Claudia Bitzer : AI-AP Award and cover for TELEKOM tilt-shift motif, Mobius Award for TOYOTA campaign, NISSAN CGI campaign, editorials in DAS MAGAZIN and HÄUSER, CGI workshop .... and at the UPdate 11

Christian SCHMIDT’s newest tilt-shift motif is all about communication. Christian literally visualised the services TELEKOM offers to their clients electronically: networking. It goes without saying, the matter once again revolves around real places, people and of course – networks.

CD Zoran Drobina was again part of the crew, together with AB Robi Lorentschat and Michael Biwoll as well as AB Wiebke Burmeister of the Philipp and Keuntje agency, Hamburg and last but not least, producer Tobias Seifert of ADD PICTURES Munich.

It is a very special honour indeed, to be awarded an AI-AP Award. Christian SCHMIDT enjoyed being presented with one this year. Still, the prize is more than just the regular fare you would expect from an award like this – even though it might not be an official and fanciful name.

The clue is in the title: one of Christian's pictures was chosen to adorn the cover of this year's AI-AP book. In clear text: the concert motif from the Tilt Shift series for the TELEKOM is now the cover of the book, which includes all prize-winning work.

The 'Perspektivwechsel' campaign by Toyota has not been awarded the renowned Mobius-Award in the photography category. The series was photographed by Christian in collaboration with the Saatchi & Saatchi Düsseldorf agency and sparked quite a buzz all over the country, due to the fact that Toyota secured a whole issue of STERN magazine. The Mobius award was first presented in 1971 and is one of the oldest and most prestigious awards in the business. Entries are received from all over the globe.

Once again, the producers from ADD PICTURES were part of the team; RECOM took care of the post-production.

Steffen teamed up with the TBWA/G1, Paris agency and produced several CGI motifs for the NISSAN campaign. The motifs feature models Juke, Murano, Qashqai and GTR, they were primarily used for the German market.

In between numerous car assignments, Steffen allowed himself a tiny break in Switzerland. Yet, he could not resist the lure of the phenomenal Alpine landscape and reached for his camera. The result is a monumental picture series with motifs from the Sustenpass on the border of cantons Bern and Uri.

'Sleeping Cars' is the title of a photography series, which Steffen produced in Cairo. DAS MAGAZIN, Berlin published it under the title of 'Lieb und Teuer' (loveable and expensive). The photographer carefully hunted down the cars, which were tucked away from the sun and dust during his early morning strolls through the Egyptian metropolis.

Ulrich HOPPE realised a complete series of photographs on the issue of flooring for HÄUSER magazine. Be it wood or tile, the main focus is always the noble bearing of the ground. Man’s best friend, who also happens to be an expert on flooring, gave the images a new lease of life. The photographs were partially taken in the studio and some on location.

Oscar VAN DE BEEK has completely overhauled his website. The site is now faster, is easier to use and comes complete with a news section. Also, the photographs are now displayed considerably larger and sorted into categories. www.oscarvandebeek.com.

And: meet Claudia and Toralf in person on the 6th of May at the UPdate 11 in Frankfurt am Main.