CLAUDIA GOETZELMANN
Claudia Goetzelmann is an integrated media photographer who aims to tell visual stories from locations like Brazil, Moscow and Singapore. Step into the life of a globe-trotting creative...
Image: Claudia Goetzelmann
At the moment I am working on...
I just returned to the US from a month in Asia. I spent most of my time in Singapore shooting and connecting with creatives. My last assignment was a shoot for a fashion brand in Singapore and before that I spent four days shooting amazing landscapes and pristine beaches on an island east of Bali in Indonesia for a land developer client in Singapore. Tomorrow I am shooting the look book and ads for an up and coming fashion brand in San Francisco. The following week I will be in LA, then New York and on to Berlin.
The best piece of creative work around at the moment is...
Ahh, that is a very subjective topic. I can't say what the best piece of creative work around at the moment is. There are lots of clever campaigns worldwide. One series that caught my attention recently was the Volkswagen Darth Vader commercial. Another example could be the “Life’s too short for the wrong job” print ads from Scholz & Friends, Berlin. I loved the Lanvin for H&M video. Great fun, great edit, great everything.
What inspires me is...
Inspiration comes from the many activities I do, i.e. my travels and meeting and interacting with the people and cultures I encounter around the globe. I like to get off the beaten track and experience the beauty of nature and things that are out of the mainstream. I try to surround myself with people who think outside the box and dare to be different.
My logo is an old Tao sign that says: 'without observation seeing is impossible’. It’s literally an eye on legs and it also resembles a camera on a tripod. In this era of 20 sec sound bites and instant news cycles it is a very important reminder that we have to look in order to really see. Inspiration is all around if you look, instead of just rushing to the next thing. I recently watched a very inspirational Japanese film: 'Bread of Happiness'. The camera and styling is so aligned with me and I also really like the underlying message of the movie. It really got my mind going.
The festival I will be attending is...
If I am in Europe at the right time I would like to attend Hyères. I hope to make it next year. I have been to the ADC Germany Festival, but missed this year’s. I wish I could go to more, but I just have to be in the right place at the right time.
What got my attention at the last festival I attended is...
I enjoy the European festivals. In general there is a lot of wit in the ads.
The best time to be a creative was...
I don’t believe there is a best year or era. Our industry is always changing and evolving. We have new opportunities and ways to reach people through the use of new technology. I love the digital evolution and its possibilities and I’m optimistic about the future.
In a film, I’d like to be played by...
Hmm... how about a young Michelle Pfeiffer? People connect me to her frequently - or also Audrey Tautou.
In my industry, I admire...
I believe in reinventing one self. Our industry is very fast paced and there is no time to sit back and relax on past achievements ever. I admire creatives across the field who thrive on that. It inspires me.
My dream collaboration is...
I am a big collaborator. Part of why I love so much what I do is because I get to collaborate with other creatives. I love the process from the beginning of a project to its end. We all come together - each person with their expertise and with the same goal in mind. I aspire to such assignments. It’s when magic happens.
In up and coming talent I look for...
People who love what they do, are willing to learn and embrace the process of finding their own voice.
The last piece of music I listened to was...
Indonesian hip hop - for hours - in the car rides across the remote islands (my driver was very much into it). I didn't know it existed but yes, it is different and fun. :)
Video: Lanvin for H&M, directed by Mike Figgis.
