Richard Forster (photographer)

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Richard Forster
Richard Forster 2018.jpg
in Geneva, 2018
Born (1940-11-08) 8 November 1940 (age 81)
Geneva, Switzerland
Alma materÉcole Technique Supérieure de Genève
Years active1963 - present
Known fornude photography
Spouse(s)
Anne-Marie Forster b. Riedel
​
​
(m. 1965; died 2007)​
ChildrenGilles (1967) and Luc (1970)
Websitewww.aphroditephoto.net

Richard Forster (born November 8, 1940, in Geneva, Switzerland) is a Swiss self-taught photographer, most known for his nude photography, especially in natural environments. His works were published in books and photo magazines, shown in personal and group exhibitions, awarded at photo contests. Forster is a member and contributor of the Geneva Society of Photography.[1][2]

Life, education and career[]

Forster was born on November 8, 1940, in Geneva to father Walter, a linotypist and to mother Marie, born Wohlgemuth. They moved to Geneva in 1939 from the canton of Solothurn. He graduated in 1965 from the École Technique Supérieure, also in Geneva, as Ingénieur en mécanique (Mechanical engineer) with a diploma thesis on the construction of a machine tool.

He worked in chemical construction development, electromechanical and machine-tool sales, armament development. From 1981 he taught technical drawing, mechanics, physics, mathematics, business management and industrial organization in the Technical Vocational Training Center in Geneva. He retired in 2005.[3]

Photography[]

Elba, 1965

Forster obtained his first camera at twelve, a Kodak Brownie 127, for a birthday present. Later he switched to Rolleiflex 4x4 (gray) for black and white and the Voigtländer Vito BL for color photography.[3] He designed and made a waterproof box for the Rolleiflex with which he shot his first [Underwater photography|underwater photos]] during the summer of 1957, at the French Riviera.[1] In 1958 he took the photography course at the Société Genevoise de Photographie (SGP, Geneva Society of Photography) where he later also participated in teaching and other activities.[4][5]

To expand his horizons he decided to travel on money saved working as a gas station attendant during his school holidays.[3] In the summer of 1961 Forster hitchhiked to Hamburg, in 1962 to Italy, Yugoslavia and over the Cappadocia to the Syrian border of Turkey.

A woman in Mumbai, 2011

In 1963 he and his future wife Anne-Marie hitchhiked to Scotland, in 1964 they traveled by bicycle to the Expo 64 exhibition in Lausanne and in 1965 by train to the most western point of the continent, to Sagres in Portugal. In later years the destinations were Switzerland, Sicily, Cyprus, Venice, Paris, the American West in 1994 and 1999, and Ksar Ghilane in Tunisia.[1][3]

After the death of Anne-Marie in 2007 Forster traveled to Tunisia, in 2008 to China, Kyrgyzstan and Egypt, in 2009 to Vietnam, Kenya and Lanzarote. In 2010 it was Morocco, Paris, Japan; in 2011 India - Rajasthan, Cappadocia and Corsica.

Lapinou in the field, 2016

In 2012 he visited Indochina (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia) and Cuba, in 2013 Iceland. In 2014 the destinations were Spain and Peru, in 2015 Myanmar, Tokyo and Brittany. After he met his new partner he traveled with her to Thailand and Jordan in 2016, in 2017 to Corsica, in 2018 to South Africa, China and Tibet, in 2019 to South India and Colombia.[6][1][3]

Although Forster's travel opus consists mainly of landscapes and reportage photos, he considers portraits as the best part of his travel photography.[3] He approached the local people more easily by means of Lapinou, a bunny rag doll.[7] On his photo web site www.aphroditephoto.net, which he started in 2007, Forster has published over 20 portrait collections.[3][1]

Nude photography[]

My muse, 1963
Hall of needles, 2011

His first muse was his bride-to be, and during their honeymoon in Portugal, 1965, he took the first outdoor nude photos on an Algarve beach. In the seventies they discovered the naturism movement and during the family summer vacations on nude beaches Forster could meet models for nude photography among acquaintances.[1] He also found inspiration in landscape nudes by Lucien Clergue.[8] Over the years he also collected a large library of books on the subject from which he could learn. Forster never used professional models, he met them during casual encounters, also over the Internet.[1][3]

The tearing, 1992

The most natural environment for his nude photography was the venues close to the water such as the seashore and rocks, but he also used non-natural outdoor places such as empty urban spaces or abandoned ruins. He was also adding new environments and a new style to his photography. In 1987, during a vernissage of a photo exhibition of Serge Nazarieff,[9] Forster met Pierre Strinati, a biologist and caver who was also involved in cave nude photography. This led to own cave nudes in one of the Swiss show caves, the Vallorbe caves.[3][10] Forster also experimented with striped light effects on the body and with symmetrical, reflected compositions.[11] The issues concerning his work could be illustrated by his citation:

Nude photography is, of course, always on the razor's edge. Everyone perceives the result differently, depending on their education, culture or age.[12]

Forster's works have appeared in photo magazines,[13][14] as cover photos,[15] and in books.[16][17][18] He has participated in national and international photo competitions and his works have also been selected as photo of the year.[19][20] In 1993 FIAP (The International Federation of Photographic Art) awarded him the title AFIAP (FIAP Artist).[21]

Personal exhibitions[]

Selected works[]

  • Matterhorn, Pennine Alps, 2005

  • Two antelopes, Masai Mara, 2009

  • Sandy desert, Douz, 2005

  • Woman in Johannesburg, 2018

  • Man in Marrakech, 2010

  • Woman in Bishkek, 2008

  • Reclining nude in the wind, 2011

  • Nude on the back at the pool, 2009

  • Male nude climbing, 2017

  • Nude standing on a rock slope, 1994

  • Semi-nude with feathers, 2005

  • Nude with a veil, 2010

External links[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Morel, Emmanuel (June 2015). "Interview flash / Richard Forster". PHOTO Magazine SGP (in French). No. 99. Geneva: Société Genevoise de Photographie. pp. 8–11. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  2. ^ Forster, Richard; Dragović, Svetislav V. (March 2010). "I telo i duša" [Both body and soul]. ReFoto / Časopis za kulturu fotografije (in Serbian). Beograd: REFOTO. pp. 14–19.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Jakopin, Primož (17 November 2021). "Richard Forster / Beauty comes from Switzerland". Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  4. ^ a b Cini, Patrizia (September 2020). "Ondines / Une nouvelle exposition de nus de Richard Forster" [Undines / A new exhibition of nudes by Richard Forster] (PDF). PHOTO Magazine SGP (in French). No. 162. Geneva: Société Genevoise de Photographie. pp. 26–27. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  5. ^ "Portfolio" (PDF). PHOTO Magazine SGP Best of collection 2019 (in French). Geneva: Société Genevoise de Photographie. 2019. pp. 15, 88, 90, 91, 100. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  6. ^ Gasser, Michel (March 2021). "Colombie / Richard Forster" [Colombia / Richard Forster] (PDF). PHOTO Magazine SGP (in French). No. 168. Geneva: Société Genevoise de Photographie. pp. 14–15. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  7. ^ Kohler, Joëlle (March 2020). "Séance / Faites voir : libre" [Screening / Show: free] (PDF). PHOTO Magazine SGP (in French). No. 176. Geneva: Société Genevoise de Photographie. pp. 14–18. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  8. ^ Forster, Richard (June 2015). "Hommage à Lucien Clergue" [Homage to Lucien Clergue]. PHOTO Magazine SGP (in French). No. 99. Geneva: Société Genevoise de Photographie. p. 40. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  9. ^ Nazarieff, Serge; Strinati, Pierre (1981). Clair de roche [Light of the rock] (in French). Geneva: Bernard Letu. p. 40. ISBN 9782880510091.
  10. ^ Bekker, Henk (18 March 2016). "Exploring the Vallorbe Caves and Source of the Orbe, Switzerland". Geneva: Lake Geneva Switzerland. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  11. ^ "Faites voir : composition symétrique" [Show: symmetrical composition] (PDF). PHOTO Magazine SGP (in French). No. 170. Geneva: Société Genevoise de Photographie. May 2021. p. 19. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  12. ^ Jaquet, Corinne (March 1997). "L'amour de la femme" [Love of a woman]. Journal de Veyrier (in French). No. 5. Veyrier: Commune de Veyrier.
  13. ^ "Portfolio : Richard Forster". Photo Video Expert (in French). No. 1. Geneva: Editions Jean Spinatsch SA. 1995. pp. 22–28.
  14. ^ "Richard Forster / Portfolio sous-marin" [Richard Forster / Underwater portfolio]. Media Expert (in French). No. 6. Geneva: Editions Jean Spinatsch SA. December 2001. pp. 64–73. ISSN 1422-1098.
  15. ^ Forster, Richard (November 1998). "Belle des blés" [Beauty of the wheat]. PHOTO SUISSE (in French). No. 6. Basel: Swiss Association of Photography. pp. 1, 2. ISSN 1420-1569.
  16. ^ Sigrist, Martin (2000). Von der Idee zum Bild [From the idea to the picture] (in German). München: Laterna Magica. pp. 16, 46–47, 84, 90–91, 93, 149. ISBN 3874677605.
  17. ^ The Best of International Nudes Photography: v. 2 (in English and German). Berlin: Feierabend Verlag OHG. 2009. pp. 44–49. ISBN 9783939998044.
  18. ^ Zang, Karsten (2007). Fetish: the Best of International Contemporary Fetish Photography. Berlin: Feierabend Verlag OHG. pp. 146–149. ISBN 9783939998006.
  19. ^ Forster, Richard (March 1994), La déchirure / Médaille d'Argent FLPA [The tearing / FLPA Silver Medal] (in French), Luxembourg: FLPA - Fédération Luxembourgeoise de la Photographie Artistique, p. 25
  20. ^ Forster, Richard (January 1998). "Anthurium / Bestes Farbbild "Akt"" [Anthurium / Best Color Image "Nude"]. PHOTO SUISSE (in German). No. 1. Basel: Swiss Association of Photography. p. 4. ISSN 1420-1569.
  21. ^ a b "Richard Forster / Femmes sublimes" [Richard Forster / Sublime women] (in French). Actuphoto. 2010. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  22. ^ Fournier, Marie-Jo (11 February 1998). "L'heureuse nature des Américains" [The happy nature of Americans]. Coopération (in French). Basel: Coop. p. 33.
  23. ^ Resvard, Christelle (March 2004). "Richard Forster / Photographe amoureux du corps humain" [Richard Forster / Photographer in love with the human body]. Nouvelles Carouge (in French). No. 218. Ville de Carouge.
  24. ^ "Expo Richard Forster / Des Sirènes à la Galerie Delafontaine" [Richard Forster exhibition / Sirens at the Galerie Delafontaine]. Journal de Veyrier (in French). No. 33. Veyrier. March 2004.
  25. ^ "Prévessin-Moëns / Lumières des Intérieurs" [Prévessin-Moëns / Lights of the Interiors]. La Gazette de Ferney-Voltaire (in French). 12 May 2000.
  26. ^ Wartmann, Fränzi (May 2009), Exposition à la Mansarde du 28 mai au 14 juin 2009 / «Roches sensuelles» [Exhibition at La Mansarde from May 28 to June 14, 2009 / «Sensual rocks»] (in French), La Mansarde de Veyrier
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