Jakob Huger: Country
„Two sides of Austria“

For my diploma thesis at the end of my education at the Graphische in Vienna, I chose a counterpoint to the current state of photography. Because today, countless pictures and selfies that capture moments are produced and saved. For me, analog large-format photography possesses a kind of magic. Despite ponderous equipment and elaborate work, it offers many advantages for me, for example, the shooting format in 9×12 cm, which is still larger than the largest digital sensor. In addition, the countless adjustment possibilities provide almost no limits. My goal was to take only one photo per subject, leaving nothing to chance. All images were deliberately composed and the effect of the upside down image was carefully considered.

About my
way of working

For the “Two Sides of Austria” project, my camera covered more than 2,300 kilometers in the city, on highways, country roads, and even small forest roads in Vienna, the Vienna region, St. Pölten, Salzburg, Salzkammergut, Waldviertel, Wachau, and Tullnerfeld. The in-house darkroom has been revitalized and upgraded with a rotary developing machine.
I work with a Linhof Technika from the early 50s. What technical device with this lifespan can still be operated today? Working with the Technika is decelerating, and on my travels through Austria, it has already happened that tourists at selfie hotspots felt inconvenienced by the set-up of my large-format camera. With a large portion of charm and professional appearance I could inspire them of my project. For me and my diploma project the effort paid off, because the unique look with an extraordinary image format of 9×12 cm delivered “excellent” results for my diploma thesis.

www.instagram.com/jakobhuger/

Jakob.huger@studiohuger.at