Elger Esser

Elger Esser (b. 1967) is one of the most recognized living German landscape photographers. Raised in Rome, he studied at the Kunst- akademie Düsseldorf under Bernd and Hilla Becher. Becher was a significant influence on Elger Esser, and you can see traces of her style in Esser‘s work. However, Esser has developed a unique approach to photography. His work often focuses on specific locations, and he has photographed in many different countries, including Italy, France, Portugal, and Egypt.

His images are usually relatively large-scale and incredibly detailed, allowing the viewer to explore the scene and feel as though they are transported to another place. In addition, his use of light and colour creates an almost ethereal feeling in his pieces. A reduced formal idiom and intense colouring characterize his work and the motifs of his photographs are often taken from his immediate environments, such as his hometowns and travels. The photographer‘s use of light and shadow are also essential in his work. He often uses a long exposure time, giving his images a sense of calm and peacefulness, making the images even more dreamlike and allowing the viewer to escape their everyday life for a moment.

Through his artistry, Esser captures poetic and introspective scenes merging landscape with notions of emotional memory and reminiscing the historical relationship between painting and photography.