Two in Unison
Photographers are commonly believed to be lone wolves, solitarily roaming the world, relying only on themselves and their cameras. However, the existence of KNSY (an acronym combining the last names of two photographers, Christoph Kniel and Niko Synnatschke) proves that this doesn’t always have to be the case.
KNSY’s career trajectory can almost be compared to a fairytale, one whose beginning takes place in the Harz region of Germany, as the two were visiting the area in 2005. Their portraits of local personalities (among them ‘Brocken Benno’, who has climbed the Brocken mountain an amazing 7,000 times!) landed them 2nd place in a competition held by the renowned travel magazine Merian. Two years later, Chris and Niko decided to solidify their partnership, discovering stock photography as the perfect playground beyond standard commissioned photography – a place where their creativity has free reign.
It wasn’t long before they had their second stroke of luck. With the images they captured of a red-haired model named Sydney, who was still relatively unknown at the time, they garnered an award in the people category of a competition organized by the publisher Gruner + Jahr. Consequently, two photographic agencies, Picturepress and Plainpicture, opened their doors for KNSY and in 2016 the hardworking duo became part of the Westend61 team. Despite all their success, it’s still as important as ever for the two photographers to communicate with an agency via a common visual language, and for this communication to work on a personal level as well. It’s something that they both value a lot, and they emphasize that the sense of community among Westend61 photographers and employees significantly contributes to the feeling of being part of a big family.
There are no fixed roles or rigidly assigned responsibilities at KNSY. Both photographers are willing and able to take on all tasks. After several years of working closely together, a mutual trust has developed which enables them to fully rely on each other. At a production, you might find either one of them behind the camera shooting while the other is in charge of taking care of the models and props. Both can jump spontaneously into either role, flexibly responding to whatever a situation may call for.
This sense of being spontaneous is also an integral part of the shoot itself. Although they invest a lot of time in research (finding locations and models, selecting subjects and stories) and pre-production, when the day of the shoot arrives – no matter how well it’s been planned – there’s always room for spontaneity. What’s the formula for a good stock photo? KNSY says, “Everything hinges on the models. If we don’t manage to photograph them in an authentic and convincing manner, then even the best location or the most in-demand subject won’t be able to save the images.”
KNSY produce a lot of images, and whenever there’s time, motivation and a good idea for a small production, they’ll even stand in themselves as models. These additional, incidental images are often created while they’re travelling together or scouting for locations. Others simply emerge from daily life.
As honest as can be
KNSY’s style is honest and uncomplicated, characterized by a calm and understated working approach which is also reflected in their choice of equipment. What can’t be captured with one camera and two lenses won’t be produced. Period. No complicated lighting installations, no over-the-top staging. KNSY prefers engagement and interaction with their models and locations, aiming to bring out their authenticity. Enabling their success is the importance they place on a good set atmosphere – positive energy and having fun is part of the production, as can be seen later in the resulting images.
The duo regularly receives creative support from Westend61 Art Director Michael Kopal, who consults with KNSY before and during their shoots. This allows the photographers to profit from valuable experience and know-how, which in turn helps them to produce more effective, target- oriented work.
“The market for images is constantly evolving. If a photographer wants to stay at the forefront of this progress, then the expert knowledge of the whole creative team at Westend61 is a factor which shouldn’t be underestimated”, KNSY added.
People, people, people!
KNSY’s future plans include staying loyal to its absolutely favorite subject: people. Of course, they’ll be experimenting with new topics and techniques (such as their current use of drones to obtain unique shooting perspectives) but the basic principle remains the same: photographing the multifaceted lives of people in a sincere manner. Capturing moments which are sometimes funny, sometimes sad, at times filled with inspiration or with anger. No posing, no bragging – just keeping it real!
Since there’s a truly great demand for such pictures, Westend61 is excitedly looking forward to receiving many more authentic images from KNSY in the future!
