You've seen a Hans Feurer photograph. A perfect barely bikini-ed bottom, a green tongue, a woman swaddled in layers of printed clothing. You've seen them all. This Swiss photographer has been making indelible imagery since the 60s, when he worked as an art director alongside greats including Harry Peccinotti and Helmut Newton. Switching to photography, his work in the 70s for the magazines Stern and Nova, and clients like Pirelli began an oeuvre of bold and colorful work that continues today. Feurer worked with art director Fabien Baron on a lush new monograph which traces his journey. I gave him a call to talk about his ultra-inspiring approach and career.
Rory Satran: A trip you took to Africa inspired a lifetime of travel and photography. Are there any places you would still like to visit and photograph?
Hans Feurer: Not really. I’ve been to many many corners of this planet. I love this planet Earth of course. And I see really interesting angles everywhere. I’m not a reporter-photographer. I’m interested in projecting dreams, really. When I travel, I don’t have a camera with me. I look and I smell and I hear. Of course there are a lot of different places where I haven’t been. But I don’t have to go them. I don’t have to see every corner of the world.
Do you still go to Africa often?
Yes I do, because Africa is somehow sort of like, where we all come from, and it has so many facets as well. Africa alone is a continent where you have up to 600 different cultures with different languages. That’s quite amazing. And the landscape changes everywhere. Africa is not just not a savannah that we know from the Hemingway books. There are thousands of other landscapes and kinds of places.
How long have you lived in Zurich?
I partly grew up in Zurich, when I was from about 9 years old until about 20. But now I’m living in a little village in the hilly country about 40 miles from Zurich. I wouldn’t be happy to live in a town.
How is it being geographically removed from the fashion world?
I’m very happy to be removed from the fashion world. The fashion world is something I dive into, but I get out again. It is only a part of my life. I don’t really identify as a fashion photographer. I’m more of an adventurer and traveler. I have a lot of other hobbies like fishing, and I collect African art and read a lot––I have a huge library. I’m interested in all sorts of things. I enjoy doing fashion photographs. I try to project the dreams and desires that are hidden in a certain style of clothes, and that fascinates me. As a fashion photographer, I’m really an artisan mercenary. I’m quite happy to work for people that pay me well, then I put everything I know into the service of trying to do something interesting for them. That’s really my job. But that’s only a part of my life.
Have you ever done more straight photo journalism, like National Geographic-type images?
I’ve never worked for National Geographic although it is something wonderful that always inspires me. In National Geographic for the last 50 years, you’ve been seeing the best pictures done on this planet. They’re wonderful! I would love my pictures to look a little like they were in National Geographic.
They do to me, and even more beautiful...
I like to make these dreams real. So that you can smell it. That’s why I don’t use artificial filters or light or reflectors. I never do that.
Yes, I know that you shoot at sunrise, and then at sunset, but not between the two. Tell us about your relationship with light and how it affects your pictures.
L
Rory Satran: A trip you took to Africa inspired a lifetime of travel and photography. Are there any places you would still like to visit and photograph?
Hans Feurer: Not really. I’ve been to many many corners of this planet. I love this planet Earth of course. And I see really interesting angles everywhere. I’m not a reporter-photographer. I’m interested in projecting dreams, really. When I travel, I don’t have a camera with me. I look and I smell and I hear. Of course there are a lot of different places where I haven’t been. But I don’t have to go them. I don’t have to see every corner of the world.
Do you still go to Africa often?
Yes I do, because Africa is somehow sort of like, where we all come from, and it has so many facets as well. Africa alone is a continent where you have up to 600 different cultures with different languages. That’s quite amazing. And the landscape changes everywhere. Africa is not just not a savannah that we know from the Hemingway books. There are thousands of other landscapes and kinds of places.
How long have you lived in Zurich?
I partly grew up in Zurich, when I was from about 9 years old until about 20. But now I’m living in a little village in the hilly country about 40 miles from Zurich. I wouldn’t be happy to live in a town.
How is it being geographically removed from the fashion world?
I’m very happy to be removed from the fashion world. The fashion world is something I dive into, but I get out again. It is only a part of my life. I don’t really identify as a fashion photographer. I’m more of an adventurer and traveler. I have a lot of other hobbies like fishing, and I collect African art and read a lot––I have a huge library. I’m interested in all sorts of things. I enjoy doing fashion photographs. I try to project the dreams and desires that are hidden in a certain style of clothes, and that fascinates me. As a fashion photographer, I’m really an artisan mercenary. I’m quite happy to work for people that pay me well, then I put everything I know into the service of trying to do something interesting for them. That’s really my job. But that’s only a part of my life.
Have you ever done more straight photo journalism, like National Geographic-type images?
I’ve never worked for National Geographic although it is something wonderful that always inspires me. In National Geographic for the last 50 years, you’ve been seeing the best pictures done on this planet. They’re wonderful! I would love my pictures to look a little like they were in National Geographic.
They do to me, and even more beautiful...
I like to make these dreams real. So that you can smell it. That’s why I don’t use artificial filters or light or reflectors. I never do that.
Yes, I know that you shoot at sunrise, and then at sunset, but not between the two. Tell us about your relationship with light and how it affects your pictures.
L