On fetishes & creative freedom Casper Sejersen Photographer & Filmmaker

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From his ‘Orgasm Portraits’ for Lars von Trier’s Nymphomaniac to shooting the likes of Harry Styles, Tilda Swinton, Willem Dafoe and Kirsten Dunst (to name a few), Danish-born Casper Sejersen is known for creating iconic visuals for brands including Alexander McQueen, Gucci and Burberry, and editorial platforms such as Dazed and Beauty Papers...as well as publishing zines, directing a TV series, and that’s just for starters!

In this episode, we journey into his psycho-visceral world, as he shares how he found his photographic feet in commercial photography before transitioning into fashion editorial, cinema and fine art, where he found creative freedom. You’ll also hear about the poetry and pianist that inspires him, the deeply personal reason why he began taking more risks, and how – with meticulous preparation and by allowing them to share in his artistic vision – he gets the best out of his creative collaborators – both behind and in front of his lens.

Link to references from this episode include:

Watch Tilda Swinton recite All Kinds of Love, the poem that inspired Casper for his Numéro China shoot with the actor. And find out more about composer August Rosenbaum.

Until next time, Farvel!

Follow @caspersejersenstudio

And a big thank you to Julia at MAP for bringing us all together!

Episode Insights:

How a well-prepared, safe space leads to beautiful ‘mistakes’
Why having plans A, B, and C is key when working with clients
The reward of pitching bold ideas to the right people
How commercial, editorial, and personal work all feed into each other

Thoughts on the episode? DM us @creativebloodworld

When I shoot Cate Blanchett with, you know, a banana, she's still wearing Gucci. And for me, that kind of cultural icon with the reference to Andy Warhol’s Velvet Underground cover — that’s fashion to me

Hosted by Laura Conway
Produced by Scenery Studios
Show music by Ben Tarrant-Brown

Casper loves

watch: I am Cuba

"1964 film directed by Mikhail Kalatozoz. The hotel rooftop party scene, I basically want all the frames as pictures on my wall"

listen: Baxter Dury

"Friend and hair magician Gary Gill introduced me to Baxter Dury recently, and I was like, why haven’t I heard about this guy before? It was the music and lyrics I did not know I needed in my life"

explore: 19-69 Female Christ

"This scent was inspired by a Danish female performance artist Lene Adler, who walked naked with a cross through the Copenhagen stock exchange in 1969"

explore: Manhattan

"2 ounces rye whisky, 1 ounce sweet Vermouth, 3 dashes Angostura, 1 Luxardo Marasca cherry, do not use other cherries!, a frozen glass. Upscale on the whisky, downscale on the Vermouth, upscale Vermouth overpowers the whisky. Dash the Angostura on top of ice cubes, add the Vermouth and Whisky. Stir gently. Put the cherry in the frozen glass and pour the cocktail in the glass, you can maybe listen to a Frank Ocean track while you do it and make a wish that a new album is on its way"