11
COVER UP
Beautiful and famous.
Ulrich Pracht was just 14 years old when he first tried his hand as a star photographer. Fearlessly, he jumped onto the stage during a Louis Armstrong concert to photograph the American star trumpeter and singer at close range. Although people tried—with much gesturing—to shoo him off the stage, he refused to be deterred until he had successfully captured his shots. A few years later, it was Claudia Cardinale whom he photographed at the premiere of Visconti’s film The Leopard at the Lichtburg cinema in Essen.
His work for television brought the successful photo-graphic artist Ulrich Pracht into contact with established global stars and up-and-coming celebrities, who willingly posed for his camera. One of the first was the renowned TV host Peter Frankenfeld. "To me, he was the greatest. I was scheduled to photograph him and felt completely awestruck. He noticed this and said, 'Hey, kid—come over here, let me show you something.' Then he started playing around with his tie, and I ended up with the perfect photos." Sometimes, however, it was pure chance that helped Ulrich Pracht capture an unexpected snapshot. At Dior in Paris, he spotted Sophia Loren, whom he captured on a Polaroid. Ulrich Pracht also possesses a Polaroid of Sean Connery, taken in Marbella. "Strictly speaking, I shouldn't have kept it at all, as I had signed an agreement stating that all photographs belonged to the client. But when Sean, quite spontaneously during the shoot, pressed a tiny, motherless kitten to his heart, I knew that the 'ice-cold' Bond was actually a warm-hearted guy. Dear Sean, many thanks for great entertainment and a wonderful time in paradise. Love, Uli."
11.1
VELVIA FACE TO FACE
YOUNG and SOPHISTICATED. Contemporary Trends.
Annie Lennox, David Bowie, and Grace Jones are regarded as the androgynous stars of the 1980s and remain fashion icons to this day. Ulrich Pracht interprets their attitude in his photograph of an androgynous model, whom he shot for KMT. The subject appears as a cool, worldly pop star—sporting a tousled short hairstyle and an unbuttoned men’s shirt—who, with an elbow casually propped on a raised knee, completely ignores the presence of the almost intrusive photographer. What seems to matter more, rather, is the activity taking place outside the frame—the focus of the thoughtful gaze of the model, who is taking a drag from a cigarette. A pop concert might be taking place there, or perhaps a fashion show. The dark-haired model—whom Ulrich Pracht captured on Fujichrome Velvia 50 slide film—represents a different archetype of the "young and sophisticated woman": with her bob haircut and wearing a simply cut dark sweater, she stands confidently with her arms crossed in the cool glare of a spotlight that mirrors the color of her cat-like eyes. "Fashion photography should... not be a mere carbon copy of banal reality, but rather interpret new trends," once remarked Walter E. Lautenbacher, one of the leading fashion photographers of his era. Both portraits by Ulrich Pracht do precisely that: the fashion message—which only becomes evident within the context of the catalog—recedes, just as Lautenbacher advocated, in favor of an interpretation of the contemporary trend of female self-confidence.
11.2
STARWORLD CELEBRITIES
Starkult und Kommerz.
In the 80s and 90s, absolute stars and members of the international jet set included supermodels such as Carla Bruni, Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, and Jerry Hall. Ulrich Pracht captured them all through his lens, immortalizing their beauty and professionalism for his clients. “The greatest proof of trust my clients placed in me was entrusting me with multi-million-dollar productions. Photographing their collections alongside these global stars, celebrities, and supermodels entailed a tremendous responsibility—yet, at the same time, it was a source of great praise and recognition!”
