MPB Meets: Fashion & Street Photographer Josefine Meier

Fashion and street photographer Josefine Meier talks to us about her creative journey, the challenges of shooting during Paris Fashion week and her recommended camera settings to capture the perfect shot. Over to you, Josefine.

MPB: How did you get into photography?

JM: I was always inspired by fashion, architecture, and old black-and-white photographs. I was always looking over my father's shoulder taking pictures until I had my own SLR camera in my hands at the age of 14. I started to photograph my friends and it fascinated me how it was possible to transmit emotions with portraits. I went to thrift stores and bought the craziest outfits, real concepts were created in my head and so I could combine fashion and photography. Today I get to document the clothes of strangers in all sorts of places around the world. It's exciting to see how fashion differs from one country to another and I still have great pleasure in documenting this phenomenon.

MPB: Is there a picture that you are particularly proud of? If so, which one and what makes it special for you?

JM: One picture I'm particularly proud of was taken in Paris. The picture is of Lili Reinhart, an American actress. She was entering the show's venue and the forecourt was getting a little quiet again. I watched her walk in and was able to spot Lili through a window and focus on her with my camera. I didn't expect her to be looking out the window at that moment. That's how this picture came to be. To this day, I find that this photo conveys quite a magical feeling and I always remember it fondly.

MPB: What would you say is the biggest challenge in fashion and street photography?

JM: At Fashion Week, the biggest challenge is often to keep an overview and not lose sight of the people you want to photograph. In most cases, you only have a few seconds to photograph a look. I try to pay attention to all the details in that short amount of time and to take the picture at the right moment. That is the biggest challenge.

MPB: What are your camera settings when shooting?

JM: In daylight, I shoot at 250 ISO and a fully open aperture. I work with a particularly high shutter speed to avoid image blur and to perfectly capture a person's movements.

MPB: What makes the "perfect" photo?

JM: With street photography during fashion week, I like the spontaneity of the images. Everything is created by luck or chance. If a person moves in the crowd, your whole motif changes. After Fashion Week I sit at my laptop and discover images that I neither consciously noticed nor consciously took.

In the studio, however, I love the deep eye contact between the camera and the model. Our world is so fast-paced that we hardly take the time to look deeply into people's eyes anymore. Yet this exchange is so important because it creates trust and can evoke feelings such as happiness. Rarely do we experience such intense moments and if I can convey a touch of that through a picture — or even awaken emotions, that is the most beautiful feeling for me.

MPB: You shoot mostly in black and white. Is there a particular reason for this?

JM: I was impressed early on by the black-and-white photographs of Marilyn Monroe. For me, a picture in black and white has a completely different depth than a colour photo. Often, colours distract me from the actual subject. The majority of the fashion world is very colourful and overwhelming. I prefer it melancholic and dramatic. Even if it sometimes seems a bit dark, it has a totally beautiful effect on me.

MPB: What camera and equipment do you use? And how important is the equipment to you as a photographer?

JM: I work with a full-frame camera, the Nikon D600, on the one hand, and the Nikon D500 on the other. Equipment has only become more important to me in the last few years as I've gotten more involved with it. For me, good equipment means that the camera is ideally suited for my field, that it works fast and that it offers me the quality I would like to have. For me, however, that doesn't necessarily mean the latest models. I just bought the Nikon D500 in 2016. I also often resort to second-hand cameras to save resources and money, as in this case. More important to me are the lenses that make the big difference in the end. On the one hand, I work with the 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM, Nikon Fit lens as well as a 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR.

MPB: You photograph models and influencers. Who would you like to photograph and why?

JM: Of course, there are many people I would love to photograph. Blake Lively and Zoe Kravitz are among them. For me, they have a very impressive and authentic style that I would love to document. As for street style photography, people like Hailey and Justin Bieber, and Jaden Smith would be very interesting. Jaden Smith in particular has been campaigning for sustainability in the fashion world for years and thus embodies much more than just a unique style.

MPB: What tips would you give to beginners in photography?

JM: If you are at the beginning of your photography career, the most important thing is to just start. It doesn't matter with whom or what. Use secondhand cameras to avoid spending too much money at the beginning. Practice with different subjects at different times of day to get a feel for your equipment. Photograph people, elements of nature, or even events. Trying out each subject area has helped me eliminate certain areas for myself and get to the ones I like.

MPB: Do you have a specific project you're working on at the moment?

JM: Currently I'm focusing on my studies and planning for the upcoming Fashion Week and looking forward to the next season with excitement.

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