Jeanloup Sieff

Jeanloup Sieff - Early passion for photography; first engagement for Elle

Jeanloup Sieff was born in Paris on 30th November 1933. The son of Polish immigrants, he discovered his passion and talent for photography at the age of 14. By then, the Second World War was over, the oppressive occupying power had been shaken off, and the path was free for a young art enthusiast, who, just a few years later, was able to recommend himself to the French Elle with his first photographic works. This prestigious engagement offered the aspiring photographer the opportunity he had been longing for, and Jeanloup Sieff seized it: He made his breakthrough with his sensitive works and quickly received further commissions from the major glossy magazines of his time. Illustrious names such as Esquire, Harpers Bazaar,Paris Match and Vogue suddenly showed a keen interest in Sieff's services. In 1960, he went to New York, where he joined the internationally renowned Magnum photo agency for a limited period and shared a photo studio with the famous Swiss photographer Frank Horvat.

Black and white photography with a wide-angle lens as a trademark

Jeanloup Sieff relied almost exclusively on black and white photography, especially in the 1960s, which is considered the age of colour. For Sieff, this decision was a thoroughly conscious artistic statement: He wanted to distance himself from the superficial world of advertising, which was focused on quick effects, and instead emphasise soft and gentle tones. In doing so, he was moving in a similar vein to his important companion Lucien Clergue, who also worked extensively in black and white, particularly in the field of the nude, which was also an important subject for Jeanloup Sieff. One of Sieff's most famous pictures is a nude portrait: Created in 1970, it shows the most famous fashion designer in the world at the time, Yves Saint-Laurent. Another special characteristic of Jeanloup Sieff's working method was his extensive use of the wide-angle lens. While fashion and portrait photography usually only uses lenses with long focal lengths to make the model stand out as clearly as possible from the surroundings, Sieff deliberately took the opposite approach: he was also interested in the surroundings, allowing the model to merge with the space.

Reaching the pinnacle of photographic art with soft tones

Jeanloup Sieff achieved his greatest fame as a fashion photographer who was able to make his own mark in the world of glamour with unexpected sensitivity and subtlety. Alongside this famous part of his oeuvre, however, he also created a large number of landscape, portrait and nude photographs. As much as he knew how to play with angles, shadows, light and moods, he always remained a master of subtle tones, who never sought the striking. Nor did he need it, because he had an abundance of inspiration and creative tools at his disposal to achieve the desired goal without any gimmickry. Jeanloup Sieff received prizes and honours for his art and was made a Chevalier de la Legion d'honneur in 1992.

Jeanloup Sieff died on 20th September 2000 in his birthplace and hometown of Paris.