Life and Career
Teller studied at the Bayerische Staatslehranstalt für Photographie in Munich, Germany (1984–1986). In order to avoid military national service he learned English and, at the age of 22, moved to London in 1986.
Teller’s work, in books, magazines or exhibitions, is marked by his refusal to separate the commercial fashion pictures and his mostly autobiographical un-commissioned images. He employs a raw, overexposed style and he uses a Contax G2 camera with an onboard flash. He prefers to work in color, and regularly includes himself in his photographs. His fashion photographs have been featured in The Face, Vogue (US, France, England, Italy), Another Magazine, Index, W Magazine, Self Service, Details, Purple, i-D and 032c, among others.
Teller first gained wider recognition in 1996 with his front cover of Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazine featuring a nude Kristen McMenamy with the word ‘Versace’ drawn in a heart across her chest. In 1997, Marc Jacobs began to collaborate with Teller's then-partner Venetia Scott to style his collections. Since 1998, Teller has shot campaigns for Marc Jacobs. For the brand's 2005 campaign, he photographed himself with Cindy Sherman. Other collaborations for Marc Jacobs campaigns involved, among others, Winona Ryder, Sofia Coppola, Charlotte Rampling, Michael Stipe, Rufus Wainwright, Harmony Korine, and Roni Horn.
Teller has also had long collaborations with other designers and fashion houses over the years including Helmut Lang, Yves Saint Laurent (since 2005), Vivienne Westwood. He has recently collaborated with Céline. He frequently works with the musician Björk. Teller has also photographed many artists, including William Eggleston and Roni Horn.
Teller has also directed several short films including Can I Own Myself in 1998 in which he also appears.
Teller is married to UK contemporary art dealer Sadie Coles.
Read more about this topic: Juergen Teller
Famous quotes containing the words life and, life and/or career:
“I never read a novel, they have so little real life and thought in them.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Some things in life are bad
They can really make you mad
Other things just make you swear and curse
When you’re chewing on life’s gristle
Don’t grumble, give a whistle
And this’ll help turn things out for the best ...
And ... always look on the bright side of life.”
—Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Mr. Frisbee III (Eric Idle)
“Work-family conflicts—the trade-offs of your money or your life, your job or your child—would not be forced upon women with such sanguine disregard if men experienced the same career stalls caused by the-buck-stops-here responsibility for children.”
—Letty Cottin Pogrebin (20th century)