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Interview of Andreas Reh

Could you introduce yourself a little, talk a bit about your background?

I was born in 1965 in the middle of Germany, grown up and still living there. I grew up under happy circumstances under the great luck of peace, healthiness and always had enough to eat and to drink.

When, how and why did you begin to make photography?

My father gave me my first camera when I was 7... I think because he was tired of seeing his whining son, while he photographed old doors, towns and landscapes during our travels. Well, his intention worked, from now I had my own toy to play with. From the begining I loved the beauty of nature, flowers, landscapes, animals. I never photographed people in those days, because I’m a quite a shy person. In the 90s. as a young adult I stopped to photograph and my wife awakened my passion again. So I photographed, like when I was a child, flowers, landscapes, animals. In 2006 we began to work for a stock photography agency and this was the first time I had to photograph people, because the agency wanted photos of people. I quickly realized that I had a lucky hand for the female beauty when I worked with women ;). I worked 4 years as a semi-professional stock photographer, but since 2010 only as an artistic profession.

What do you like in this form of expression?

It is the possibility of capturing and preserve a fleeting moment, supplemented with own imaginations.

What are the themes that you like to photograph?

Beautiful things ... today I´m shooting 10% landscapes and 90 % humans, mostly artistic nudes. The opportunity to work with people helps me to express myself.

What are you looking to share through your photography?

Beauty around us, visualized by my point of view.

What is your idea of sensuality?

It is the absent of provocation and obscenity.

What photographers fascinate and / or inspire you?

Jeanloup Sieff.

How do you prepare a session of shooting?

For on-location work I visit the shooting place. For portrait work I prepare the light setup. I don´t like choreographed poses, the human should being himself. I don´t like make-up or a lot of accessories on my models, I prefer a clean natural nude look. And most important, I don´t like to work with professional models, the girl next door is much more natural, pure, unaffected.

What (s) camera (s) do you use ?

Different wooden large format cameras from the last century for the Wetplate Collodion process, a digital Leica M system and a Hasselblad medium format camera.

What (s) techniques do you prefer?

I have no preferred techniques, I love wetplate collodion for his unique look and handcrafted process and I like the flexible work in digital, also to realize my conceptions in the digital darkroom.

How and why did your photography changed?

The reason is the flood of pictures, everyone photographs everything, the realization that everyone and everything is impermanent, virtual, digital, worthless ... that changed my attitude to my work drastic. I'm doing less and less pictures with ever higher demanding of quality. And I make more and more prints, cyanotypes, ambrotypes, pictures that you can feel and touch.

What brings you the internet media?

Inspiration and worldwide communication.

What do you expect from a website like Sensual Photography?

Nomen est omen ... a home for high quality sensual photography.

What are your plans?

I want to publish a book, "Personality, 60 Portraits-60 thoughts" an extensive noble book with my very best artistic nude portrait work. One third of the work is done but I have an incredibly high demanding of myself so it will still take quite a while.

What would you add?

Thank you!