Jürgen (Juergen) Teller was born in 1964 and is a German fashion photographer whose work is included in popular magazines (such as Vogue) and exhibitions. His work has a 'raw, overexposed style' and employs a lot of colour where possible. He is probably best known for his collaboration with Marc Jacobs in 2005, although he has also worked alongside fashion designers Vivienne Westwood and Yves Saint Laurent. During Teller's career he has photographed famous faces such as Winona Ryder, Roni Horne and Kanye West.
This is Stella Tennant wearing an Emilio Pucci outfit that Teller is photographing. My immediate reaction is towards that of the dress, as it is supposed to be; there is an air of sophistication to the image that serves to alter your perception of the dress and to highlight its features. In this image, the simplicity of the background makes me as a viewer more drawn towards her outfit and the overall detail of it.
Techniques
The image is a fashion photograph as it was taken to exhibit the dress on the model, it will have been used in a lot of fashion magazines and as advertisement on e.g. billboards, for the clothing line. In this image the composition is incredibly important. Stella Tennant is quite literally framed by the photo frames around her, making the top half of her body the centre of interest as it is in the middle frame. The picture is taken from a low angle- below the model so we appear to be gazing up at her. By doing this the image presents more of the dress to be appreciated by the observer. Not only does the angle help to exaggerate the visuals of the dress but also the colours do this; most of the image is either white or brown so the appearance of colour in the clothing stands out more brightly against this background. The space is probably more important than the model in a lot of his work as it is used effectively to make the subject seem more authentic in their habitat.
Analysis of image
Teller is quite a widely renowned fashion photographer and for this reason many critics praise his works. Alistair Sooke from the Telegraph comments on his 2013 exhibit, saying he "combines wit and whimsy with an invigorating sense of intimacy and frank reality. That sense of reality comes from his distinctive use of the camera’s flash, which gives his pictures a bleached-out brightness, and creates the impression of revelation – as though there is nowhere to hide... we are in the moment... at the same time, this aura of casualness is carefully cultivated".
There is something in his photos which puts the viewer halfway between reality and fantasy- the models are not dolls, they feel like genuine people in his photographs, even with their rehearsed angles. Dennis Freedman (creative director of W) reveres Teller, saying that "so much fashion photography builds this false sense and maintains the myth. Juergen’s pictures cut through all that, but they’re not depressing. What’s really depressing is not Juergen’s pictures, but the mindless objectification of women as clothes hangers who pose and wear clothes, but there’s nothing to the picture apart from that it’s a sales tool". His images are more than just fashion photography, they give character to the subject too and don't just make them a model for the clothes. Because of this his work is highly acclaimed in the photographic world.
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