Stefan Radtke started a film licensing and distribution company in his native Germany and took it public, before deciding to come to America, his wife’s native country.
By Robin Jovanovich
Stefan Radtke started a film licensing and distribution company in his native Germany and took it public, before deciding to come to America, his wife’s native country.
“Nine years ago, we settled halfway — she’s a Californian — in Rye,” he said. “There were no jobs and I wanted to study photography, which has always been an interest of mine.”
Not long after studying at the International School of Photography in Manhattan, Mr. Radtke had assignments for Vanity Fair, The New York Times. He’s been “doing” photography the last five or six years.
Earlier this year, he decided he wanted to do it his way. He opened a studio on Calvert Street in Harrison. “I love the creation part, but the process — the portfolio reviews, the social web page — gets in the way. As everything has gotten faster, a lot of people can’t wait for the shot. They need it.
“I like honesty in photography and time to think. I’m not so interested in photojournalism. I like making moments, not chasing them. And photography isn’t always about beauty.”
Most of his photography is people, but architecture is one of his passions, and he plans to make it more of a focus of his work.
“What I like about editorial, versus commercial photography, is that you don’t always know what’s going to happen until it does.”
He invites Rye Record readers to go to his website and apply for a free portrait session. “They have to tell me why they want the session.”
