Fashion Photographer Andreas Ortner Interview

Andreas Ortner is a fashion photographer based out of the Czech Republic, Prague. He is a fashion photographer who has worked with various publications such as Vogue, Numero, GQ, etc. His work style is what speaks, but we went ahead and interviewed him so that other upcoming photographers get inspired.

What made you want to become a photographer?

I worked in the fashion industry for about 20 years before I found this beautiful analog Pentax camera on a flea market in Brooklyn. Photography was always a medium I had an interest in. It was love at first sight, and I started to use it every day to shoot friends from the model industry. The feedback on my photos was really good, and I decided to put more effort into it.

Can you remember some of your earliest influences?

I got influenced by daily life in New York. I hang out with Models and Photographers such as Terry Richardson and a lot of others. The art scene and lots of Movies inspired me to lot as well.

Which of your projects has been most important to developing your style?

I believe that all work I did with the stylist Sayuri Bloom helped me develop my style. We worked on a view projects for Vogue Italia and Vogue Russia, and the creative exchange opened my eyes to contemporary photography. There are no rules, and the approach is more artistic than commercial.

Would you say that keeping things simple is your strongest skill?

Yes, less is more. Take more time to click a picture and think before you capture it.

Which photographers or artists working today do you admire the most?

I don’t admire anyone, but I really appreciate the work of young upcoming photographers that bring some new mixed media and new ideas to the business. Photography these days often tells a story or has a deeper meaning behind it, and that is what I like about it.

What criteria do you use to critique your work?

I am very critical of my work, and there is almost no picture I don’t find anything to criticize after it’s done. There is no criteria it’s about how the image fells to me after taking it. It has to have a deeper meaning for me to be happy with it.

How much attention do you pay to the feedback of others on your work?

Of course, every photographer wants to be appreciated for his work, and I do listen to people, and I need feedback in order to work on myself. Feedback makes me grow in my work, good or bad which are both very important to me.