Stockland Martel

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Several months ago, I came across a post on Hans Gissinger at the blog run by the creative agency Epidemik Coalition. It was written by photographer Jorge Menes, who recalled an assignment he was given while a student at Portfolio Center in Atlanta. Here’s the part that got me intrigued:

“Contact your hero (a photographer), and create a photo in his honor. How do I do that? The pucker factor on this was pretty high, but you would be surprised how easy it is to get your idol on the phone. After just one email, me and Hans Gissinger scheduled a phone conversation (while on vacation with his family in Miami no less). At the end of our talk, I asked him why he agreed to speak to me. He simply stated, ‘I like to talk.’”

So Jorge got the interview, but he didn’t post it at EC’s blog. I was curious about what he and Hans had discussed, so I wrote him and invited him to do a follow-up interview with Hans for the Stockland Martel blog. He gamely agreed, but it took some time to arrange. Jorge, you see, is also an active-duty Marine.

This past weekend, he sent me not only his follow-up interview but also a photo he shot to go with it: a T-bone steak made of strawberry Jell-O and vanilla Jell-O pudding. It’s Jorge’s take on Hans’ work.

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“Hans does such an amazing job of showing us the uncomfortable side of being meat eaters,” says Jorge. “I thought it would be fun to show a before-and-after food shot: raw sugar and the finished steak. Sugar is so bad for us, and it is a part of so much of what we eat.” Photographs by Jorge Menes.

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And here, without further delay, is Jorge’s story on Hans:

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Hans Gissinger loves food, and no one shoots it like he does. His passion for the subject is present in every salivating shot. At times, his work makes the viewer uncomfortable—Hans forces us to look into the eyes of our next meal. Hans has always been one of my favorite photographers because he captures the raw nature of everyday things. He has a truly dark sense of humor and an obvious interest in the “primal instincts of human nature.” Recently, Kristina asked me to do a follow-up on an interview I did with him a couple of years ago.

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J: Last time we spoke, you were in Miami with your family. We always seem to talk while you are on vacation. Thanks again for taking time out of your schedule to talk with me. Hans, a lot has happened in my life since we last spoke. What’s going on with you and your career?

H: I am still working on “Brut.” “Americas” is one of my latest projects. My original idea was to tour through the U.S. with my family, but the family said no. Instead, I created Pop-like photos, along with some medieval-styled still lifes. My original idea was a little bit boring, so it changed. But things always change. I am now writing a film from my original idea. We’ll see where it goes.

A self-portait by Hans. You just never know what's going to come out of his mouth.

J: A documentary?

H: No, a feature film.

J: That sounds really amazing, Hans. Have you always wanted to make movies? It seems like you had a lot of fun making Tartas.

H: Not really. It is what it is. I am working a lot more on personal projects.

J: I have always loved your commercial work. Has the economy affected your commercial business? Have you done any commercial shooting lately?

H: I am always working on my personal projects. And I have a client that I have been working for, but I can never show any of the work. It’s confidential.

J: Wow, that must be hard.

H: No, it’s a job. I am sorry, but I cannot talk about it. It has been very slow, and a lot of the work out there is very boring.

J: There’s that word again. What do you mean when you say boring?

H: It’s not like it used to be. Clients are so afraid to take any risks. Even in editorial. Editorial used to be a place to be creative, when art directors would collaborate with photographers to make interesting pictures, but now they are all afraid to lose their jobs. The work is filled with complications and compromise.

I asked Jorge for a photo of himself, and faster than you can say "foot soldier," he sent me this self-portrait.

J: So what keeps you going?

H: Personal projects. But I have to make money too. It is always a compromise. I am keeping busy with the work I love, and that is my personal work. My book Fire that I photographed with Chef de Carlo is also traveling around Europe looking for a publisher. We’ll see. I have a wife and children to support. [children’s voices in the background] We must all find a balance in what we must do, and what we love to do. If I get bored, I find something that is not boring.

J: I hear some little voices in the background. Are all your children grown, with children?

H: Yes, but I also have a half-year-old.

J: Wow, you have been busy. If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?

H: 63.

J: You are definitely still in the game, sir! Talking with you back in 2007 was really inspiring. Have you ever reached out to a photographer that you have admired?

H: No, they usually call me. (laughing)

J: (laughing louder) Well, then, who is the most interesting photographer that has ever contacted you?

H: I once received a call from Irving Penn. A friend of his had given him one of my books as a gift. We spoke for a bit. He told me, “I could never do this book.”

J: Amazing! I love that story. Thank you so much again for speaking to me, Mr. Gissinger. Last time we spoke, part of my assignment was to create a photo for you, using your subject matter, but in my own personal style. I would like to do that again if that is all right.

H: Yes, of course. I look forward to seeing it. Goodbye.

Hans Gissinger is a photographer’s photographer. The real article. In an industry full of celebrity photographers and huge egos, Hans stays true to himself and his work: simple, raw, direct. Although his career follows the same ebb and flow that many other shooters’ do, his dedication to capturing the essence of his subject puts him in a class all its own. Two years ago I picked up the phone, and Hans said, “Hello.” It was that simple. I recommend it to everyone: Call your hero—you just might be surprised who answers. Thanks, Kristina!

—Jorge Menes, jorgemenes.com
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Thank YOU, Jorge! Stay safe.

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