Behind the Image is an ongoing MODELS.com series taking a more personal look at both established and emerging creative talent.
Horst Diekgerdes | Image courtesy of Artem Project
Horst Diekgerdes, Photographer
Hometown: A small village in the north of Germany near Hamburg.
Based: Zürich, Germany + Paris, France
Representation: Artem Project
How would you describe your work and what’s your trademark?
Explorative, direct, and romantic. I have a sense of empathy and connection in my relationship with the subject. Sensibility, combined with technical ability to translate intentions—at times, a subtle sense of humor.
What sparked your interest in photography, and was there a defining moment that made you pursue it professionally?
I was curious and interested in the human condition. Although I wasn’t good at painting or drawing, photography became the right tool to visualize my need for expression. After finishing my studies in psychology, I knew I wouldn’t work in the field. Photography had been a constant passion and practice for years, so I decided to give it a go.
What other jobs have you had?
Construction worker, nurse in an intensive care unit, waiter, paramedic, potato factory worker, Santa Claus at Christmas markets, platonic escort, model, set builder, hotel floor cleaner (as payment for rent), photo assistant, horseback riding instructor.
You’ve worked with various publications like Self Service, Zeit Magazine, and AnOther Magazine. What makes a collaboration truly fulfilling for you?
Creative exchange and artistic freedom. A styling that tells a story. Respect for the process to create the best images possible. When there is a strong connection between the quality of the process and the final result.
What do you hope viewers take away from experiencing your work?
Once the image is published, it belongs to the public domain, and viewers interpret it according to their personal disposition and interests; hopefully in an encouraging way.
What have you watched/heard/read lately that has inspired you?
I’ll focus on artistic inspiration as I find human inspiration in all aspects of my life.
Book: Mein kleines Prachtier (My Heavenly Favourite) by Marieke Lucas Rijneveld
Art: Lightning Dance by Cecilia Bengolea
Film: Breathing by Karl Markovics (2011)
Also, my daughter Lovis and I are currently finalizing the last creative interventions for a collaborative photographic book project.
What has been the most challenging moment in your career, and what did you take away from it?
One of my first big fashion campaigns was unexpectedly derailed when the designer—who was also the decision-maker—walked into the studio on the morning of the shoot and scrapped the entire narrative concept and set build. He insisted that we shoot everything against a plain white background. The set design we scrapped must have cost at least three times my day rate. To make matters more intense, the designer had received death threats under his hotel room door the night before, so two armed bodyguards guarded the studio entrance. It took a lot of focus to guide the entire crew and the client through this situation. Looking back, I realized that my past experiences with drama and existential challenges before working in fashion helped me handle the intense pressure of that five-day shoot.
What is one thing outside of your work that you would like people to know about you?
I love to dance.
Who do you think is one to watch?
If we’re talking about my profession—The person who has deep empathy for people, takes responsibility for others and sees technical ability and craft as tools to express feelings and translate sensitivity. Someone who understands and lives fashion as a language values the contributions of everyone in a project and doesn’t believe the hype.
Selected Work
Saskia de Brauw | Image courtesy of Artem Project
The Film Issue
Working with Marie (Chaix) and Saskia (de Brauw) on this series was a moment of “grace” that only happens from time to time in a fashion context. Thank you, ladies!
Image courtesy of Artem Project
Sport En Salle
This image was included in the exhibition “Beyond Fashion,” curated by Nathalie Herschdorfer last summer 2024, in London and shown at the Saatchi Gallery. Dance theatre has been a constant inspiration in my work over the years. In this picture, I tried to explore the relationship between movement and social distance with the talents by restraining their physical space in which to work.
Lara Stone | Image courtesy of Artem Project
The Future is Going Nowhere Without Us
This [AnOther] story was so much fun to do. The images we created had a sense of humor with an underlying current of sensuality in an empowering way. Lara (Stone) was the perfect model for this. We shot this story right before her consistent appearance in French Vogue.
Bibi Breslin | Image courtesy of Artem Project
Bibi Breslin for Self Service Magazine
Marie (Chaix’s) approach of turning the clothes upside down in this story is truly unique when the narrative is in the clothes. By emphasizing the portrait’s attitude and the connection with the talent, she made it feel both natural and unexpected. I get excited by a strong fashion idea that carries an experimental edge.
Lia Crowe | Image courtesy of Artem Project
Liberty
Creative freedom for image-making is key. Self Service has given my work a home for over 3 decades. For this story, Nancy (Rhode) partnered with Liberty London and turned iconic Liberty prints into looks on set.
Image courtesy of Artem Project
Boys Don’t Cry
Sometimes, the lighting “makes the music.” I like using my craft to evoke different kinds of emotions in a picture. It is a delicate and sensual approach to creating ambiguous, intriguing atmospheres.
