Photographer of the Week
Per-Andre Hoffmann - Standout Shooter-
by Yugel Losorata–
In any artistic field, one’s training ground has something to say about how tough his talent is. Born German Per-Andre Hoffman roamed through war zones and dealt with the dangers of human conflict in getting his first shots as a professional photographer. No doubt it was too hazardous for a start and he could have ended as a casualty of war after scoring some great shots.
Fortunately for Hoffmann who is based in the Philippines (also in Stuttgart, Germany), he survived the training drill. He even gained a reputation for being one who ‘risks head and heels for a good shot,’ as the editor-in-chief of the popular GEO magazine had put it.
It was enough to toughen this ‘soldier of fortune’ into an effective photographer, with his dramatic images of war both reflecting his courage to produce good pictures in ugly situations and reminding people viewing them how sad it is that humans go fight each other.
Hoffmann eventually graduated from being a war zone shooter and moved on to the sunnier side of travel. This includes basically all fields of photography, especially advertising which is significantly into his portfolio.
“For a professional, an effective photograph is the photo that stands out, captures attention, and conveys the message it was taken for: this can be selling a product, telling a story, evoking emotions or even just selling it as a print,” Hoffmann shares.
With his good work ethic and unquestionable talent, clients from all over the world tap him for shoots. They number to over 100 worldwide publications including National Geographic, Time, Life, Geo, Stern, and Vogue. He relates, “The best recognition is to have numerous repeat clients, continued interest in my work and positive feedback from viewers and readers.”
Since he can also write, Hoffmann comes out with in-depth text-and-photo features. In fact, he has done loads of such features with Philippines as topic. His affection for Orient’s pearl is so strong that he even got to feature our country on German TV.
Dubbed as the ‘Magician of Light’ for his exceptional play of lighting, Hoffmann pleases the eyes with photos powerful enough to retain in the mind long after you have let them off. He states, “I believe that the true essence of an image needs to be seen not only with the eyes but also with the heart. I enjoy dreamy images and I prefer to make images, not just take them.”
That attitude certainly made him wanted by publications and companies either on land (automobile seller) and air (airlines). His work’s exposure extends to TV, official postage stamps, and the Ayala Museum. His reply as to why he likes this country is flattering: “The Philippines is a fantastic country with wonderful people and closest to my heart.”
Single and Christian, Hoffmann is a journeyman, having been to places in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. He was raised in Brazil and Norway, and studied in England and the U.S. Here in the Philippines, he has gotten fulfillment by also doing charity work, saving the lives of numerous children in the process. He supports hospitals like the National Children’s Hospital located in Quezon City.
He loves people in general and feels rewarded having them as subjects. The challenge is always there as he deals with each character, the lighting and conditions around a specific person. He quips, “You don’t get hugged by a rhino; unlike an Ivatan great-great-grandmother who forcefully French-kissed me after the shoot.”
For him, a photographer’s work becomes edgier than others as a result of hard work, deep passion, artistic talent, and the pursuit of trying to see things in a different way. His knowledge of these and the fact he’s been applying them to his work flow make him a real standout.
