'By photographing your skin I hope to capture of glimpse of your soul.'
Michael, Illumination
Most artists choose a professional credit which epitomizes their creative visuals. Few come as close as Michael from Illumination. I first saw Michael's work in the pic of the day contest on Model Mayhem a couple of years ago. I was immediately struck by the sensual starkness in Michael's images and how exposed the people that he captured were.
All models shot nude are of course exposed. There are however, degrees and layers of exposer. Some photographers capture beautiful images of naked bodies, yet never really manage to capture anything beyond a collection of body parts. We've all seen images of models who although completely nude, still seem strangely hidden.
The Internet if full of images of naked bodies, but if viewers don't quickly detect something unique, something that grabs their attention, no matter how beautiful the body, they quickly scroll by. My favorite images, and my favorite artists, are ones that seek to capture the essence of their subject, not just their body and exterior form.
Michael's interest in photography started when he was just a kid. Although is original focus was on architecture and street photography, he eventually experimented with taking some nude self portraits. Michael showed the images to a couple of people, and one of his friends liked the results so much, he asked Michael to photograph him. This was the beginning of the Berlin based photographer's journey shooting the male form which has now become his artistic focus.
'I try to create photos about people, not of people. Capturing their character, their personality is my ultimate goal. Additionally I am exploring different narratives of bodies, not just the sexual code it has become in our society. Eroticism is fine and I like to explore it, but there are many more meanings of "body". I usually photograph people both dressed and naked and try to capture how their self-awareness changes.'
Although he's now photographed dozens of men, Michael shares that photographing strangers naked, still hasn't become easy or routine. Naturally a quite shy person, Michael's developed a process and way of shooting that helps make it less awkward for both him, and the person he's shooting.
Michael's not a big fan of the word 'model', nor does he love formal studio shoots. He's done it, but didn't enjoy it very much. In studio, it felt more like photographing a product than a person. Instead, Michael prefers to shoot in a more natural environment, outside, in his flat, or in the home or space of the person he's shooting. Michael is looking to capture character, not conventional pin-up or glamour shots.
'I am very comfortable when the person I photograph just "is" there and doesn't "pose". I use my flat as it has nice neutral backgrounds and soft lights. It's even better in the person's own home where they're usually the most comfortable. The interiors and background are very important to me, I am trying to develop a kind of dialogue between the space and the body..'
For Michael, the process and journey is about self-acceptance, and focuses his communication on positioning the body and limbs in space and light. This series was taken in Mark's home, a very small apartment situated in a back yard. There was very little light, and the situation was challenging for Michael who tries to get the best results that he can out of every shoot.
'I try to maintain an atmosphere that is calm, serene, creative and collaborative. I usually play classical piano music in the background when working. In the best cases there is a great connection and sense of trust between the person I photograph and me, though in many cases we are practically strangers. It was definitely the case with Mark.'
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