..there are worlds of experience beyond the world of the aggressive man, beyond history, and beyond science. The moods and qualities of nature and the revelations of great art are equally difficult to define; we can grasp them only in the depths of our perceptive spirit..

Ansel Adams

was born in erlangen, germany, 1964.
after a short apprenticeship as a bowmaker, began his career as a photographer.
having trained for two years between 1984 and 1986 at the fotodesign
academy of munich, develops an interest in portraiture.
comes to london to escape national service and learn english.

juergen teller started his career in 1986 photographing celebrities from
the world of music like elton john and kurt cobain
(commissioned to take some shots of the then unknown band
nirvana for their record ’smells like teen spirit’).
meets stylist and art director venetia scott (now his partner with
whom he has a daughter) who pushes him to do fashion.
the scene is commonly known as ‘grunge’ fashion and centers
around cutting edge style publications… and teller did his first shoots
for youth magazines like the face and i-D in 1986, knowing next to
nothing about the world of fashion. by the early 1990s teller is an
integral part of the new fashion scene. major magazine editors appreciate
his direct, open style, his dialogue between the model and the photographer

- as he himself says, ‘I depended heavily on the model’s personality;
at least, I wanted to depend on this because I’m interested in
personal reactions’ (2002).

he’s everywhere: dazed & confused, all the vogues…
from these editorial assignments, teller broadens
his horizons and starts shooting major campaigns for fashion houses,
he’s done major ad campaigns for comme des garçons, marc jacobs,
stüssy, helmut lang, hugo boss, yves st. laurent, calvin klein, louis vuitton.,
katherine hamnett and blumarine.

he says ‘I feel comfortable making my living with commercial assignments.
it’s an agreement which I find quite honest. I help them to sell their product,
or their record. and if they like my work, and I like their music or whatever,
it’s nice to do it. and if I get some decent, honest money for it,
that’s all right too.’

recently he slows down work rate, spends more time with his
young family in the country and shoots more personal work.
he lives and works in london.