rakusen often uses models in his industrial shoots, he prefers working with “real” people like these trainee engineers in a coal mining facility repairing truck engines. left: Rakusen’s insatiable curiosity about how things are manufactured drives much of his work. Here he photographed workers at Dunlop Aircraft Tires, where they make tires by hand.
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Shot in a nuclear power station, Rakusen focuses on the trainee in the center. The remaining workers were shot separately at a slow shutter speed and were pasted into this composite shot.
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Rakusen’s background in graphic design is evident in many of his images, including this shot of a fusion reactor simulator, which is beautiful in its symmetry.
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How is coffee made? If you’re Monty Rakusen, you fly across the ocean to Jamaica where the world-famous Blue Mountain coffee is grown to find out. Not only did Monty get some great shots, but he also made wonderful new friends with the people he photographed.
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In stark contrast to some of his more gritty locations, Rakusen photographed this peaceful apple orchard in Yorkshire for one of his agricultural shoots.
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Although he shoots in color, Rakusen will sometimes convert images to black and white, as he did for this commissioned project at a GM facility in the United Kingdom.
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Portraiture plays a large role in Rakusen’s work, although he’ll sometimes use models since the people who work on site may not have the time to be photographed.
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Working in a “clean” environment, like this satellite testing facility, requires Rakusen to adhere to the same standards (and special attire) as those who work there. Even his cameras have to be cleaned—with alcohol— before he can go into a site.
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This image of a tanker in dry dock was shot from underneath. The “workers� are actually models, who Rakusen has directed to position themselves in juxtaposition on the ladders.
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PORTFOLIO MONTY RAKUSEN
U.K.-based Monty Rakusen has the courage of a super hero and the soul (and aesthetics) of an artist. Traveling the world with his Hasselblad H4D-50, this seemingly fearless industrial photographer can be found scaling a 50-foot rope ladder to board an oil tanker in the middle of the North Sea, traversing the dank underground of a 7000-foot deep mine or braving the sparks of a steel mill as molten lava is poured into a mold. But regardless of the grittiness of the location, Rakusen uses his innate talents and graphic design background to make all of his subjects look beautiful. It was while studying graphic design and illustration at Liverpool College of Art, where he had to take photographs as a reference for his illustrations, that Rakusen first realized his passion for photography. “I was walking on a street in Liverpool,” he recalls, “and came across a burning shop with the fire brigade in attendance. It was an amazing scene and I was so taken by it that I actually walked into the burning building to take pictures. From then onwards, I had a passion for photography.” Eventually, Rakusen opened his own product photography studio but it was, he says, “a factory churning out catalogue imagery.” One day, however, a client asked him to photograph a carpet factory in a “dreamy shallow focus style, like a perfume ad and this got me really interested in industrial photography shot in a different way.” But what drives Rakusen, in many ways, is his ever-present curiosity about and interest in processes. How are tires made? How is coffee made? “It fascinates me how they run the nuclear power plant,” says Rakusen, quickly adding that, “It also fascinates me how they fish for lobsters. Both are equally as interesting and important.” Because of this, his work takes him beyond dark and dangerous locations to more placid and peaceful settings such as an apple orchard in Yorkshire, England and a coffee plantation in Jamaica.
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Although U.K.-based, Rakusen travels around the world to make his images. This image (above) was captured at a shipyard in South Korea.
Nothing stops Rakusen from getting the shot—not even being crammed with 10 other people on a bouncing lobster boat out at sea.
It’s his genuine interest in scientific endeavors and manufacturing that help him gain access to sites, especially when he’s shooting on his own for stock. The split between assignment work and self-generated (self-funded) projects is about 50/50, with stock images going to Getty and Corbis, as well as other agencies via Cultura Creative in London. While he’ll reference stock wish lists to generate ideas of what to shoot, he also relies on the research his wife and business partner Liz does by searching on stock sites to see where there are gaps in coverage. Rakusen generally works with a team of at least one assistant, models, an art director and, if he’s shooting commissioned work, a client will sometimes accompany him. Although he has owned other Hasselblad cameras, he currently works with the H4D-50 and shoots tethered into Phocus. “It’s particularly nice to use Hasselblad for this type of work because it has a different look than 35mm,” Rakusen says, which has been reinforced by the head art director at Corbis who told him that it’s important to shoot medium format for this type of work “because it stands out.” And, Rakusen adds that it’s also good to shoot medium format “because it slows you down so you think about what you’re doing.” Importantly, the True Focus system delivers, even in poor lighting conditions and has “dramatically” increased Rakusen’s success rate. Rakusen understands that his is a niche market but his images are in demand worldwide not only because of his interesting choice of subjects but, more importantly, because of his ability to create stunning images where others see only concrete and steel. Be sure to check out this video on Hasselblad tv to see Monty in action. http://htv.hasselblad. com/video/monty-rakusen-sees-beauty-in-industry-through-his-h4d-50
www.rakusen.co.uk www.hasselblad.com
After being brought out to this tanker 20 miles off shore on a small boat and climbing up a 50-foot rope ladder to get on board, Rakusen took a number of images—including this one as the tanker came back into an oil terminal.
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JO FOBER Members of the Hasselblad Owners’ Club have chosen a picture by Jo Fober. Introducing the Cologneand Barcelona-based photographer and his aesthetic world.
Fashion and architectural photographer—and 2008 Hasselblad Masters finalist—Jo Fober captured the HOC winning photo (p. 27) this past February on the famed boardwalk of Coney Island with his H4D-60 and a 35mm f/3.5 lens. While Fober’s fashion images are vibrantly colored, winter grey skies in Brooklyn prevailed during his New York visit so he concentrated on photographing the interesting shops that line the walkway. To convey the spirit of Coney Island, he made sure to include the boardwalk’s iconic wooden slats in the foreground. Fober’s architectural work is shot on location, of course, but so are many of his fashion projects. In fact, he sometimes shoots at a designer’s studio. “I have learned that many of my clients want to work near or in their studio” so they can easily access the clothing, Fober explains. But regardless of the location, Fober depends on Phocus Mobile to help expedite his assignments by allowing clients to see the images on their mobile devices while he’s shooting. With Phocus Mobile, a designer, for example, is able to monitor the images on an iPad while in another room fitting models with the next look and can quickly tell Fober what images she likes. “The clients and designers love this!” says Fober, who has been using Phocus Mobile for about a year. And, when clients are happy, it’s a sure sign that they’ll think of Fober for their next shoot. Vita: born in Cologne, 1964. Received his first camera at age 15; began shooting with a Hasselblad 501CM in 2000; Future plans include a fashion shoot with models as sculptures; adding a Fine Art category to his portfolio.
www.jo-fober.de www.hasselblad.com
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HASSELBLAD MASTER PORTFOLIO
10 YEARS LATER // HASSELBLAD MASTERS 2002
RODN EY SMITH “I love the process of making photographs,” 2002 Hasselblad Master Rodney Smith tells us. “The interesting, or perhaps ironic, thing is that, 45 years later, nothing has changed for me. . . .the day of a shoot is just as great today as it ever was.” But it’s not only Smith’s passion for creating exquisite imagery that has been a constant in his life and decades-long career. While other photographers are shooting to CompactFlash cards, Smith still loads film into his Hasselblad cameras— (the same cameras he’s been shooting with for the past 30-35 years). Tongue-in-cheek, he quips, “I’m the last of the Mohicans.” For almost 30 years, Smith captured images exclusively in black and white. “My life is about creating an artifact, a print,” he explains. “I never shot color because I didn’t like color prints. The plastic paper never viscerally appealed to me.” That changed, however, with the introduction of digital inkjet printers and the ability to print on watercolor papers. “I loved the way the color saturated the paper and I started shooting color simply because of the way the prints look.” He admits that perhaps he was “ready to shoot color anyway,” but the look and feel of inkjet prints pushed him “over the edge.” Everything—processing, scanning with an Imacon scanner, and printing—is done in his studio. In fact, he has a full-time printer who has been with him for about 15 years. Smith sells a lot of work internationally through galleries and the large Hasselblad negatives allow him create “huge, mural sized prints that look really beautiful.” Smith still shoots black and white, although not as often as before. But his love for creating images has never waned. “Photography’s been very good to me,” says Smith. “I’ve been able to do exactly what I’ve wanted to do with my life and that’s a gift many people don’t have.”
www.rodneysmith.com www.hasselblad.com
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FAREWELL VICTOR ONLINE We’d like to leave you, our readers, with thanks for your loyalty, for your never-ending enthusiasm and for your contributions to VICTOR by Hasselblad. You have inspired us to work hard at making the magazine fresh and exciting each month. Visit the VICTOR Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/VICTORbyHasselblad to keep up to date with all the developing news and keep an eye out for the first new printed edition of VICTOR coming this fall. online
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IMPRINT VICTOR online | 6/2012 www.victorbyhasselblad.com info@victorbyhasselblad.com Publisher: HASSELBLAD Hejrevej 30 2400 Copenhagen NV, Denmark Web: www.hasselblad.com Global Photographer Relations Manager Hasselblad: Paul Waterworth Paul.Waterworth@Hasselblad.com
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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 responÂsibility for unsolicited material and this will only be returned if appropriate postage is included. Hasselblad is a registered trademark of Victor Hasselblad A/S, Denmark.
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