Victor by Hasselblad

online
05.2011

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editorial
Content
Spring is the time for new
beginnings as the weather turns
warmer, flowers begin to bloom
and the streets are alive with
people emerging from their
winter cocoons. This is also a
time of renewal for Hasselblad. As always, we have
been exploring fresh ideas about how we can meet
the evolving needs of our customers and are proud
to announce the formation of a Special Applications
Department. As the Global Special Applications
Manager, I’m excited to head up this new initiative
and have the opportunity to work with Hasselblad
users to expand our product line-up into specialized
photographic fields.
With a strong heritage in airborne photography –
from the first Hasselblad camera made in 1941 for the
Swedish Air Force to its collaborations with NASA – we
thought it made sense to make aerial photography the
initial focus of the Special Applications Department.
But it’s not only past experience that makes our cameras
ideal for flight. We continuously monitor the
changes in aerial photography so we can deliver the
best products for this highly demanding specialty,
whether you’re shooting beautiful images for commercial
assignments, surveying a construction site,
documenting environmental changes or tasked with
conducting multi-camera photogrammetric mapping.
Thanks to the incredible team here at Hasselblad,
we now have a range of aerial solutions based on our
flagship line of H4D cameras. The core strengths of
the H4D family, combined with unique production
methods and features specially developed for airborne
use, as well as an array of custom hardware and software
options, are designed to support the versatile
needs of today’s aerial photographers. You can read
more about our aerial solutions on page four and
www.hasselbladaerial.com.
You’ll find some striking examples of aerial photography
by Hasselblad Master, Stephan Zirwes in this
issue of VICTOR. Often found dangling out of helicopters,
Zirwes is best known for his visually intriguing
images captured from above.
Also gracing the pages of this issue are the images
of fashion photographer, Dimitris Theocharis. Although
Theocharis usually has both feet on the ground
(or on a ladder) when he shoots, his unique perspective
on fashion is a feast for the eyes.
And, finally, be sure to check out the stunning
architectural work of Andrew Thomas Ryan, April's
Hasselblad Owners’ Club winner.
Please enjoy this issue and be sure to keep sending
us your feedback so we can continue to make
Hasselblad products the best they can be.
Fashion photographer
Dimitris
Theocharis draws
inspiration by movie
director Werner Fassbinder
for this shot
4 >> News
New Global Photographer Relations Manager: Hasselblad welcomes
Paul Waterworth as its new Global Photographer Relations
Manager · Special Applications Department: new department to
meet the needs of photographers working in specialized fields.
6 >> Dimitris Theocharis
Drawing on multiple artistic and cultural icons, Dimitris Theocharis
creates extraordinary imagery. His experimentation breaks the
boundaries of standard fashion photography as he creates poetic –
and unique – narratives with an essence of nostalgia.
26 >> Andrew Thomas Ryan
Users of the Hasselblad Owners’ Club have chosen an image by
American architectural photographer Andy Ryan. At VICTOR
online he introduces some of his photographs and discusses the
role fate (and weather) played in capturing the winning shot.
30 >> Stephan Zirwes
Known for his aerial photographs, German Hasselblad Master
Stephan Zirwes’ images are eye-catching in the abstract and take
on greater meaning when placed in context. His images show us a
new reality and that even chaos has structure.
42 >> preview
Award-winning British photographer Sean Conboy has more than
30 years’ professional experience. Conboy has a penchant for large
format cameras and uses both Hasselblad and Linhof systems to
create his dramatic architectural images.
Yours,
Benny Buchtrup,
Global Special Applications
Manager Hasselblad A/S
ONLINE 5/2011
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victornEWS
Paul Waterworth
new Global Photographer
Relations Manager
In a move emphasizing Hasselblad’s commitment to
its legion of worldwide users, Paul Waterworth (40) has
been named the company’s new Global Photographer
Relations Manager. Already familiar to many Hasselblad
UK users after having held the role of Northern Area
Sales Manager for the past three years, Paul is looking
forward to overseeing the development and enhancement
of Hasselblad’s support to the international
photographic community.
One of the key points Paul is looking to address is
support for the large number of professional photographers
using older Hasselblad H1/H2 or V-series
cameras with proprietary backs. “I’ll also be talking to
35mm-style DSLR users to encourage them to see what
the world of medium format can offer their businesses,”
he says. He’ll also be overseeing the Hasselblad Owners’
Club, the running of VICTOR Magazine and the prestigious
Masters program, while he’s further tasked with
strengthening and extending the relationship between
Hasselblad and its business partners, which includes HP,
SanDisk, Broncolor and Hahnemühle.
An experienced photographer himself, Paul is looking
to engage with the entire Hasselblad community.
“Everyone is important to me,” he says, “and I want
to make sure that we reach out to all those working
with a Hasselblad. Thanks to the rise of the
Internet and social media sites the world is now a much
smaller place. It’s important to recognize this and to
engage and support Hasselblad users wherever they
might happen to be in the world.” ■
Hasselblad
new Special Applications
Department
Recognizing the changing landscape of
photography, Hasselblad has formed a
new Special Applications Department
to address the needs of photographers
working in special fields by expanding
its line of products and solutions. Given
Hasselblad’s unique background in aerial
photography, there’s no better way to
begin this initiative than with a line of
aerial products and solutions.
With the flagship line of H4D cameras
at its core, Hasselblad’s Aerial system can
expertly handle any aerial task, whether
it’s a single photographer operating one
camera or a team working with a complex
multi-camera configuration (up to 8 cameras
can be synchronized).
In addition to the amazing quality, detail
and advanced technology the H4D
and Hasselblad lenses are known for,
special production methods have been
utilized to ensure a high level of sensor
and image plane positioning accuracy
and locking mechanisms that can counteract
aircraft vibration, to name just a
few of the system’s strengths. Customization
such as the removal of the IR filter,
the addition of a GPS, touchscreen remote
control from the cockpit, special firmware
for mirror-lock up, among other options,
are also available. Customers who may
need to build their own specialized applications
for controlling the camera from
the user’s own software can do so with
Hasselblad’s Software Developer’s Kit.
With Hasselblad’s H4D Aerial system,
the possibilities are unlimited.
Further information can be found at:
www.hasselbladaerial.com ■
HOC
Hasselblad
Owners’ Club
05/2011
Hasselblad users all over the world exchange
news on the Hasselblad Owners’ Club (HOC)
site. At the end of April, registered users
chose a new Photo of the Month, taken by
Juan Rodrigo. With this picture, the Spanish
photographer prevailed over the strong competition.
We will fully introduce him in the
June issue of VICTOR online. ■
This night-time aerial
shot of Las Vegas was
captured by Global
Special Applications
Manager Benny
Buchtrup during the
annual conference for
Professional Aerial
Photographers
Association.
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dimitris theocharis
Freelance fashion photographer Dimitris Theocharis loves to
experiment and push the boundaries of what is the “norm” in
fashion photography. With his insatiable curiosity and a background
in the visual arts, he draws inspiration from a wide
range of sources including photography, art, history and film.
Commissioned by Schön magazine
for their German issue, Theocharis
created a high contrast black and
white fashion story, photographed
exclusively from overhead. The inspiration
for "Fashionism" came from
the Fascist fashion of World War II.
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Initially commissioned by Geil
magazine, this Jean Paul Gaultier
advertorial appeared in Schön
magazine. Theocharis describes
this shoot as "more of a tribute to
the long tradition of JPG (le Male by
Mondino), the sailor as portrayed
by Fassbinder in "Querelle" and the
iconic work of Pierre et Gilles."

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Inspired by René Magritte and
Man Ray, Theocharis explored
surrealism and illusions within
the context of a beauty story
for WOUND magazine
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Based purely on the form
and shapes created by the
body, Theocharis made these
photographs for Prim Magazine
and I Love Fake Magazine

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These "indigo" images, published in
The Ones to Watch Magazine, are part
of Theocharis' color trilogy. For inspiration,
the photographer "looked at
the era of enchantment, Rorschach’s
drawings, Francis Bacon, Picasso’s blue
period, textured lightning, electronic
soundscapes, jelly fish (medusa)."
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Like the images on pages 10 and
11, Theocharis was influenced by
Magritte and Man Ray for this
spread in WOUND magazine

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These powerful images were
created for the capitalism and
social justice issue of Twill Magazine.
Theocharis drew from his
extensive knowledge of the fine
arts and was influenced, in part, by
the "reprehensions of Lady Justice"
in sculptures and paintings

Left: Nastya Kunskaya, Saint Tropez,
2009: “Amedeo’s compositions are
put together with his own, unique
twist – something that is difficult
to find in photographers nowadays.”
Right: Anta Fall, Cannes, 2007

With a nod to the Dukes of
Hazzard and 70's pin-up posters,
Theocharis staged these cowboy
images of actor/model/fashion
designer Tony Ward.
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A touch of '90's glamour with
a twist, a la French fashion
photographer, Guy Bourdin.
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Portfolio Dimitris Theocharis
Born in the U.S., fashion photographer
Dimitris Theocharis moved
to Greece with his family when he
was still an infant. Growing up, he
developed a passion for the visual arts
which eventually led him to the U.K
where he studied fine art at Northumbria
University in Newcastle.
After he left University, Theocharis
purchased his first “proper” camera
and began to photograph “anything
that challenged, interested or
fascinated” him, slowly developing
a photographic portfolio. With
camera in hand, he then moved to
London to study photography at
Westminster University in 2001. Experimentation
and pushing boundaries
was – and still is – the norm for
Theocharis, whose conceptual approach
to photography is evident
in his portfolio today, whether he’s
referencing the Dukes of Hazzard,
French fashion photographer Guy
Bourdin, or a Fassbinder film.
In late 2003, Theocharis working
on various fashion and lifestyle publications
such as Harrods, reFRESH
and Champneys magazines with
Swan Publishing. While at Swan,
Theocharis began freelancing and
word of mouth – thanks in part to a
successful campaign for the jeweler
Tateossian – quickly brought commissions
and projects that allowed
him to go out on his own. Theocharis
told us that freelance work was more
suited to his temperament since
it allowed him “to pursue creative
and exciting projects, to work with
young designers and up-and-coming
fashion houses, to experiment and
to grow both as a photographer and
an artist.”
Influenced by and, more importantly,
inspired by the works of great
artists such as Marcel Duchamp,
Man Ray, Joan Miro, Theocharis’
work is often described as “surreal,”
“unique,” and, “colorful.” Inspiration
for his work, says Theocharis,
also comes from “constantly questioning
and challenging the ‘norms’
of fashion, cultural conditioning,
stereotypes, mortality and the significance
of the individual within
society.” It’s no surprise, then, that
he is “drawn to work with designers
who encourage or create trends that
don’t follow the mainstream.”
Of course, there is some pressure
to conform and stay within limits
to meet the needs of advertisers. But
he is encouraged by the ever-changing
nature of fashion and shifting
perceptions of beauty. “Fortunately,”
says Theocharis, “our world
is becoming increasingly diverse
and open to experimentation and
new ideas.”
Theocharis’ work has been widely
published in magazines such as
Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Schön
magazine and has collaborated with
a diverse list of clients and designers
including Jacques Azagury, Unconditional,
Rodnik and Ioannis Dimitrousis.
His portfolio also includes
photographs of celebrities – Tony
Ward, Orlando Bloom and Luke
Worrall, to name just a few.
Whether he’s photographing high
fashion, a conceptual piece or the
latest celebrity, Theocharis is – in his
words – “quite monogamous” when
it comes to cameras. Introduced to
Hasselblad while a student, he fell in
love with the format and the lenses.
About eight years ago he purchased a
6x6 500C/M, an H3D-39 about four
years ago and looks forward to upgrading
to an H4D-60. “Since then,”
he says, “I have never looked back.
Hasselblad is, without a doubt, the
best altogether solution, whether in
studio or on location.”
Theocharis has a busy schedule
with upcoming editorial and
advertising projects through the
summer but is especially excited
by the prospect of a solo exhibition
in London next year showcasing a
series of bodyscapes.
■ www.dimitristheocharis.com
In this tribute to Mondrian, the
graphic design and colors of the
models' make-up clearly define
Theocharis' reference to the
Dutch painter. By using colored
lighting, along with graphical
make-up, Theocharis adds an
extra dimension to his images
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HOC
Hasselblad
Owners’ Club
4/2011
Andrew Thomas Ryan
Members of the Hasselblad Owners’ Club have chosen
a picture by Andrew Ryan as Photo of the Month. Introducing the
American architectural photographer and his aesthetic world
It was almost dusk when Andy Ryan
took the winning Hasselblad Owners’
Club photo (top right). As Ryan
waited for the Harvest Moon to rise
into perfect position over Simmons
Hall at the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, a low cloud bank
rolled in, blanketing the sky. “I
almost went home,” he confesses,
”because I was so fixed on getting
the moon rise in the shot.” Instead,
Ryan walked around to the other
side of the building. “By that time,”
he explains, “the light from the
street and from the building went
up to the cloud bank, which
acted like a reflector, and made this
beautiful light, which wouldn’t
have happened if that cloud bank
wasn’t there.” By using a 300mm
lens on his Hasselblad 503CW, Ryan
was able to compress the building
in a way that it “really struck a
chord” with Steven Holl, Simmons
Hall’s award-winning architect.
“The challenge in photographing
a building,” says Ryan, is to “understand
the imaginative component
of the creator, to understand his
ideal of the building and realize
it in real life. You have to capture
the soul of the building.” Ryan
transitioned from film to digital
with the Imacon 4040, then the
Hasselblad Ixpress 528C and the
H3DII. At the same time, he began
implementing HDR techniques to
create images that “appear true to
the human eye’s dynamic range”
and continues to explore new ways
to keep his photography fresh and
ahead of the curve.
Vita: Born in Norwood, Massachusetts
in 1963. Has photographed the work of
renowned architects such as Steven Holl
and Frank Gehry. Also an accomplished
food photographer.
www.andyryan.com
www.hasselblad.com
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HOC
Hasselblad
Owners’ Club
4/2011

ONLINE 4/2011
29

Hasselblad Master portfolio
architectural
stephan
zirwes
Hasselblad Master Stephan Zirwes
created a series of aerial photographs
with an H3DII-50 for the book
“Hasselblad Masters Vol. 2 – Emotion”
that are visually intriguing
and emotionally relevant for the
time. Photographed while the airspace
over Europe was closed due
to the ash cloud produced by the
Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull,
Zirwes captured the stillness of the
airport – usually a place of noise and
chaos – but now, “suddenly a place
of silence, a private quiet place.” At
the same time, he adds, “for a lot
of passengers, these days were full
of emotions” as their travel plans
came to a halt. He goes on to say
that, “My whole work is based on
playing. That means, for me, to experiment
with the accident. To shoot
pictures straight down shows a reality
that fascinated me, a reality you
never knew. You have the possibility
to show things that are hidden
from the daily view.” His images are
eye-catching in the abstract and take
on greater meaning when put into
context. “I can show constructions
as a whole,” explains Zirwes, “and
you find that even chaos has its own
structure.” Hanging out of a helicopter,
Zirwes searches for “landscapes
with patterns, structures, connections,
uniformities and contrasts.”
Removing the door from the helicopter
is “not a problem,” according
to Zirwes, who goes on to say that
when you are “searching for structures
down on earth, you forget your
fear of heights.” We look forward to
seeing the results of his next project,
“Zones of exclusion.”
www.stephanzirwes.com
www.hasselblad.com
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Please find this movie at www.victorbyhasselblad.com
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Next victor online: 1 June 2011
Be surprised by inspiring portfolios,
keep up-to-date with the most significant
photographic trends and read leading
news for the photography community.
On June 1st, 2011, check your monitor
for the next issue of VICTOR online.
Mark Zibert
>> remarkable plastic
fantastic imagery
Sean Conboy
>> dramatic architecture –
from large-scale to fine detail
>> Discover the aesthetic world
of the photographer who took the
Hasselblad Owners’ Club photo
of the month: Juan Rodrigo
HOC
Hasselblad
Owners’ Club
5/2011
Items and topics in the next issue of VICTOR online may be
changed or post-poned due to editorial or other reasons.
Imprint
VICTOR online | 5/2011
www.victorbyhasselblad.com
info@victorbyhasselblad.com
Publisher:
Stephan Bittner
Publishing House/Advertising:
Center of Service GmbH
Hammerbrookstr. 93
20097 Hamburg, Germany
Tel.: +49.40.25 40 48-69 (Fax: -40)
E-mail: info@centerofservice.com
Global Photographer Relations
Manager Hasselblad: Paul Waterworth
Paul.Waterworth@Hasselblad.com
Project Management: Christine Heinrichs
heinrichs@centerofservice.com
All articles and illustrations contained in
the online magazine are subject to the laws
of copyright. Any form of utilisation beyond
the narrow limits imposed by the laws of
copyright and without the expressed permission
of the publisher is forbidden and will be
prosecuted. We accept no respon sibility for
unsolicited material and this will only be
returned if appropriate postage is included.
Hasselblad is a registered trademark of Victor
Hasselblad A/S, Denmark. Place of jurisdiction
and execution: Hamburg, Germany
42 ONLINE 5/2011

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