The Red Bulletin

Fritz Schuster: Head of Photography
Creative Director: Erik Turek
Art Director: Kasimir Reiman
Photo Editor: Rudi Uebelhoer
Photographer: Jim Krantz

Heidi: What was the biggest challenge for this type of shoot?
Jim: Finding my lost cards in the desert dust after 2 days of shoot in degree+ temperatures. That’s its own story!

Was weather and issue? Sand isn’t friendly for cameras.
My equipment was trashed, its ok, they are only tools. I love rental equipment

In a few words describe the Wasteland weekend festival and why is was so inspiring to shoot.
The high level of creativity in each persons individuality was spectacular, these alter egos created became the person for the duration of this post apocalyptic festival. This is a very enigmatic situation to experience, the cars and personalities are haunting and intimidating yet the warmth and camaraderie between all involved is all for one, one for all. I just loved being a part of it.

Did you also camp at the festival?
I did not, the process of making a “camp” is also part of the process, I was a transient observer.

What kind of direction did you get from the magazine?
“Jimmy, shoot a story that you love and do what you do”

With so much visual appeal how did you decide what to shoot?
The event is a kaleidoscope  of  visual candy. Every where, in every direction there were shots to consider. The difficult aspect is not simply making a photograph that is “bizarre” because on the surface,  every image that flashes by is as such. Photographing in these overwhelming situations must go deeper, on a more narrative or personal level of the subject. Its simple to shoot a documentation of a person, but what are they feeling and thinking, is this a moment of repose or reflection? Then the images become individualized. A question I ask myself when I work is would the photograph be as good if they were not dressed in what they are wearing? For me it is very important to ease into the situation, strip away the wild surface of the event and see what is happening as if they were not in the regalia – that’s when the photos happen. This is a very important concept I consider whenever I shoot and that allows me to strip away the obvious and see what is really beneath the surface