Andreas BergmannMAY - August 2012

Andreas Bergmann // Newsletter for May - august 2012IntroduCtion

In this edition of the newsletter

1 - Case // Publicity images - More than just pretty.2 - Tips // 3 things that’ll liven up your portraits.3 - Case // Stage images - Up close and personal.4 - Recommendations // People you need to know.5 - Case // PR materials // To catch an audience.

About the cover image

The photo on the cover, and the one on this page, were produced for the release of the band “Øst, Myggen & Liljeroth”’s first LP. You can read more about the band at www.omltrio.dk

Creds og Contact

The layout of the newsletter was done by the fantastically awesome graphics designer and illustrator Leh Poulsen, you can dig her stuff at lehpoulsen.wordpress.com

All the content, images and words, were made by me, Andreas Bergmann. You can check out my portfolio and more at andreasbergmann.dk

More than just prettyCaseThe actress Simone Lykke wanted a set of publicity images that said more than just “Simone is pretty” or “Simone can smile”. So she came to me.

To get a potential employer, fan or project partner to look that valuable extra second, I went for a polished, high contrast and graphical look. The photos needed to ooze attitude, strength, femininity, and to be sexy, without ending up looking like something from Maxim.

The image on the right is one of my favourite images from the shoot. The cigarette, the hat hiding the face and the calm, upright way she carries herself reminds me of a Sergio Leone western. While the slightly parted lips and almost disrobed upper body feels very sensual.

If you want to read more about Simone you can do so atwww.simonelykke.dk

Liven up your portraitsPhotography tips

Catch some light

One of the most important things in a portrait is the eyes, and one of the most important things that makes eyes look alive, are catch lights. Catch lights are what you call reflections of light sources on the eye, also known as “those white dots in peoples eyes”. They make the eyes seem lively and round, as opposed to flat and dead. So make sure something bright is being reflected in the eyes of your subject.

Ask about anything and everything

Unless you’re dealing with professional models or actors, asking people to “look natural” will usually make for some terribly awkward images. Instead, ask them questions that’ll make them giggle, think, and frown. Surprise them and provoke them. Ask about their relationship, their passions, their work and their personality and watch their face come alive, then remember to snap that shot while they are distracted.

Kill off the formality

A lot of people tend to make it all very serious and formal when they’re doing a portrait. Don’t, instead ask your subject to pick their favourite hat, show you their favourite park or follow them around annoyingly close while they work. It’ll lighten up the situation, make for a much more enjoyable shoot and who knows, you might end up with some really wonderful shots of people being loose and relaxed.

Up close and personalCase

The director of “Closer”, a play that was performed at Aveny-T earlier this year, contacted me about making a series of images, that could sell the show, look good in the actor’s portfolios, and work as PR material for ClapClap; the theatre company behind the performance.

I was allowed two practice runs of the play where I could move freely about on stage. I know the director from working with her previously, and I had an easy time connecting with the wonderful scenographer Barbara Hilduberg, so I felt comfortable that I was on the same page as them regarding the visual universe we were working in. This was an essential part of securing continuity between the photos and the rest of the production.

Both the shoot and the postproduction was centred around a very earthy and washed out colour spectrum, and a tactile and up-close feel. I worked more or less exclusively with my beloved 50mm 1.4 lens, to try and give the viewer an experience of being really submerged in the intense drama of the play, and not quite being able to get an complete overview of what is going on.

If you want to know more about ClapClap and their productions, check out www.clapclap.dk

People you need to knowRecommendations

The graphic designer and illustrator

Leh is without a doubt one of the coolest, and most talented, graphic designers I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. We met on the production of Closer, and we’ve been working together and inspiring each other ever since. You should go check out her work at lehpoulsen.wordpress.com/

The lobbyists with their ethics in order

Pia, Asger and Mark has started the, to my knowledge, first public affaird, or lobbyism, business with a razor sharp focus on social responsibility, generosity and transparency. Toftdal & Co. has a long history of working in politics and private enterprise, and is now doing public affairs, with ethics. Something the world could use a lot more of.Check out www.toftdal.com for more info.

The firebrand

Monika Mazurek is a bleeding heart firebrand if I’ve ever met one. She works relentlessly on both a broad society level on educating the population about human rights issues, and hands-on with for instance making sure a lot of homeless people got fed every day through the summer when the shelter they used was closed. Go look at www.arddanmark.dk for more info.

To catch an audienceCase

Teater Bæst is a small theatre company working with breaking the conventions that rule the relationship between the audience and the actors. They want to put intense thoughts, emotions and questions in the audiences heads, that lasts longer than just the time spent watching the play. They are currently producing John Patrick Shanleys “Danny and the Deep Blue Sea”. They contacted me because they wanted me to create images for their publicity campaign, and we quickly decided that raw emotion and instinct was what we were aiming for.

I decided to work with high-contrast black and white photographs, to enhance the raw and dramatic feel of the shots. We played around with different poses and facial gestures, trying out everything from soft love to raw anger and fear. The shot that was picked was the one on the right. The three dimensionality of the fingers being pressed into the skin, the mix of anger, desperation and fear, and the complete loss of rationality, was what made the image the right one for both communicating the feel of the play, and for making people look twice at the poster.

www.facebook.com/teaterbaest