Lukas Wassmann turns his lens on the well-groomed animals of the Swiss Alps

Date
24 April 2018

The majority of upscale fashion campaigns feature the same supermodels again and again – or rather, feature Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid again and again. However, Berlin-based photographer Lukas Wassmann’s shoots do not. In Lukas’ latest series for Garage Magazine, he turns his lens on the well-groomed goats, pigs and chickens of the Swiss Alps, all of which are accessorised in the most expensive jewellery money can buy.

Lukas first got interested in photography when he was just ten years old while snapping pictures of his friends during playdates. After rejecting a carpentry apprenticeship, Lukas started working as a photography assistant in Milan and went on to study in Zurich, Berlin and Los Angeles. Now, Lukas has worked with big names like Die Zeit Magazin and G-Star Raw, incorporating his playful aesthetic into every endeavour. 

“I have been working with my dog Gustl for the past eight years, so incorporating animals into my photography has been on my mind for nearly a decade. Two very close friends run an organic farm in the Swiss mountains. I spent a few days there last summer and realised how magical the place was. I asked them if they would be keen for me to shoot there and they agreed,” Lukas tells It’s Nice That. With his expert eye and considered arrangements, the Garage Magazine feature is a spectacular and humorous series that pushes the boundaries of high fashion photography. 

“I want to create images that are precise but not tacky; they have to be simple to understand and beautiful to look at,” the photographer explains. Despite working on countless commissions, Lukas has a unique way of applying his distinct style which challenges the predictable aesthetics of commercial shoots. “Of course we shoot products that have to be seen, but it’s best if you don’t consider the product the shoot’s centrepiece. The shoot’s setting, the team and who is on set on the day has to be taken into account. The smaller the group is, the better. It is this atmosphere that creates a good photograph. Stylist Victoria Sekrier, for example, was very important for this shoot. She did a fantastic job.” 

Lukas expresses his appreciation of the crew who helped him control the animals on the day. Particularly, he says, when he considers that they trusted a cow with a $700,000 bracelet. When asked if the Garage Magazine series is telling a story, Lukas replies: “No I don’t think so. Photography tells a story in one image and it comes together in a series, but I don’t think this is telling a story like a film or a book might. Having said that, one good image is enough of a story… at least for me.”

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Lukas Wassmann for Garage Magazine

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Lukas Wassmann for Garage Magazine

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Lukas Wassmann for Garage Magazine

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Lukas Wassmann for Garage Magazine

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Lukas Wassmann for Garage Magazine

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Lukas Wassmann for Garage Magazine

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Lukas Wassmann for Garage Magazine

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Lukas Wassmann for Garage Magazine

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Lukas Wassmann for Garage Magazine

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Lukas Wassmann for Garage Magazine

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Lukas Wassmann for Garage Magazine

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Lukas Wassmann for Garage Magazine

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Lukas Wassmann for Garage Magazine

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About the Author

Daphne Milner

Daphne has worked for us for a few years now as a freelance writer. She covers everything from photography and graphic design to the ways in which artists are using AI.

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