Having worked for many years in Paris and London, and a total of 25 years in the fashion industry, photographing covers and editorials for magazines such as Marie Claire, Vogue Ukraine, Grazia Italia, Harper’s Bazaar, L’Officiel, and Vogue Gioiello, the charismatic creative Markus LAMBERT c/o NERGER M&O lives in Berlin today, where he has discovered his passion for still life photography. In an exclusive interview with GoSee, he tells us how it started and what it means to him.
Markus: “In spring, I was vacationing in Tuscany with friends. The scenery there is an absolute dream – with soft, rolling hills, cypress trees, and golden light. But what particularly inspired me this time were the perfumes and beauty items everyone had with them. The beautiful flacons and luxurious cosmetics gave me a new idea.
I had my camera equipment with me and started photographing the products. But I wanted more – I wanted to infuse my photos with the essence of the scenery. So I began working with elements from the landscape: water, oil, sunlight, olive branches, flowers – everything I could find. I combined these elements with the products, creating entirely new compositions that focus on the interplay between nature and luxury items. Each image tells its own story, inspired by the unique atmosphere.
With this spontaneous idea, I discovered a new passion: still life photography, for which I blend objects with their environment to tell visual stories. To do so, I work with natural materials and light to authentically capture the essence of products and places. My aim is to show products in their natural context, breathing life into them, and staging them in a way that allows viewers to almost feel, smell, or taste them.
My work as a photographer navigates the dynamic intersection between fashion, beauty, and still life photography. Ultimately, all these areas share a common goal: to tell a visual story that goes beyond mere representation. In fashion and beauty photography, I often work with a specific color palette or theme, which I use to build striking scenes – an approach I also apply to still life photography.
The appeal for me is in staging details and creating an emotional connection with viewers – whether it’s for a perfume, clothing, or a face. I always stay close to the camera, close to the person or object. This proximity allows me to capture subtle nuances, whether it’s the texture of skin, the shimmer of a perfume bottle, or the interplay of light and shadow on a piece of clothing.
Which is why I see strong similarities between still life and beauty photography: it’s about making something seemingly static come alive by finding the right light, perspective, and connection to the context. When staging objects, my work is based on the premise of giving them a soul, presenting them in the best light while conveying a sense of beauty, elegance, or sensuality to viewers. This leads to the creation of visual stories that speak a language of their own.
GoSee: instagram.com/still.life.alive/
GoSee : nergermao.com