{"id":167293,"date":"2025-06-11T11:00:50","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T15:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/?p=167293"},"modified":"2026-05-22T16:14:58","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T20:14:58","slug":"horst-diekgerdes-on-creating-connection-through-the-lens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/?p=167293","title":{"rendered":"Horst Diekgerdes on Creating Connection Through the Lens"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Behind the Image is an ongoing MODELS.com series taking a more personal look at both established and emerging creative talent.<\/em><\/p>\n<style>\n.quote {\nline-height: 1.2em !important;\npadding: 35px 25px;\n}\n.wp-caption {\n    margin-top: 65px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<figure id=\"attachment_141369\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-141369\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2025\/06\/horst.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"848\" height=\"917\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-167295\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-141369\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><br \/>\nHorst Diekgerdes | Image courtesy of Artem Project<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><a href=\"\/\/models.com\/people\/horst-diekgerdes\">Horst Diekgerdes<\/a>, Photographer <\/p>\n<p><strong>Hometown:<\/strong>  A small village in the north of Germany near Hamburg.<br \/>\n<strong>Based:<\/strong>  Z\u00fcrich, Germany + Paris, France<br \/>\n<strong>Representation:<\/strong> <a href=\"\/\/models.com\/agency\/artem-project\">Artem Project<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>How would you describe your work and what\u2019s your trademark?<\/strong><br \/>\nExplorative, 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\u2014at times, a subtle sense of humor.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What sparked your interest in photography, and was there a defining moment that made you pursue it professionally?<\/strong><br \/>\nI was curious and interested in the human condition. Although I wasn\u2019t 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\u2019t work in the field. Photography had been a constant passion and practice for years, so I decided to give it a go.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What other jobs have you had?<\/strong><br \/>\nConstruction 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. <\/p>\n<p><strong>You\u2019ve worked with various publications like <a href=\"\/\/models.com\/client\/self-service\">Self Service<\/a>, <a href=\"\/\/models.com\/client\/zeit-magazine\">Zeit Magazine<\/a>, and <a href=\"\/\/models.com\/client\/another-magazine\">AnOther Magazine<\/a>. What makes a collaboration truly fulfilling for you?<\/strong><br \/>\nCreative 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.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What do you hope viewers take away from experiencing your work?<\/strong><br \/>\nOnce 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.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What have you watched\/heard\/read lately that has inspired you?<\/strong><br \/>\nI\u2019ll focus on artistic inspiration as I find human inspiration in all aspects of my life.<br \/>\n<strong>Book:<\/strong> Mein kleines Prachtier (My Heavenly Favourite) by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/mariekelucasrijneveld\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Marieke Lucas Rijneveld<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Art:<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DJ9cwMvI1WY\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> Lightning Dance by <a href=\"http:\/\/ceciliabengolea.net\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Cecilia Bengolea<\/a> <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Film:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=rLPwjQKpdLk\" data-rel=\"lightbox-video-0\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Breathing by Karl Markovics (2011)<\/a><br \/>\nAlso, my daughter Lovis and I are currently finalizing the last creative interventions for a collaborative <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/lovislove3\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">photographic book project<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What has been the most challenging moment in your career, and what did you take away from it?<\/strong><br \/>\nOne of my first big fashion campaigns was unexpectedly derailed when the designer\u2014who was also the decision-maker\u2014walked 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.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What is one thing outside of your work that you would like people to know about you?<\/strong><br \/>\nI love to dance.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Who do you think is one to watch?<\/strong><br \/>\nIf we\u2019re talking about my profession\u2014The 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\u2019t believe the hype.<\/p>\n<h3>Selected Work<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_141376\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-141376\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2025\/06\/231113_SelfService_Magazine_HD_16_0945_BW_HR-copy-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"844\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-167300\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-141376\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><br \/>\nSaskia de Brauw | Image courtesy of Artem Project<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/models.com\/work\/self-service-the-film-issue\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Film Issue<\/a><\/strong><br \/>\nWorking with<a href=\"https:\/\/models.com\/people\/marie-chaix\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> Marie (Chaix) <\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/models.com\/models\/saskia-de-brauw\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> Saskia (de Brauw)<\/a> on this series was a moment of \u201cgrace\u201d that only happens from time to time in a fashion context. Thank you, ladies!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_141376\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-141376\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2025\/06\/18_0130_005_336-copy-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"995\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-167301\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-141376\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><br \/>\nImage courtesy of Artem Project<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/models.com\/work\/numero-homme-sport-en-salle\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sport En Salle<\/a><\/strong><br \/>\nThis image was included in the exhibition \u201cBeyond Fashion,\u201d 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. <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_141376\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-141376\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2025\/06\/07_0205-Lara-Another_Shot_01_128-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"961\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-167302\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-141376\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><br \/>\nLara Stone | Image courtesy of Artem Project<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/models.com\/work\/another-magazine-the-future-is-going-nowhere-without-us\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Future is Going Nowhere Without Us<\/a><\/strong><br \/>\nThis [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. <a href=\"https:\/\/models.com\/models\/Lara-Stone\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Lara (Stone)<\/a> was the perfect model for this. We shot this story right before her consistent appearance in French Vogue.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_141376\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-141376\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2025\/06\/231113_SelfService_Magazine_HD_05_0301_LR-copy-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"960\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-167303\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-141376\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><br \/>\nBibi Breslin | Image courtesy of Artem Project<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/models.com\/work\/self-service-photography-by-horst-diekgerdes-styling-by-marie-chaix\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Bibi Breslin for Self Service Magazine<\/a><\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/models.com\/people\/marie-chaix\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Marie (Chaix&#8217;s)<\/a> approach of turning the clothes upside down in this story is truly unique when the narrative is in the clothes. By emphasizing the portrait\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_141376\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-141376\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2025\/06\/Image-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"1657\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-167304\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-141376\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><br \/>\nLia Crowe | Image courtesy of Artem Project<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/models.com\/work\/self-service-liberty\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Liberty<\/a><\/strong><br \/>\nCreative freedom for image-making is key. <a href=\"\/\/models.com\/client\/self-service\">Self Service<\/a> has given my work a home for over 3 decades. For this story, <a href=\"https:\/\/models.com\/people\/nancy-rohde\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Nancy (Rhode)<\/a> partnered with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/libertylondon\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Liberty London<\/a> and turned iconic Liberty prints into looks on set.  <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_141376\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-141376\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2025\/06\/SELF_SERVICE_N8_boys_dont_cry_01-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"1012\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-167305\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-141376\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><br \/>\nImage courtesy of Artem Project<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/models.com\/work\/self-service-boys-dont-cry\/2543012\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Boys Don&#8217;t Cry<\/a><\/strong><br \/>\nSometimes, the lighting \u201cmakes the music.\u201d 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. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Behind the Image is an ongoing MODELS.com series taking a more personal look at both established and emerging creative talent. Horst Diekgerdes, Photographer Hometown: A small village in the north of Germany near Hamburg. Based: Z\u00fcrich, Germany + Paris, France Representation: Artem Project How would you describe your work and what\u2019s your trademark? Explorative, direct,&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":450,"featured_media":167307,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12752,13941,10414,16,13943],"tags":[12930,14922,13154,3451],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167293"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/450"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=167293"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167293\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":167317,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167293\/revisions\/167317"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/167307"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=167293"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=167293"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=167293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}