Markus Wolf stages the laser-engraved kitchen knives from TYPEMYKNIFE
It was a happy coincidence that we met the photographer Markus Wolf.
It was at one of the legendary kitchen parties at the Ursprung star store in Zang. Andi Widmann, the award-winning star chef, one star in the Michelin Guide, board member of the JRE Jeunes Restaurateurs Association of Star Chefs invited to his restaurant and we were allowed to be there.
We presented our designed, laser-engraved kitchen knives there between culinary appetizers and kitchen excellence.
As always with events, campaigns and food presentations, the renowned in-house photographer Markus Wolf has been at his side from the very beginning.
We struck up a conversation. It quickly became clear that this was where the creative people would meet and there was soon an exchange at eye level.
He was very taken with our diverse motifs, which were burned onto the blades in jet black. When asked what he was photographing, he just grabbed one of the catalogs of the star chefs Jeune Restaurateurs.
That was proof of his art enough.
When Andi Widmann is concerned with the perfect depiction of his creations, Markus implements the topic. The first class of his staging of food, light and arrangement increases the enjoyment of the work of art.
Word has got around in the region and Markus is one of the best photographers and food stylists here.
The knife motifs from TYPEMYKNIFE
The knives from TYPEMYKNIFE are something very special. It is difficult to design motifs that perfectly match the kitchen knife blade in terms of format and theme.
The combination of a large knife blade and a full-surface motif is ideal. This harmonises the knife and the picture and makes it a unique eye-catcher.
In the knife configurator on our website you will find a large selection of design templates. Including the Aztec motif, which we engraved on a Giesser chef’s knife using laser technology.
Markus Wolf staged these knives wonderfully. The combination with an archaic disc with gods, symbols and characters underlines the design of TYPEMYKNIFE on the blade.
The choice of the “Stone of the Sun” on which the sun god Tonatiuh sticks his tongue out at us fits very well in terms of content good.
Connoisseurs know that the god’s tongue is depicted as a sacrificial knife. The original sacrificial stone is made of brown rock.
Markus Wolf edited it in color. Now the knife seems to be made of the same stone. He wrapped the scenery in dark light and shadow. This gives the composition something magical, mystical.
A successful staging of blade motif and background.
The slicer from the Giesser knife manufacturer in Winnenden. A blade large and curved, ideal for a meandering leaf pattern.
The combination with a background that is also patterned dark and takes up the floral theme underscores the blade motif of Typemyknife. A perfect harmony.
When we started photographing our knives for the website and archive, we quickly realized how difficult it is to photograph knives.
Photographer friends gave us professional tips straight away. But there were no simple solutions among them. Knives require a sophisticated lighting system because they reflect strongly metallically on the one hand and have a difficult geometry on the other.
Mark directs the light over the blade. Everywhere bright and rich in contrast. The motif is always clearly perceptible.
In order to express the metallic character of the knives, he intentionally lets light reflections appear here and there.
He lets the background be what it is. Unobtrusive, but just right, more supporting the subject. The color of the background allows the displayed object to have its own performance.
Juniper wood and Mediterranean vegetables in the picture
This beautiful knife from Typemyknife brings the theme of cooking with Mediterranean vegetables to the blade.
The juniper handle is a special feature of the noble chef’s knife from Chambriard from France. Juniper constantly exudes a delicate cedar scent in the kitchen.
The freshness of the vegetables served seems to contribute to the composition of the picture.
You can literally smell what is in front of you, the smell of the kitchen fills your nose.
Markus has created a wonderful liaison between drawing and reality.
Sea monster and delicacy at the same time, the octopus
The octopus lolls on a knife from the Swabian knife manufacturer Giesser.
It’s all art in this attractive photo by Marcus Wolf.
The design of the octopus comes from the artist hand of Typemyknife. We design our motifs ourselves, draw, correct and translate them into a laserable file format.
The handle of the handmade knife is created by an artist exclusively for Giesser. Made of colored acrylic, it combines the structures and grain of the Spicy Orange series.
Markus Wolf has created a wonderful composition. The real octopus is lolling about in competition with the black graphic in the picture. The underground is reminiscent of ship planks.
He captured the ambivalence of sea monsters and delicacy in the picture.
The Rolf Straubinger knife photographed by Markus Wolf
Rolf Straubinger, the grand seigneur of southern German star cuisine.
It was with great pleasure that we designed the chef’s knife for Rolf Straubinger. He resides with his star restaurant “fine dining” at Staufeneck Castle above the Filstal.
Fantastic location on a hill, surrounded by the typical Swabian orchards on the slopes.
This needed to be silhouetted on the knife. The knife manufacturer Saladini in Scarperia gave the chef’s knife its elegant Italian shape and boxwood handle.
As an experienced food photographer, Marcus Wolf also finds the right combination of subject, content, message and background here.
The gnarled wood in the background combines aesthetically and literally with the fruit trees on the slopes below the castle.
The almost wise boxwood handle of the knife creates a pleasant contrast to the dark wood.
The vignette-like framing of the scene again emphasizes the knife.
Floral wallpaper on the hardest knife steel
A monumental piece of solid steel. A chopper from the knife manufacturer Giesser in Winnenden.
The handle is made from the wonderful root wood of the tree of life. Thuja occidentalis is so called because it saved the lives of sailors on ships with its evergreen needles because of its high vitamin C content.
The floral pattern fits very flat, almost wallpaper-like on the flat blade. It stands in an exciting contrast to the hardness and coolness of the knife steel.
Markus captured exactly this contrast in the picture. The background repeats the curves of the floral pattern and the linearity of the knife shape.
With a little light and just as much reflection as necessary, he emphasizes the sharpness and hardness of the steel blade.
The compass rose on an F1 carbon chef’s knife
The knife from the F1Carbon series by French knife maker Goyon Chazeau has a very futuristic handle.
It is made of Kevlar, a combination of plastic and carbon fiber fabric. Extremely stable and wear-resistant.
The Typemyknife motif is for globetrotters. Longing for travel, wind and weather enthusiasts.
The handle contrasts with the aged weathered wood. One thinks of ship planks associated with the compass rose and the anchor of the knife motif.
Stills and food photography by Markus Wolf
I asked Markus how does such a coherent picture come about. In contrast to food photography, which is usually created directly in the starred restaurant? Is this a studio shot?
A knife from the Red Spirit series by Dick. Marcus’ credo is: “The object is in the center, decoration only as much as is necessary”.
He avoids anything that steals the show from what is actually being shown. His motto for dealing with light is only what is necessary.
No light show. It is best to use few LED lamps, soft boxes with continuous light, no flashing light. If possible, he prefers daylight.
Even with food photography, he tries to capture the light from the dining room window on the perfectly prepared plate.
Sometimes he sets up his camera outdoors to let the daylight shine through on the food creation.
It was interesting for me how much time plays a role when photographing freshly arranged dishes.
Markus makes sure to have the snapshot in the can before a blob runs, sauces mix in color, a draped mousse, or a sorbet gives in the shape.
The mark made on the I point comes into the light in front of the camera in a matter of seconds. Everything has to be spot on to achieve the best possible result. Markus is a perfectionist.
In our first blog about Markus Wolf we describe his beginnings, his career and his work as a photographer.
