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Behind the Lens with Anders Hviid
Speaking to Editor-in-Chief Ili Hyseni, Anders provides insight on the assignment, the creative challenge of shooting a stadium from one fixed position and more.
Anders Hviid (Interviewee): I’m Anders. Copenhagen, Denmark born and raised and where I currently live with my wife and three daughters. I started photography when I picked up my fathers Minolta in the 90s. I started off shooting football, mainly derby games here in Copenhagen, with a huge fascination for the fan scene at that time. Now, I shoot mostly analog with a 35mm Nikon FM2, an Olympus Mju and a Plaubel Makina 67 for Medium Format when I shoot the sport.
Anders: It might seem odd, but when photographing at football matches, my attention is more on the people, the stadium and the environment rather than the actual game. I like to study people, both on an individual level and as a group— I have a deep love for what football is to each of us. I also find it interesting how different the scene is from varying playing fields, how the same two goals and white lines can vary, and ideally, I want to move around during a football game. Also, it’s a matter of seeing and showing places that don’t get as much attention. For example, Italy is such a beautiful country and the football is still somewhat untouched. There are some really amazing clubs in Serie C.
Anders: The setting that is the Allianz Arena makes practicing my way of shooting difficult because you are somewhat limited to your seat— though I do get it, people come here to watch football. Designed by Swiss architect Herzog & de Meuron with a beautiful balance of form and function, the Allianz is a beast of a stadium. The outside is abstract but still very tight, and the inside is done with strictness and elegance. In these photos, I wanted to show some of those features, and with a full house, the perspectives and angles are just stunning.
Anders: When I go to shoot a match, I usually sit and watch the game for about 15 – 20 minutes and then start my wanderings, and this was the case at this match, too. The minutes I did watch were total Bayern domination: the velvet style of passing the ball, the touches, the movement so precise and surgical. The score went two nil up, then Bayern missed that penalty which flipped the game. When I began moving around I of course only saw fragments of the game, but what surprised me was how accepting the Bayern fans were towards the idea of losing. Was it due to the fact that Leverkusen and Dortmund also lost, or the fact they were playing Bochum who Bayern has a close friendship with? I couldn’t tell, but I do know the reaction on the other side of the alps would have been a lot different.
Jordy: I work mainly with the Plaubel Makina 67 Medium Format Analog Camera, and I used it for this assignment too. At top-level football stadiums these days it can be hard to get your gear into the stands, but Bayern had no issues with it. This specific camera brings a very cinematic feel to the images, a sort of style that a digital camera can’t give you. It’s hard to fully explain the difference, but I used to compare it to music and the difference in sound from playing vinyl to a compressed digital sound: the “room” or “space” is larger. Going forward, I plan on shooting more with bigger formats such as 4x5 or 8x10.
Anders: First, I shoot color negative film. The rolls are developed at my local lab, and then I scan the images myself. I have always scanned on my Flextight Scanner, but this time I tried to do it by photographing the negatives and then converting them to positive afterwards. There is opportunity for time saving in the scanning process by photographing the negative, but the converting process can take up additional time. To be honest, with this assignment, editing the photographed scans from Munich have shown to be an interesting process. When scanning the old way, your images have an applied softness and at the base of the film the actual material is included.
Anders: Good question. It’s too early for me to judge fully on what is the best way to work. It might sound odd, but I’m far from being a technical photographer. I just know what I want, and I can tell when it’s there or when it isn’t. That’s all I can say. If I end up going back to the old process, then it will be because I’m getting the best result that way, I will just need to hire an assistant to help me out if I do.
Anders: Good question. It’s too early for me to judge fully on what is the best way to work. It might sound odd, but I’m far from being a technical photographer. I just know what I want, and I can tell when it’s there or when it isn’t. That’s all I can say. If I end up going back to the old process, then it will be because I’m getting the best result that way, I will just need to hire an assistant to help me out if I do.
To see more of Anders’ work, visit his Instagram @lunch_with_gigi. If you’d like to commission Anders, please reach out to info@footballcasestudy.com.