Creator of ‘Jumping Cats’, ‘Better Living with Alpacas’ and now, ‘Floating Afghans’, Austrian photographer Daniel Gebhart de Koekkoek reflects on his unintentional satire and seduction by passion.

Should we start by you telling us a bit about your background?
Born in the alps of Austria, Tyrol. Moved to Vienna to become a photographer 10 years ago and moved to Berlin with one leg 2 years ago. Now in between Berlin and Vienna. In between personal and commissioned work. More details https://gebhart.dk/info/

Your work has evolved over the years and feels, at least for me, when looking at your earlier work, linked to the atmosphere of places. Would you say this is true?
Sure. A subject is nothing without a place surrounding it and telling a little extra story.

So, you live and work in Berlin and Vienna. Do you think your work is influenced by which city you are in?
I don’t think so. I also live in the internet and get a lot international influence. Also I love to escape Berlin and Vienna whenever its possible.

You work takes interest in the milieu, the realms of individuals. What instigated this fascination?
My work is a lot about passion. People doing something with a lot of passion and putting a lot of effort in small details and things that other people think is crazy and useless. Same as I do with photography. I feel connected to this weirdos.

Your photography often holds a satirical tone. What motivates this?
It’s just how I see the world. There is no intention.

Other times, however, is different – more gentle or wholesome, for example. How do you judge what atmosphere to implicate?
Whatever works with the subject to tell the story.

Lately you have been creating series of animal portraiture. ‘Jumping Cats’ went viral, and ‘Better Living with Alpacas’ has an undeniable charm. It is striking in its simultaneous distance from human life (the model as an alpaca), but yet holding an. Emotional intimacy with it. Can you tell me about the evolution of this series?
After a hard working day in the city I drove through the countryside and met these wonderful creatures that smiled at me and made me feel better in the same time. I decided to collaborate with them to make a series that transforms this strong emotion into pictures that makes everybody happy and feel the same than me.

Can you tell me what inspired your Floating Afghans 2020 Calendar?
I’m just in love with greyhounds and Afghan hounds in particular. When I met them during super hot days in and around Palm Springs, California floating on Motel swimming pools I knew I had to work with them. Have a look here: http://gebhart.dk/afghans

You do solo projects and also collaborate within the industry. In an ideal world, how would you spend the rest of your career?
I just hope that I will never lose that intense fire burning for creating new and unseen photography and translating my dreams into pictures.

What’s next?
Something very sexual together with Office magazine for their next issue and a super exciting project for Helmut Lang.