Top 40 Juergen Teller Quotes

I just really like women, and I like men, and I like children, and I like eating, and I like doing everything.

In Germany, the body is treated rather differently than in the U.K. or U.S. I grew up with a swimming pool in our garden and a sauna in our basement.

I like physical exercise. I cycle, run, and play tennis and football with my son.

I never work with a screen. Other photographers have this black thing around, and they go back and look at it. I’d rather spend the time with the subject, photographing or discussing or talking, than staring at this thing. I’d rather look at what’s going on.

I cycle whenever possible around London. But I travel first class when I need to fly.

I don’t understand longer shorts. I don’t think they look good on anyone.

I’m interested in extrovert characters, people who are doing something. But I used to only be able to photograph people I was interested in or attracted to, either psychologically or physically. That all changed when I did the ‘Go Sees.’

I had no visual imagination as a child. I liked playing football. That was it.

For me, cinema is very important. I grew up with television; then, as a teenager, you discover cinema.

It’s important to be involved in different things for me.

I see through my eyes; the camera is just a machine to record it for me.

I often photograph something as if the subject matter was realistic, but it is actually a fantasy.

In Bavaria, many homes have a cosy room which is all wood and is filled with special things. My grandfather had such a room, and he made the panels on the walls himself; each one told a story.

I have a Mercedes. I wear a Rolex watch. I have no problem with the selling of things.

I’ve never really understood tattoos. I mean, it’s your body – why would you wanna scar it? I don’t mind other people’s tattoos, but I just never got it.

I like people with conviction, who are in control of themselves. I’m not interested in working with a designer who hires a creative director.

I think the range of my life shows in my work.

In order to do something really good, you have to take risks – that’s what I do.

I don’t try to be original; I just always want to do something that excites me.

My childhood was very beautiful in some ways and very disturbing in others.

I don’t care what other people think. I hate conforming, that you have to wear this to a business meeting or that to a dinner. I’ve never worked that way.

I always work with two cameras. Its kind of like I’m hypnotizing the subject with the flashing. It’s a bombardment of action, flashes, and I think it helps them to ease into the process.

I like friendship.

When I came to London in 1986, I was amazed at how prudish everyone was.

What’s the point of shorts if they’re not short?

My father and one of my grandfathers died very early, and female figures have been an influential part of my life.

Everything I choose to photograph, I think is beautiful.

Nudity is no big deal as a German. It’s all rather normal and boring.

When I was a child, I always went to my grandmother’s house in Nuremberg for Christmas. My uncle would leave the room, saying he needed the toilet, and then he would reappear dressed as Santa Claus. I was really scared – I’d have to go and hide behind an armchair.

Quite frankly, if I didn’t enjoy the fashion industry, then I wouldn’t continue to do it.

I like the luxurious, dressing-up aspect of fashion.

I think it’s really important to not be afraid of failure and to push yourself to try things and jump in the cold water.

If I do a portrait, I know what they can take. If somebody’s a sweet, shy person, the photographs will be sweet and shy. Of course, you ask people to do something which they might not have done before, but that’s the journey, the fun element.

I would never ask somebody to do something where I felt that it’s not right or it puts someone in an uncomfortable position.

A few brands have asked me to design shorts for them. I’m not sure about that. I don’t want to have them as a mass product, and suddenly everybody is walking around in them.

I take it very seriously, the photographic craft.

I’m not interested in running around from one shoot to another.

I never really think of anyone as models, even the models.

I think my strength is to act instinctively, really quickly, on what I believe, what I see in this person. A proper portrait. I wouldn’t dream of doing something inappropriate for that person. I guess I make the person comfortable around me.

I find it quite fascinating to see how the body works.