MICHAEL A.W. HOGREFE
OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED ARTIST
SINCE 1987 AS A FREELANCE PHOTO DESIGNER IN ARTISTIC PHOTOGRAPHY ADVERTISING ACT.
1994 PIONEER OF DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - NOW SPECIALIZED
ON DIGITAL PRODUCTIONS, COMPOSING & CGI.
Everything under total control.
A Scapyard was the birthplace where Michael discovered his passion for photography. When persons of the same age where still doing funny snapshots of there friends he was already interested in compositions of rusty car wrecks. With light, shadow and unusual perspectives he brought a second life to apparently death things.
Since 1987 is Michael now working as a artistic freelance photo designer for advertising and editorial. The bathroom, which he used as a thirteen year old as a darkroom, is replaced by a huge studio full with high-tech equipment. The complete workflow with digital shooting up to 80 million pixel, postproduction on high-end workstations and digital proofs is now located in huerth – right at the border of the south of cologne.
Like a captious maniac with insane patience he works on his projects. “I have to have everything under total control. And because I love to paint with light I need the time and protagonists who will have the same patience – thats why the protagonists are objects most of the time.“
Michaels scrupulous compositions and his subtle manipulation of light end up in clear and concisely statements. Just because he is moving well-known things into a different light he forces the viewer to change the way he used to look at things and finally accompanies them to the essential core. But even when he rarely gives the control out of his hands he also loves the experimental way of working. So sometimes it’s a very basic pinhole camera he uses to obtain a special effect. And if theres still something nonsatisfying it will get the final touch in postproduction.
From time to time he invites to an exhibition in his studio. At these rare events he presents his free work which are a critical interpretation of the picture language used nowadays in the advertising scene. These free works gives him the clearance to address his full power to the daily tasks in his job.
© 2024 Hogrefe Photodesign