‘I want fun and colour’: Walter Pfeiffer on his search for beauty

“I can’t tell you what beauty looks like, but I know when she’s in the streets,” quips Walter Pfeiffer in the middle of our phone call. Indeed, the artist’s leitmotif has long been beauty, found in rosy cheeks, Swiss fields and flower beds. Pfeiffer has a hefty new volume out called Chez Walti: Photographs 2000–2022 (published by Edition Patrick Frey), which takes a long, hard look at what the artist has been up to since the turn of the millennium.

The cult photographer has a history with publisher Patrick Frey. In 2001, they released Welcome Aboard: Photographs 1980–2000, a star-making book that put the artist at the top of every fashion house’s wish list. While Pfeiffer was a trailblazer for his times, at the heart of his repertoire lays a charged and sexy realism that set the mood of what would follow in fashion, his new book contains enough knockouts to evidence his enduring originality, appeal and attitude – if you needed reminding, of course.

Below, we catch up with Walter Pfeiffer about falling into photography, his love of “colour and fun” and his advice to the next generation of image-makers.

Hi Walter! How are you? How was your book launch in Paris?

Walter Pfeiffer: A success, I tell you! I love to walk around, but I missed the turning because my cell phone clearly wasn’t made for Paris. So I was ten minutes late and full of sweat and despair. But when I arrived, everyone was already queueing up with their books under their arms, like in the movies. So many people came! So many beauties! I was trapped behind the table for two hours because I like to write personalised messages to everyone. They all shared my messages on Instagram, and I reshared them on mine.

Why do you like using Stories?

Walter Pfeiffer: Well, they’re only up for 24 hours, so it’s easier. It takes too much time to post, and my time is really, really running out. My agent told me I had to get a smartphone, and he was right. I love it when people write to me. You never know what might come out of it. I recently got a message from a woman who asked me to photograph her two sons, but they were, well, a little unripe.

How do you deal with fame?

Walter Pfeiffer: After my first book, I was kind of overwhelmed by all the fan mail. One boy wrote to me every week and I thought, ‘Ugh! Do I really have to reply to each and every letter?’ Anyway, I’m not interested in making a book every year. I prefer to collect the photographs every decade or two, so I can see which ones have aged well. I never think about whether I have a style or not. I just don’t want to be boring. Sometimes I have my moment, but sometimes you need to know when to box it up for another day.

What was the editing of the book like?

Walter Pfeiffer: It took ages. And as soon as it’s finally printed, when you can’t change anything anymore, you think, ‘Oh no! How could I? Blah blah blah!’ I always start the editing by pinning photographs to the wall, and everything slowly comes together. I want to see a story, with a beginning, a middle and an end. I followed the colours, which was a way for me to find a line of beauty.

I can’t see any of your ‘super fashion’ scenes in the book.

Walter Pfeiffer: Can you image a book of all of my fashion work? Please! There’s only some fashion in the book, including my very first Robbie Spencer pictures for Dazed. Before I ‘restarted’ in 2000, I wouldn’t dare to make photographs for fashion. They would have said I’m too much of an amateur. I only ever photographed my people. In 2000, I had to find a living, so the commissions racked up. After my 2007 retrospective book called In Love with Beauty, I was asked whether I would do Vogue Hommes. I was thrilled! Then Dazed came. That was when I had an agency. Before that, I didn’t even know what an agency was.

You’ve said that you use humour to free your models from anxiety, even the supermodels?

Walter Pfeiffer: I prefer working with beginners. The supermodels can be a bit too stiff sometimes, but I think they end up understanding what I’m looking for. When I saw Eva Herzigova making all these poses in the hotel room, I told her to lie on the floor, and she did. [Laughs].

Do you still get stage fright?

Walter Pfeiffer: Yes. But not as bad as before. I used to take sleeping pills at all those wonderful, grand hotels before shoots. Can you imagine? Next week, I’m taking a portrait of a dear friend who helped me out in a difficult situation, and I’m so nervous. My head is constantly working. I imagine the worst all the time, and then it never happens. When I look back, I’m glad I did all those things, but oh, time goes by so quickly. I always used to think, [sings] ‘It’s ooover!’ You know, like my favourite Roy Orbison song. But nothing ever seems to slow down. I haven’t had time to go on holiday all year. Only little walks.

How did your big summer retrospective in Lucerne go?

Walter Pfeiffer: Fabulous! I asked for a huge room showing all of my movies. ‘Is this you?’ they asked. No one had seen them before. They aren’t, you know… [shouts] ‘Attention! Art! Deeper meaning!’ I have no time for any of that intellectual business. I want colour and fun.

You’re often labelled as the precursor – or ‘gay grandfather’ – of the late 90s and early 00s photographers like Wolfgang Tillmans and Ryan McGinley. How do you feel about that, considering you fell into photography accidentally and never studied it?

Walter Pfeiffer: It’s nice, but I don’t believe it. You have to remember that I come from a different era, when everything was under the carpet. I grew up in the countryside, but when I was 19, destiny brought me to Zurich to study art. My head was turned upside down. I wouldn’t dream of studying photography. My arms would, and still do, shake like crazy. Those heavy cameras were too much for me. I started out with this cheap little Polaroid and then bought a real camera with a flash. From then, there was no holding me back.

Do you still teach?

Walter Pfeiffer: Only as a guest lecturer now. I love the energy you get from being around young people. You will understand what I mean when you reach my age. I love to learn and forget as soon as possible. I don’t want to influence anyone. No young Walters, please!

Do you have any advice for photography students?

Walter Pfeiffer: They seem to know everything already. They’re so perfect, or too perfect. I’m a little worried that they’re perched to become world famous next week. The most important thing is to teach your eye. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Be funny. And keep your feet on the ground… Are you on TikTok?

I’m not… Are you?

Walter Pfeiffer: No. Isn’t it funny, how it all started with Facebook in the old days? What I miss is that you can’t share links. Like the link of the article I will hopefully receive from you!

Of course! And maybe we can touch base again when your 2040 book comes out?

Walter Pfeiffer: That’s too kind. Will I still be here in 2040? I don’t think so. But let me surprise you.

Chez Walti: Photographs 2000–2022 is published by Edition Patrick Frey.

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