Stefan Rappo
SWISS EMOTIONS
Stefan Rappo
ph.: Stefan Rappo
t: Teddy Marks
Actually I wanted to avoid starting this interview by pointing out that Stefan Rappo has an enormous reputation worldwide as a longtime assistant of the late great Peter Lindbergh, with whom he also had a close friendship. But it should be mentioned that not many people manage to work together with an icon over such a long period of time and still are able to step out of its oversized shadow with their own works. Stefan Rappo has done exactly that and has continuously followed his own path. We met lately to talk a little bit about this path and about other things.
Stefan, how did you start your day today?
Since we still have lock-down in Paris, my girlfriend and I are taking the time to repaint some walls and furniture in the apartment we live in. I like to do manual stuff because you get a result which is comforting.
What fascinates you about good photos, no matter what style, and what must a good photo have to make you feel happy?
Fortunately, there is no rule for a good photo, and first of all it’s the viewer who decides if a photo is “good” or not, so it varies from person to person.
I personally like it when photos tell a story, not necessary a true story, I like fictions a lot. Also, emotion is an important part for me, any kind of emotion and for me it is always more important than the technical aspect in a picture.
It’s also hard to put it into words. Writing about something has always been something I struggled with. Often there is no explanation… you look at a picture and are immediately touched by it. That’s exactly what I love so much in photography and what made me choose this path.
What made you decide to deal with photography intensively and ultimately professionally?
It was something that came over a long period of time. My interest in photography started when I was about 25 years old. No big deal, I just liked doing pictures, sports and landscapes at the beginning, and from then on I quickly switched to portrait and nude photography. At that time I didn't have the idea to become a professional photographer one day. But as always when I start doing something, I like to know as much as possible about it, and I always want to improve myself. So I read a lot of books about photography and spend more and more time with my camera. I really loved taking pictures and got addicted to the feeling of taking pictures that I was happy with. The big step came at age of 30 when I decided to quit my job and Switzerland to attend a photography school in Toulouse in the south of France.
“NUDES is just what I prefer to do in photography.”
Whether in fashion or nude photography, in the end you photograph people with the most diverse characteristics. How do you achieve that your models realize your visions, or does it also happen to you that you adapt to your models?
In my eyes photography is always a kind of a compromise. There is always something to deal with that might not work out the way you want it to, especially when you photograph models, but that is also a very interesting part of it.
For different projects I choose different models, models that I believe fit my vision, what I want to achieve with the project. So already there you put the chances on your side that the photos will be more or less how you imagine them to be. I also prepare the playing field by explaining the positions and sometimes even showing them on the set by doing it myself (I know this must sound ridiculous).
Sometimes you don’t get exactly what you want, sometimes even better and sometimes it’s just does not work. But I like the idea that not everything can be planned in advance, otherwise it would be boring. So yes, at a certain point you always adapt to the models, this is just a fact when you have to work with people in general. But I like this point, you get different things from different people and this makes your photos and eventually your style richer.
According to which criteria do you choose your models for your free projects?
As I said, it depends on the project. There are so many different things to consider … what is the goal of the shoot, where is the shoot, when is the shoot, who is in town … do I need special skills, like for example is she or he a good swimmer if you take underwater pictures etc.
When it comes to appearance, I don’t like to talk about it in interviews, because it is touchy to say I like this kind of person and not this kind. I have always struggled with the idea of excluding people from something.
What does nude photography mean for you today? How do you approach the topic?
First of all, it is just what I prefer to do in photography. It is where I really feel freedom and where I find my way of expression. I just went through the Interview you did with Ana and I have to agree with her. A female body is something incredible aesthetic and also erotic to shoot.
If not for the approach, then I don’t do anything different than with other kinds of photography. I have been doing it for so long that it is just part of my process. It is just different in terms of organization, because to shoot nudity in public can sometimes be a bit tricky, also depending on the model.
Especially if you look at the photographs in your current book "NUDE", you can see that many of your nude photographs are very anonymous. They are very figurative nudes, which usually only give a hint of the faces. What specific intention do you pursue with them?
That is an interesting question, and I talked about it with someone in another interview not more than two weeks ago. First of all, I don’t think it is something I really did on purpose. It is kind of my style, the same as when I do portraits, often the models do not look into the camera.
When I started with nude photography, nude for me meant shooting a body, shapes, lines, volumes in the first place. The face was not so important for me, and somehow it distracted from what I wanted. It was often in the studio and quite academic, without movement. After that I started taking nudes in locations, often out in nature, and with more and more movements. I always try to include the models as good as possible into their environments, but I kept this idea of shapes and lines, because I think it is just something I like.
Saying this, I try more and more to break through the lines (and my rules) as well, and get more real pictures, real situations, something more real. And so maybe from this point on, since I am looking for more real stuff, I will also pay more attention to the faces in my nude pictures.
“Fortunately, there is no rule for a good photo.”
You have photographed all over the world. Where can you best realize your projects regarding locations, equipment and models and where do you prefer to work?
I love shooting in Los Angeles. First of all I like the feeling and the way of life there, even though it has certainly changed over the years and it is not anymore what it used to be. Also, most of the time the weather is good as well as the light, which is a very important point for me, since I shoot a lot outside with daylight only. Another important point is the different types of locations you can find there. From the beach to the downtown feeling, from fancy and interesting houses to deserts and mountains, everything is quite easy to reach. In terms of equipment, rental props and crews, everything is very easy to find and organize, it just demands a certain budget.
But it is not what most people think, nudity is not always accepted in LA and a lot of US models are not really open to it. It is also possible to get kicked off the beach while you shoot nudes, something that would not really happen in France.
You can imagine that working for 8 years with Peter Lindbergh was a life experience that very few people can have at this level. What three experiences have you gained from your collaboration with him?
As simple as it sounds, it was just my best experience in my life. We had so much fun, such a good time, and I met so many amazing people. It never really felt like a job, it was more like a kind of experience where everything got mixed, work, private life, travel, parties and also my personal work as a photographer, since most of my pictures in the past 8 years were shot when I was traveling for Peter’s jobs.
So to bring it down to 3 points is not so easy, but let’s try to put up 3 things I will keep.
First of all Peter as he was as a person, his ability to make people feel comfortable, his enthusiasm for his work and life, and his loyalty and love towards the people who surrounded him.
The fact that pictures do not have to be perfect, and looking for more real things, real emotions.
And as banal it sounds; the way is the goal. You can achieve the most amazing things, if the way to get there is not fun and a certain pleasure, it does not make any sense.
“emotion for me IS always more important than the technical aspect in a picture.”
Do you still take analogue photos? What are the advantages for you? The deceleration?
No, I stopped taking analog pictures a long time ago. Actually, I can’t even remember when exactly I stopped. I loved it. I had 2 Hasselblads, 2 Mamiyas, and even a large format camera. But somehow it became much simpler to shoot digital because I also started shooting with more movements and less control. It is a pity I know, but digital is so much simpler. I shoot a lot of pictures during a shooting. It can be up to 4000 - 5000 pictures in a nude shoot. So just for this, digital make sense. And when I finally looked at the result, the difference was not important enough to keep on going with analog.
But I understand, if you talk about deceleration, it is exactly what I felt when I shoot my project “Visages de la photo” with a 5 x 7 inch camera. The number of “frames” you shoot is so much smaller, and so every click is much more precious, and you pay more attention to everything. So yeah, maybe one day I will shoot analog again, because there is still something magic about it.
What is your next project? Are you already allowed to chat with us about it?
Before Peter’s passing and then Corona, I started a new book project in Thailand, and the idea was to continue it in different countries all over the world. So right now it is not really possible to continue, but let’s see, maybe next year. And yes, it is a bit too early to tell what it is about in details.
What is the true moment of happiness for you when taking pictures?
I mean I love the whole process of taking pictures. For me it is important that the whole shoot is fun and relaxed, that I spend time with people I like, that I can travel and explore new locations.
But the special moment is when during the shoot everything suddenly comes together, and you have the feeling that something special is happening in the pictures. That is real magic!
One of your best characteristics is ...
To never give up.
One of your worst characteristics is ...
Maybe to think that I am almost always right, and I know that is far away from reality. But I am working on it.
What is at the top of your to-do list?
Spend a couple of months in LA
Your wishes for the coming year are?
Getting back to a more or less “normal” life, so traveling and exciting shootings all over the world (I mean beside peace and love for everybody).
Thank you for your time and words!
“For me it is important that the whole shoot is fun and relaxed.”
Biography
At age 30, Stefan Rappo left Switzerland and his job as a designer and constructor of heavy forestry equipment to study at Toulouse’s Ecole de la Photographie et Game Design. Photography had captured his imagination and proved to be a turning point in his life. After graduation in 2004, he follows his mentor’s advice and moved to Paris where he joined PIN UP Studios as a studio assistant. It was here that Stefan mastered all aspects of commercial production, discovered the world of professional photography and confirmed his passion for image making. In 2007, Stefan began working for celebrated photographers and industry leaders like Camilla Akrans, and Bruno Aveillan. From 2012-2019, for eight career-defining years, he was Peter Lindbergh’s first assistant. Their relationship was founded on respect, trust, loyalty, a passion for creativity and a dedication to photography and the result was a profound friendship.
Stefan’s narrative approach to cinematic story-telling, and nude and portrait photography is intuitive. Rather than set standards for aesthetics or beauty his images touch the viewer. Black and white, color, clarity and dreaminess are tools he uses in his signature narrative approach to photography. Each work transports us to a hidden place with a story. And the models, his protagonists, embody his stylistic language while expressing themselves with complete freedom. Stefan’s work bridges the boundaries between commercial and art photography, and is marked with a respect for his models, the creative process, and the client.
Stefan’s projects are produced across platforms like books, films, photography, and commercial and studio productions. He has published two books —Visage de la Photo (self-published, 2008) and Nude (teNeues, 2019). His photographs have been published internationally in German Vogue, British Vogue, W-Magazine, MAX Magazine and GQ France. He works with international clients on various continents.
Stefan is currently based in Paris.
Stefan Rappo
Artist: Stefan Rappo
Interviewer: Teddy Marks
November 2020
Stefan Rappo’s Book “NUDE”, 208 pages, hardcover, 30 x 23.5 cm
published by teNeues, Germany
Available at: Amazon.de | Amazon.fr | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.es | Amazon.it
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