Simple Life: Hanna Putz Takes on Fall’s Bold Minimalism
Photo: Hanna Putz
For the “Out of the Box” series, The Cut approaches photographers with an unusual proposition: We pick the clothes, you have your way with them. Once a model, Austrian-born and London-based Hanna Putz secured her spot in the photography world as one of the ten finalists at this year’s International Festival of Fashion and Photography in Hyères, France. The 24-year-old talked to The Cut about the feeling that motivated her to move to the other side of the shot: “I mostly enjoyed being in front of the camera … it’s an interesting moment, as you’re giving away a lot of yourself when being photographed, but at the same time it’s a very quiet, nearly meditative state when you’re close to forgetting that there’s a camera and people in the room, and you really only think in terms of images.”
The Cut sent Putz a trunk full of mainly monochromatic pieces by the likes of Jil Sander, Hermès, and J.W. Anderson. She enlisted her friends Minna, Lesly, and Benjamin, and cast three models — Fanny, Renee, and Clare — along with Minna’s dog, and Lesly’s baby, to pose in the minimalist looks, traveling between yet another set of friends’ East London house in Victoria Park and Lesly’s home in Paris. Though it’s easy to imagine them as a family, Putz explained, “There is no theme. The women are not connected, no, and Fanny and Benjamin met for the first time on this shoot.” Click ahead to see (and read) more of the story behind Putz’s shoot.
Fashion market editing by Michelle Reneau. Makeup by Nobuko Maekawa.
"I shot everyone in London except Lesly and her daughter Lily, whom I shot at their home and in a studio in Paris. I shot Lesley for another seri...
"I shot everyone in London except Lesly and her daughter Lily, whom I shot at their home and in a studio in Paris. I shot Lesley for another series before and really wanted to photograph her again for this series. I like staying with my friends, if possible, when photographing them, especially if children are involved. It gives you more time to hang out with the child, to get to know each other, and for the baby to calm down in front of the camera."
Stella McCartney dress, $2,220, available at Stella McCartney (112 Greene St.; 212-255-1556). Photo: Hanna Putz
"Minna is a friend of mine from London. I met her about a year ago on a boat when I was visiting a Croatian Island. I had seen images of her with...
"Minna is a friend of mine from London. I met her about a year ago on a boat when I was visiting a Croatian Island. I had seen images of her with Blue [the dog] and really wanted to photograph them together, as I liked the 'similarities' in their appearance. I find they're both very slim and slender and sophisticated-looking in an interesting way."
3.1 Phillip Lim needle trouser, $450, available at Barneys New York (660 Madison Ave.; 212-826-8900) and shirt case, price upon request available at 3.1 Phillip Lim (115 Mercer St.; 212-334-1160). Photo: Hanna Putz
"I like working with people I know, as they already know my work and trust how I go about it. When shooting a fashion series, I like to use non-m...
"I like working with people I know, as they already know my work and trust how I go about it. When shooting a fashion series, I like to use non-models as well as models. I don't care if someone's a model or not, as long as I find them inspiring to photograph."
Hermès cashmere jumpsuit, $2,700. Photo: Hanna Putz
"Nobuko Maekawa, a Japanese makeup artist, did the makeup. She understood immediately, from the first series we worked on together, that for the ...
"Nobuko Maekawa, a Japanese makeup artist, did the makeup. She understood immediately, from the first series we worked on together, that for the kind of images I make, extremely natural makeup (or basically no makeup) would be necessary. I didn't have anyone doing hair because I like keeping the team as small as possible. Most of the time, I don't work with an assistant and I enjoy it the most when I'm alone with the person I'm photographing."
Carven dress, $675, at Opening Ceremony (35 Howard St.; 212-219-2688). Photo: Hanna Putz
"I couldn't exactly say if and how I'm portraying models differently. I want to take images of the person, first and foremost — not so much ...
"I couldn't exactly say if and how I'm portraying models differently. I want to take images of the person, first and foremost — not so much of the model."
Pants by Rochas. Photo: Hanna Putz
"I experiment with poses, especially the 'typical' model poses. Sometimes I exaggerate poses, to have them become something else."
...
"I experiment with poses, especially the 'typical' model poses. Sometimes I exaggerate poses, to have them become something else."
Cacharel top, $1395, available at Saks Fifth Avenue (611 Fifth Ave.; 212-753-4000). Photo: Hanna Putz
"In terms of my photography, I prefer one-colored pieces, as I think mainly of paintings while photographing. For some reason, there aren’t many ...
"In terms of my photography, I prefer one-colored pieces, as I think mainly of paintings while photographing. For some reason, there aren’t many paintings, at least by the painters who inspire me, of someone wearing big, layered high-fashion pieces with extreme patterns, for example."
Jil Sander dress, $2460, available at Nordstrom. Photo: Hanna Putz
"I was happy about the simplicity of most of the pieces, and the range of colors I got in the box that you sent."
Maison Martin Mar...
"I was happy about the simplicity of most of the pieces, and the range of colors I got in the box that you sent."
Maison Martin Margiela jacket, $2,545, available at Maison Martin Margiela (803 Greenwich St., 212-989-7612). Photo: Hanna Putz
"I didn't cover her face; Martin Margiela covered her face."
Maison Martin Margiela jacket, $2,545, available at Maison Martin Marg...
"I didn't cover her face; Martin Margiela covered her face."
Maison Martin Margiela jacket, $2,545, available at Maison Martin Margiela (803 Greenwich St., 212-989-7612). Photo: Hanna Putz
"Benjamin Dukhan is a performance artist and friend of mine. I photographed him once before in Paris and always find him inspiring. I knew h...
"Benjamin Dukhan is a performance artist and friend of mine. I photographed him once before in Paris and always find him inspiring. I knew he was going to be in London when I was working on this shoot. I put him in the Jil Sander coat because I liked it on him the most."
Vionnet dress (tucked into model's own skirt), available at vionnet.com. Jil Sander Coat, $2100, available at Nordstrom. Photo: Hanna Putz
"The painting was already in the room where I photographed Fanny, and I liked how the people who lived in the house had put it on the left side o...
"The painting was already in the room where I photographed Fanny, and I liked how the people who lived in the house had put it on the left side of the bed and not in the middle, as you would expect. I was telling them how I found it interesting to photograph it like this, when they interrupted me to tell me there was a big yellow watermark on the wall, which was the only reason for hanging it there. I asked Fanny to stand beside it so that it looked like the couple in the painting are both looking at her."
Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquière tunic, $2,850.00, skirt, $1,495, and enamel-and-resin earrings, $765, available at Balenciaga (542 West 22nd St.; 212-206-0872). Photo: Hanna Putz
"Since I have an exact idea of how I want an image to look or feel like, it's hard to say what directions I give exactly, as they are so many. I ...
"Since I have an exact idea of how I want an image to look or feel like, it's hard to say what directions I give exactly, as they are so many. I direct nearly everything while photographing. I talk a lot — I'm sure it annoys people sometimes."
Calvin Klein Collection carmine-glazed cashmere 3/4 sleeve sweater, $2295, available at Calvin Klein Collection (654 Madison Ave.; 212-292-9000). Photo: Hanna Putz
"You obviously can't get a baby to pose, nor would I want to. I actually find it refreshing, having someone there not posing in any way and not c...
"You obviously can't get a baby to pose, nor would I want to. I actually find it refreshing, having someone there not posing in any way and not caring very much. I try to create an environment where a concentrated, quiet, and calm way of photographing becomes possible; however, I do direct exactly how I want the baby to be held, or which positions I would like to create with the mother and the baby for the image."
J.W. Anderson patent burgundy trousers, $900, and V-neck top, $700, available at Net-A-Porter. Photo: Hanna Putz
"I generally prefer to take my time to photograph someone, rather than rushing through taking images."
Clothes, model's own. Photo:...
"I generally prefer to take my time to photograph someone, rather than rushing through taking images."
Clothes, model's own. Photo: Hanna Putz
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