Self by Sebastian Madera
SEBASTIAN MADER How did you get started as a photographer? “After assisting a German photographer for one year, I moved to New York in order to work for Steven Klein and I was Steven’s lighting director for five years until I started my career as a photographer in March 2012.” Describe your self-portrait and how it conveys your perspective/style as an artist. “I feel a portrait should have a truthfully unveiling or explanatory element. So here it is: I am a German photographer, who you can look at from almost every possible angle, extremely enthusiastic about American culture, and very conceptual in my work.” What do you photograph and why? “I obviously photograph everything that is interesting to me. Strong concepts are very interesting to me.
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Spark | September 2012
You don’t need to be interested in animals to shoot dogs. In categories, I shoot fashion, portraits, beauty, and still life.” Who/what inspires you? “It could be anything, but mostly different media than photography. Very often film and art, but also just daily life. I love to look at people on the subway.” What is your relationship like with NYC? How does it affect your work/ working life? “NYC is a catalyzer — it just makes your life so fast. There is no better place to produce than NYC. Everything is available all the time. I couldn’t do what I do anywhere else at the moment.” How do you think Instagram has changed photography? “I don’t have instagram. I think Instagram is not too special, it is not like the invention of Facebook.
Instagram is Twitter for images and it was a necessary evolutionary part in the social network world, to share now not only thoughts, but also images. What has been your favorite project so far and why? “The ‘Flamingo Kids’ story for Interview , where I shot 16 girls in bathing suits on sun beds from above. I shot the whole thing in a studio and it was so precise and loose at the same time. I had a fantastic time.” What can we look forward to from you in terms of future projects? “I would love to shoot a music video.” What is one thing you remind yourself every day? “To be grateful for my wonderful life.”