Thomas Wiuf Schwartz Brings Conceptual Creativity to His Graphic Photography
Thomas Wiuf Schwartz Brings Conceptual Creativity to His Graphic Photography
Focusing on the Details of Artistry with Thomas Wiuf Schwartz
Name:
Thomas Wiuf Schwartz
Photography:
Thomas Wiuf Schwartz
Words:
Marissa Stempien
With a touch of minimalism and graphic inspiration, photographer and art director Thomas Wiuf Schwartz is bringing a new touch of personalized creativity to photography. A passion for design and visually minimalist imagery of forms, shades, materials, and objects, he creates photos that speak to brands and artists, creating concepts that are uniquely his own. He works in detail, focusing on the play between materials, background, foreground, light, and shadow.
His visual language complements the subject, finding the right way to showcase his subject in a way that both heightens and highlights. Thomas speaks with us about his work, his visual inspiration, and how he balances his personal vision with his work with major brands.
Visual Pleasure Magazine:
Can you tell us a bit about how you got started as an art director and photographer? Was this something you always wanted to do?
Thomas Wiuf Schwartz: To be honest, for a long time it was my dream to become a chef and open my own restaurant. It wasn’t until I was in high school that a friend introduced me to graphic design. During my studies in graphic design, I bought a camera so I didn’t always have to search the web for images.
Slowly, I became more and more enthusiastic about photography, but for a long time, I only saw it as a hobby. After my first internship as a graphic designer/photographer in San Francisco, everything changed. During my internship, I photographed both features and architecture, but most of all I received a lot of constructive feedback from David, the owner of the office.
After my stay in San Francisco, I applied for a bachelor’s degree in visual communication in Haderslev, Denmark. With the goal of becoming an art director, I wanted to use the knowledge I would gain there for my job as a commercial photographer.
After finishing my bachelor’s degree in visual communication, I didn’t dare jump straight into photography. I started to work as an art director in various design agencies in Cologne. Then, with some years of experience in that field, I became a freelance art director and photographer, helping both small and larger companies building their visual language for their brand communication. This was about five years ago now.
Your photography seems so unique compared to other artists out there—graphic even. What inspires and drives this creative angle?
Both of my parents are incredibly interested in art and culture, which is why we (me and my siblings) were always drawn to various museums and exhibitions. Thanks to the enthusiasm of my parents, we were given the opportunity to see and experience a lot.
Such impressions of course leave their mark, and in hindsight this certainly influenced me. A big part of my visual perspective, of how I see things with my eyes and through my camera lens, was probably formed here.
I think my inspiration is a combination of things I’ve seen lately and things that lie in the past. When I focus on a new series of work, those impressions mix and melt and become something very personal and maybe even unique.
Your photographs seem to swing between the very artistic (for example your texture study on glass) and the seemingly simplistic (for example the Reform showroom in Hamburg). How do you balance the two and find your style in these juxtaposing styles?
Of course, there are differences to be found within my work, but honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever really thought about this too much. Above all, for me, it has to do with how the focus is placed on different materials, background, foreground, light and shadow, etc. Only through this interaction does the motif create a certain mood that can be found in all of my pictures. I think this makes my style recognizable, even throughout the various aspects of my work.
Which of these are your favorite subjects and styles to capture?
I love photography and feel honored every day to be able to earn a living from my hobby. I am always happy about projects where I can photograph products in large spaces as well as highlight their delicate details. A signature project for this would be “Of Movement and Material” for the Berlin lighting brand Analog. The texture study “Glass” was also created during this collaboration.
Do you find that visual minimalism—whether abstract or spatial—is where you most like to explore creatively?
Yes, I’m drawn to minimalism and empty space. I want to tell the story of an object, a product, or a space in its simplicity. In this context, my aim is not to remove aspects of a scene, but rather to add just a few right elements to create a harmonious composition. Visual minimalism for me always works within the context of the environment that a motif is placed in. If this context is showcased accurately, a picture works for me and unfolds its magic to the viewer.
You’ve worked with several major brands including Asics, Avoury, and Polestar. Do you find that your aesthetic speaks to these and other brands in a unique way that sets your photographs apart?
I think with my photographic style I can highlight what makes a brand special, be it small details or interestingly designed aspects of a product in general. Ultimately, the product has to stand for itself and if my photography can deliver that, I’m really happy about it. Above all, it is important to me that it becomes clear how much passion I put into my work.
In the projects for the above-mentioned brands, I feel you can see how my own visual language merges with the brand’s identity. When this happens it creates something contemporary and new—in the best case a strong visual statement that reflects both my own aesthetic and the brand.
What have been some of your favorite projects to work on?
One story I would like to highlight is definitely “Silent Drive,” a project for Polestar about the new Polestar 1 car. It was important to me to tell the story about the car in its whole. On closer inspection of the pictures, recurring elements can be found, the beginning and the end of the series creates symmetry, similar to a narrative with its introduction, the main part, and the end. The free creative work in particular is one of the reasons why this project is one of my favorite projects.
Another project that I want to mention is “Circle Glass,” a series about a water glass and its asymmetry. I wanted to show the glass in a different way than you’d expect so that the difference between the individual details and features can be seen. It was about merging two different materials and making them look like one—the water surrounding the glass instead of being inside it as you would expect.
What do you hope to work on going into the new year?
This year has been an overwhelming one for me, I’ve received a lot of positive feedback for my work. That, of course, gives me energy for what is to come. In the next year, I want to grow my passion for intrinsic details such as lighting, smaller-scale still life, and experiment more with textures.
Every day I consider myself lucky to be able to do what is my passion. Photography is very fast-paced, especially in today’s times, which is why I hope to leave impressions and to find approval with my pictures.
“I want to tell the story of an object, a product, or a space in its simplicity. In this context, my aim is not to remove aspects of a scene, but rather to add just a few right elements to create a harmonious composition.”
