First I would like to say thanks to show studio for making it possible for people to talk and intereact on such great subjects and bring together a learning curve where people are getting information and debating in a positive way about this area of media and the arts. I think the work of Jurgen Teller is very good and of today, in the same way as Mario Testino. have I spelt it right? and Wolfgang Tillerman, fashion photography in a more semi documentary style with warts and all, There seems to be a lot more people following this style at present and I feel that even though we need a semi doco aproach in some areas, as recording life and style as it happens. It would be nice to see more creative image making coming back. All these photographers at the same time are giving a valuable record of the way people live, that would possibly not be seen otherwise, from theere angles, at this point in time.

Nope, gotta say that his work has never done it for me. I don't particularly like the gritty "I just took some snaps of my friends in Helmut Lang" aesthetic at the best of times. I can understand it's origins and the general move away from the more technically perfect styles of photography, and I can appreciate it's general artistic values - but no, for me it does not have a place in high fashion magazines. It's not the man and it's not even the content that I object to - I simply don't like the style. It has had it's moment and now we need someone/thing new... like elephants dressed in Dior (...or maybe not).

I agree. I just can't work out what all the fuss is about - everytime I see his stuff it just reminds me of Grimms fairytale "The Emporer's New Clothes"...

Of his contempories I prefer Kate Garner, to name but one.

www.kategarner.co.uk

Yeah - interesting mix of work on her site. One of my favourites at the moment is Hugo Tillman - www.hugotillman.com - similar to Garner in style.

Interesting. But nowhere near as punky

So many people have copied his style, that it's hard to still find it interesting. I generally do like his approach, but too many have jumped on the bandwagon.

Sebastion, what is your personal definition of ''creative image making'' ?

Actually, what am i saying ? Above all, i like his work. It's not his fault that others jump on the bandwagon. For me it has a place in the high fashion magazines, without new (generally speaking) paths, fashion photography goes stale. Of course you could say that with all this ''Juergen Teller Style'' fashion photography, we now need new paths, but i remember the change in the fashion photography world, when the likes of Teller etc turned up, i think it gave fashion photography an immense push forward, creatively speaking, and i respect that, above all. I definately prefer him to Bruce Weber and David La Chapelle, if i had to choose.

''Lou Mensah - photographer, London: Juergen, do you find that your work is criticised more zealously now that your are positioning yourself as an art, rather than purely a fashion photographer?

Juergen Teller: I don't consider myself as an art photographer. Nor as a fashion photographer. I consider myself as a photographer who produces work. I am interested in many things. But your question has a point. People want to put everyone in one cupboard because it's easier for them to deal with.''

I felt i had to quote that.

P.S: If we don't need Juergen teller, we don't need Hugo Tillman either.

;)