The French magazine Whimsical has devoted an entire issue to the work of photographer Ralf Eyertt, honoring his distinctive artistic vision with a full retrospective edition. This special issue highlights Eyertt’s unique visual language – a blend of clarity, emotion, and timeless elegance – and traces his creative evolution from fashion and beauty photography to his most recent experimental projects.
The issue has just been released and is available for order directly from the publisher:
👉 Whimsical Magazine – Ralf Eyertt Retrospective
Below, you’ll find an in-depth interview with Ralf Eyertt, in which he reflects on his creative evolution, his view of beauty and light, and his vision for the years ahead.
Interview with Ralf Eyertt
Photographer, visual designer, and light-painting artist Ralf Eyertt speaks about the evolution of his visual language – from the Swiss fashion scene to the spiritual realm of long exposure. A conversation about beauty, authenticity, and artistic curiosity.
1. 1. Hi Ralf, it’s a pleasure to have you here! Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your photographic journey.
Thank you, it’s a pleasure to be here. My journey began in artist management and branding, but over time I felt a stronger pull toward creating visuals myself. Photography became my way to explore beauty, identity, and light — and today it’s both my profession and my artistic voice.
2. 2. How do you prepare for your projects? Do you picture beforehand in your mind the images you take?
Preparation is essential for me — I always start with a clear concept and mood in mind. I often visualize the final image before I even set up the lights, but I also leave room for spontaneity, because the best moments often happen unexpectedly.
3. 3. Generally speaking, do you shoot more from a professional place or from an emotional point of view?
It’s always a balance. My professional experience gives structure, but in the end, I shoot from emotion — that’s where the real connection and authenticity come through.
4. 4. What does photography mean to your clients? What does it mean to you?
For my clients, photography is about image, presence, and how they want to be seen. For me, it’s a language — a way to capture beauty, emotion, and the essence of a person beyond the surface.
5. 5. What details do you believe make the best photographs? How do you go about focusing on them in your work?
The best photographs come from clarity and emotion — the small details in expression, light, and composition. I focus by reducing everything unnecessary, so the viewer connects directly with the essence of the subject.
6. 6. What is your favorite part of the whole photographic process?
My favorite part is the moment of connection during the shoot — when everything aligns between light, subject, and emotion. That’s when the image almost creates itself.
7. 7. What makes a good photographer? Is it sensitivity, vision, sharpness — or just chance?
A good photographer needs sensitivity and vision above all. Technique is important, but it’s the ability to see and feel beyond the obvious that truly makes an image powerful.
8. 8. Is it important for you to be recognized by your peers?
Recognition is always nice, but it’s not my main goal. What matters most to me is creating honest work that resonates with people — everything else is secondary.
9. 9. In your daily routine, what are the most useful resources for you to enrich your vision of photography, fashion, and art?
I draw inspiration from many sources — art, design, nature, and everyday human encounters. And I’m not a lone fighter; much of what I create grows out of teamwork with stylists, make-up artists, and models, because strong images are always the result of collaboration.
10. 10. What are your favorite camera and lens?
I mainly work with the Canon R5 together with the 24–70mm lens. It gives me the flexibility and quality I need, from close-up beauty shots to full fashion editorials.
11. 11. Where would you like to see yourself and your photography in 10 years?
I turned 70 this year, but I still feel full of energy and curiosity. In ten years, I hope to look back on many more inspiring shoots, new creative experiments, and collaborations. Most of all, I’d like my work to inspire younger photographers to follow their own vision with passion and authenticity.
12. 12. What’s your most striking movie of the last five years? Does cinema influence your vision of photography?
Cinema influences me a lot, especially in the way it conveys emotion. Over the last five years, some science fiction films have struck me deeply — I love how they combine strong visuals with human feeling. That blend of imagination and emotion often inspires how I approach my own photography.
13. 13. What’s heavily played on your music playlist right now? Does music play an important role during your photoshoots?
I really enjoy the sound of the 80s — it has a timeless energy that inspires me. But on set, I let the model choose the music, because the right atmosphere helps them feel comfortable and brings out authentic emotion.
14. 14. What do you do to always keep up with the times?
I stay curious and open to new ideas, trends, and technologies, but I never lose my own identity. For me, keeping up with the times means evolving while staying true to my vision.
15. 15. What’s the next main goal you are committed to reach?
My next main goal is to realize an exhibition that brings my recent work to a wider audience. I would also love to publish another photobook or two, as a way to preserve and share my vision beyond the studio.
16. 16. What is your kryptonite?
My kryptonite is AI-generated art. While it can be fascinating, it lacks the human connection and authenticity that drive my own work.
17. 17. What part of the world do you call home?
I was born in Hildesheim and grew up near Munich, but today my true home is Taufkirchen/Vils in Bavaria, where I’ve returned to my roots and opened my new studio. Beyond that, I feel at home among people who live in tolerance and freedom — that atmosphere inspires both my life and my art.
18. 18. What is your motto?
My motto is: ‚Life is movement — so move and live.‘
19. 19. A hashtag to describe yourself?
#BeautyInMotion
20. 20. The word of the end?
Gratitude. For the people I’ve met, the moments I’ve captured, and the creative journey that still lies ahead.