A Parallel Planets piece by Unknown
Parallel Planets presents Stephan Kaps
in Parched Pages: Studienzeit
Book Review by Mayee Gonzales
Mentioned: unfinished formulas, a slap on the face, and idyllic blow-out of photographs
* * *
A fondness for color, an affection for
contrast, and a certain distinction for gorgeous subjects summarize Stephan
Kaps’ relationship with film photography. Attractive and forward, his
photographs are fairly akin to an unfinished formula -- tried and tested but
still not close to perfect.
I first met Stephan a couple of years back
through Lomography. Coming from the beer-loving country of
Germany, Stephan’s character was quite easy to decipher as it reflected his film
photographs. Fun, lovely, yet vicious, his work is like reality waking you up
from a sweet slumber – beautiful but with a corresponding slap on the face.
The use of various film cameras (he owns
more than 25!) lets Stephan create and experiment various images stored on his ingenious
mind. From everyday life, striking portraits, lines and symmetries, plus an
artistic take on black and white, it was just high time for Stephan to compile
his photographs in a book. And alas, we were lucky enough to take hold of “Studienzeit”,
a collection of his finest analogue works from 2009 to 2014.
Versed in German, Studienzeit does not
exactly require fancy words to be able to understand. Several flips into this
book and you are in a blissful treat of color and detail. Minimal in subject
but overflowing with colors, Stephan’s Studienzeit is an idyllic blow-out of
photographs crafted over the years.
A deeper dive into this photo book and you
welcome yourself to abstract images of people, light, and structure. This is
the part where we analyze and understand the mind of a visual storyteller. It’s
quite tough to translate but it’s very pleasing to stare at -- like a hollow but
expensive painting or a piece of jewelry topped in a bin. It’s a vague question
but it’s something you’d like to ask over and over again.
With 124 pages of texts and film
photographs, presented in an imbalance layout of black and white backgrounds,
Studienzeit isn't exactly painless to swallow. Sure, it is visually appealing
but the striking staging of its content requires more than one look. It’s
personal art and it’s something we as an audience has to accept.
Stephan Kaps’ Studienzeit is soon to be
available for everyone. For now, indulge yourself to some of his photographs shown below. You may also take a look at its online preview through here. Take that formula and find your closest knit to it.
Parched Pages is a Parallel Planets series on book reviews. Read more music and zine reviews here.More from Stephan Kaps: Website, Facebook, Twitter
