Shooting the fashion jungle with Nikon Z 7II

Which functions or features were you particularly looking forward to? What did you expect from the new Z 7II when you first heard about it?

The announcement and the introduction of new products at Nikon are strictly regulated and always treated with the utmost secrecy. As a result, I didn’t know that much until I actually had the camera in my hands! I had hoped that Nikon would take the Z 7, which I thought was already very good, and just improve a few critical details.

How did you prepare for the shoot without having held the camera in your hands before?

I have had experience with shooting in the studio impromptu with the Z 7. Back then, we shot a German campaign, and I only got hold of the camera on the day of the shoot. With the Z 7II, the lead time was much longer because of the size of the campaign. We tailored many sets directly to the camera and certain features to highlight individual functions and capabilities. This time, I also spent a few days with a prototype to get a feel for the camera. The Japanese agency in charge was also a great help in the preparation. The colleagues already had the camera, which assisted enormously with the planning.

What was the focus or your leitmotif for this shoot? What did you want to achieve?

For me, it was a very important project – creating a worldwide campaign for the brand I have been using since the beginning of my career. On the one hand, I wanted my style to be evident in my work, but I also wanted to try something completely new.

In this case, we made a virtue out of necessity. Due to the worldwide travel restrictions at the time, we had to bring a jungle into our studio in Leipzig, Germany. The city is probably one of the least exotic places you can imagine! But I wanted everything to look as real as possible, and I think I achieved that, together with my team.

You’ve been shooting your projects with the Z 7 for some time now. What are the differences and advantages of the Z 7II?

At last, there is a second card slot! Joking aside, I could already see some real improvements to the Z 7 during the shoot. Specifically, for example, the eye-detection autofocus has been refined and accelerated, offering considerably more options in real shooting conditions. The frame rate has been increased by 1 fps to 10 fps when shooting 12-bit RAW/JPEG images (with single-point AF and continuous high-speed shooting). In addition, the batteries have been improved. You now have the option of USB power while shooting and even a power-saving mode has been built in.

Overall, the Z 7II captures important scenes and moments faster and more smoothly thanks to the addition of a second EXPEED 6 image processor and increased processing speed. Combined with the hugely expanded buffer memory and second memory card slot, this makes the Z 7 successor an even better and more reliable tool for professional photographers.

What is it about the Z series and Z 7II that makes them so intuitive to shoot with?

I love the feeling that, since my first Nikon, I’ve never had to pick up the manual for a new Nikon camera. I felt the same way with the Z 7, even though we are talking about completely new technology. And it’s been the same again with the Z 7II. Any new features are exactly where you expect them to be, and you can just carry on working under familiar circumstances. That’s a big bonus in a commercial or professional environment.

For this shoot, travelling to an exciting foreign country was sadly not possible due to Covid-19. Where would have been your favourite place to test the Z 7II?

I went to Bali for the first time at the end of 2019 and found the vegetation there very inspiring. I only had a few days, unfortunately, so I would definitely love to go there again with the Z 7II.

What are the biggest challenges for fashion photographers these days?

Flexibility and the ability to build up and maintain one’s own visual identity in a plethora of images.

Do you have any tips for ambitious photographers with the same vision as you? 

A German saying is: “No master has yet fallen from the sky.” That may sound like a cliché at first, but I have a feeling that many young people today forget that the pictures you see on my Instagram page, for example, are the result of years of work, with an endless number of test shoots and the relentless urge to constantly improve.