Marc Hoppe's interview

" There are so many ideas about photography in my head I want to do. And I have not enough time to do other things. There's nothing else that gives me this "wow" feeling such as photography." Marc Hoppe

"California"
Art Model Kat Love

You'll find Marc Hoppe at his official site, his MySpace, deviantART, his first feature.

Your passion for photography began in 2004. And for nude art in 2008. This year... Could you tell us some words about this decisive encounter with Thorsten Jankowski and Michael Papendieck ?

In the early 2008 I make a nude workshop. The teacher was Thorsten. It was the first photography workshop I've ever made and the first nude shooting. So I was a little bit nervous to see a naked women I never met before. I was absolutely enthusiastic about the images I have made and what you can do with light an shadows.

Thorsten teaches me the basics... and for what I have to look after. Today Thorsten is a good friend and we have a studio together and big plans for the future.

"Lena 2"
Art Model Lena

I'm not surprised. Your talent is amazing in such a so short time ! So... you're mainly, with the help of Thorsten of course, a self taught photographer ?

Thorsten teaches me the basics. The rest I learn it by myself and by analyzing images from other photographers. I think it's the best way to find out by yourself and create your own workflow.

When you look at an image you can learn so much, from where the lights come, what kind of light uses the photographer, where was the camera position. But you must find your own way.

Most times I use an 50mm 1.4 or 85mm 1.8 lens and only one, max two lights. I use this because I have to move around the model and so I catch miscelleanous perspectives. If you use a telephoto lens it induces you to stay at the same position, you can't move and you always see the same perspective.

"Swetlana"












How long could you be far from your camera ?

Hahaha ! My wife would say : " he never go out without a camera".


I don't know another way to do. Do you think you could make something else ?

Hum... Today I would say no. There are so many ideas about photography in my head I want to do. And I have not enough time to do other things. There's nothing else that gives me this "wow" feeling such as photography.


We feel it ! You're specialized in "acrobatic nudes" and “sculptural nudes” photography. Do you think your first experience in architecture photography is for something in your research about the forms and the structure of a body ?

I have a affinity for design and architecture. I like forms, minimal forms that you find in the architecture from the Bauhaus era and in this age from architects like Tandao Ando, Zaha Hadid, Santiago Calatrava, Phillipe Starck, etc.

This kind of design inspires me to form the human body into sculptures : I called it "transforming bodies" or "sculptured nudes".

"Anette"

I don't like the "playboy" photography. It's technically perfect but the forms are mostly boring for me. I don't have an erotic relation to my images. All I want to do is to find new forms.

"Shadow Girl"
Art Model Marie

"Top to bottom"
Art Model Stana

Is there (somewhere) a message you want to express through your work ?

There is no message, but people who look at my work could find details, little things where they could think about, such as the position of a hand or the expression of the body form. They could think about it.


To reach such a beautiful result, I'm sure you plan every details ?

Sometimes you could plan details, if you know the model and how she works. If you got a model you have never worked with before it's not so easy. So you have to improve. But everytime I have some basic concepts, and then I work on.








"Valencia"





Where (and how) do you find your inspiration ?

Most times I find my inspiration in architecture. When you look at the ocular Valencia Planetarium from Santiago Calatrava it was the inspiration for my image "Valencia".


Indoors shots in B&W seems to have your preference ?

Yes, I'm a studio photographer.

I like the laboratory atmosphere where I can plan the light.
I need this sterile ambience.

I have the dark room and the white room setup which I use most times. The dark room is normally a red room. Red because you can do fantastic things with the red channels in the BW convertation.

"Redroom"
Art Model Jennifer

Except nude-art, is there another genre you enjoy ?

I also like portraits and details such as a lips or eyes. And of course I like architectural things.
But my heart beats for nude art.

The funny thing is that if I work with nude models I don't see naked women in front of me... I only see forms, shadows, lights. My non photographic friends can't understand that. They ask me every time : " How can you do this ? All this beautifull naked women..."

"Crossing"






"Multiply"

"Call and response"
Art Model Kat Love

Tell us some words about your models. How do you direct them ?

First of all, it's not so easy to find models for this kind of photograhy, especially in Germany. Most times I contact models via Model Mayhem, deviantART or the german Model-Kartei. We also have some contacts with the Czech Republic where you can find very good models.

It's also not so easy to direct the models because in the most positions they can't see you and you have to be very clear. But, sometimes, the model moves in a shooting break and you say "stop !", because you see a great pose.









"When I come back around"
Art Model Kat Love





3 weeks ago I've worked with Kat Love. To work with a model like her is absolutely great because she can control her body in a special way.

You don't have to say many words because she knows what you want. You have only to direct some details, little bit more arch or something like that.

It's the reason why she's so famous. Marc, how do you feel at the end of a shooting ? Tired ? Exhausted ? Excited ?

I'm very knackered. Shooting with a model takes 5-6 hours. At the end, my brain is empty and I need a break for the rest of the day, to take distance from the images. I watch the shooting results on the next day and start to collect the best images.

"German-Czech cooperation"
Art Model Stana

What is your own favourite photo ? Could you choose one ?

My favourite photo is in my head... I can't choose one yet. From every single shooting I have a favourite one. If I find "THE ONE" I let you know !

"Shiny"
Art Model Steph

Thanks !!! Don't forget ! Have you some challenges you're dreaming about in a near future ? An exhibition ? Maybe a book ?

"Metalheadz"
Art Model Kat Love

For the near future, Thorsten and I want to fund a photo school here, in Braunschweig, Germany : the "Braunschweiger Schule".

We have contacts with Sylvie Blum, André Brito and some other great photographers and we want to make workshops with them.

In january 2009 we'll open our new studio which is bigger than the studio we have now (75 square meters and 3 meters height). We'll have 250 square meters and 5 meters height. It will be possible to drive cars in. So we'll have enough space for our ideas.

A book is also planned for 2009.







"To the left"
Art Model Christina





A school, a new studio, a book... Wonderful projects indeed ! Keep us informed, I want to know everything about, to make my best to help you.
Marc, what is your best way to promote your work ?

Today I think it's via internet and magazines. Making good images is also a good way to promote.


That's clear. And where can we purchase your prints ?

You can purchase them directly. Just send me a mail if you are interested and I'll send you an offer.

A message you’d like to leave ?

I wanna thank you all who look at my works.

And they'll become more and more numerous ! Thanks a lot Marc. I know it's not easy to write in a foreign language... Come back soon ! This site is truly and definitively yours.

"Down on your knee"
Art Model Christina

Marc Hoppe ©