Fred Mayer (photographer)
Encyclopedia
Fred Mayer is a Swiss/German photographer. His works include photographs for several news agencies such as ATP, DPA
, ADP, UPI and Magnum Photos
as well as various portfolios. He further published several books, many in cooperation with his wife, Ilse Günther.
. In 1965, his collaboration with Magnum Photos started. For Magnum Photos
, Mayer travelled to Indonesia, where he shot a documentation about the former President Sukarno. His other works include pictures of King Hussein of Jordania and portfolios from all around the world, from Vatican to Bali.
by the German author Hermann Hesse
. For this photographic essay, Mayer was nominated for the Best of ASMP
Award 2011. He further received a Lifetime Award from SBF, the Swiss Professional Photographers and Photo Designers Society.
Deutsche Presse-Agentur
Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH is a news agency founded in 1949 in Germany. Based in Hamburg, it has grown to be a major worldwide operation serving print media, radio, television, online, mobile phones, and national news agencies. News is available in German, English, Spanish, and Arabic.The DPA...
, ADP, UPI and Magnum Photos
Magnum Photos
Magnum Photos is an international photographic cooperative owned by its photographer-members, with offices located in New York, Paris, London and Tokyo...
as well as various portfolios. He further published several books, many in cooperation with his wife, Ilse Günther.
Career
Fred Mayer began his career in photography with an internship at Otto Pfeifer's studio. Pfeifer is one of Switzerland’s most influential photographers. After his internship Mayer started to work as an independent correspondent for Swiss magazines such as the Neue Zürcher ZeitungNeue Zürcher Zeitung
The Neue Zürcher Zeitung is a major German language Swiss daily newspaper based in Zurich.One of the oldest newspapers still published, it originally appeared as Zürcher Zeitung, edited by Salomon Gessner, from January 12, 1780, and was renamed to Neue Zürcher Zeitung in 1821...
. In 1965, his collaboration with Magnum Photos started. For Magnum Photos
Magnum Photos
Magnum Photos is an international photographic cooperative owned by its photographer-members, with offices located in New York, Paris, London and Tokyo...
, Mayer travelled to Indonesia, where he shot a documentation about the former President Sukarno. His other works include pictures of King Hussein of Jordania and portfolios from all around the world, from Vatican to Bali.
Important Works and Achievements
Mayer and his wife published more than 30 books on a variety of topics. Kleinstaat und Weltkirche: Vatikan was published in 1979. Mayer later commented on the book by saying that he naïvely went to the Vatican and asked if he could take pictures. Being allowed to do so, he started to take pictures and later got published by the Swiss Orell Füssli Verlag. He further published books about various countries, the Russian orthodox church, Chakkar Polo, Japanese theatre and the Chinese Opera. In 2011, Mayer published Homage to Hermann Hesse and his Siddhartha, based on the novel SiddharthaSiddhartha (novel)
Siddhartha is a novel by Hermann Hesse that deals with the spiritual journey of an Indian man named Siddhartha during the time of the Buddha.The book, Hesse's ninth novel , was written in German, in a simple, powerful, and lyrical style. It was published in the U.S. in 1951 and became influential...
by the German author Hermann Hesse
Hermann Hesse
Hermann Hesse was a German-Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. In 1946, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature...
. For this photographic essay, Mayer was nominated for the Best of ASMP
American Society of Media Photographers
The American Society of Media Photographers, abbreviated ASMP, is a trade association of professional photographers, including many photojournalists but also experts in architectural, underwater, culinary and advertising photography and other specialties as well...
Award 2011. He further received a Lifetime Award from SBF, the Swiss Professional Photographers and Photo Designers Society.