Kai Stiepel Photography

Technology

You seem to have a fondness for technology, Kai.
It’s true that I’m a “techi”. Maybe I spent a lot of time playing with my fishing gear as a young boy. In any case, it’s always been fascinating for me, something moves and flashes, and somehow it magically works. And of course I love the look of technical things.
What does this fascination mean for your photography?
I see technology through my own filter, so I bring a personal perspective to the subject matter which the viewer can share.
How do you know you have a good technical photograph?
I know it’s good when I see the theme from an analytical perspective, yet I can also tell a story with the picture. Light, once again, plays a big role in dramatizing an object. And with focus stacking I can control the depth of field in a way that is usually not possible.
Do you have concrete stories on technology photo shoots?
The production for the Occhio Divo luminaire comes to mind. We individually illuminated and photographed several parts of the object and then assembled them in post production. Or the shot for Mountainbike magazine. In order to show the construction train running inside the frame, we worked with X-ray imaging. The effort was worth it.