100 Girls On Polaroid

Looking for the lost

The internationally known fashion photographer Alexander Gnädinger has dedicated himself to a freelance project over the last two years in order to create a counterbalance to his commercial work. Extremely stylized, aesthetically condensed images, such as those that have been created for his client Adidas for years, are his trademark. For his project 100 Girls on Polaroid, he embarks on a path of returning to the original fascination of photography to capture an authentic moment.

He asked 100 girls to portray how they perceive themselves as beautiful. In their everyday working lives, models are projection screens for social ideas about beauty. They are staged by the photographers and a whole staff of stylists, hair and make-up artists according to the customers' wishes. Many of the models featured in the book are known from cover photos and campaigns. Instead, Alexander Gnädinger sought the girls' very own individual perception and self-portrayal. You can feel that on every single page of the book. Shortly after Alexander Gnädinger began the project, the surprising news came that the Polaroid company was going out of business.

The Polaroid medium is currently experiencing a renaissance precisely because of its authenticity as a counterpoint to digital photography. From the bankruptcy estate of the Polaroid company, he bought the last remnants of the black cardboard that protects the Polaroid films in each cassette. This cardboard became the dust jacket of the book and gives the book a unique look.