The first contact

Moritz Netenjakob Photo: Britta SchüßlingThe image shows a portrait of a middle-aged man sitting at a wooden table. He is wearing a dark purple long-sleeved shirt and has short dark hair. He is smiling slightly and looking directly into the camera. His arms are crossed in front of his chest. The background is plain white. The lighting is soft and natural, highlighting the man's facial features.

Moritz Netenjakob is an author, comedian, and cabaret artist. He has worked as an author and gag writer forThe weekly show, as well as forLadykracherand has written several scripts for the seriesAnkeandStrombergIn February 2009 he published his first novelMacho Man, which immediately made it onto the bestseller list.

Through this novel, I became aware of Moritz, and I offered him my services to create a website. I was truly pleased that, as a Cologne resident, he came to join me in Düsseldorf, in the Forbidden City! At that time, ilumi was based right in the heart of the Old Town, where we first made plans for his site.

It all started quite harmlessly...

We had the idea that the homepage should feature Moritz at a large, ornate wooden table. At some point, however, I realized that we didn't actually have the kind of wooden table I had in mind. Since I'm also a 3D graphic designer, I decided to simply build the table virtually in 3D.

3D visualization of the wooden tableThe image shows a 3D rendering of a wooden table with a rectangular tabletop. The table appears to be made of dark wood, possibly mahogany or oak, and has a smooth surface. The tabletop is smooth and polished and is supported by two pillars that are intricately carved on both sides. The pillars are also decorated with a geometric pattern. The table legs are also made of wood and feature a similar design. The overall impression is elegant and sophisticated. The neutral gray tone of the background highlights the table.

However, the right environment was missing – the table alone didn't convey the necessary atmosphere, so a complete, fictional study was created in 3D.

3D visualization of the studyThe image is a 3D visualization of a room with a large window in the background. In the center of the room is a desk with a white rotary telephone and a white box on it. To the left of the desk is a bookshelf with books and a small plant on it. Above the desk, a chandelier hangs from the ceiling. The walls are covered with wallpaper, and to the right are two windows. The room has an overall modern and minimalist feel.

The shoot

During the photo shoot with Moritz, we had to make sure that all the dimensions from the 3D program were exactly the same in the studio. The lighting was also recreated exactly as in the 3D program.

The image shows a man sitting at a desk in a studio. He is wearing a red sweater and black trousers and holding a pink CD. He appears to be lost in thought. On the left side of the image, a person is bending down to adjust a camera. On the right side of the image, a large photo tripod with a light box is visible. In the background, a white wall and a window with yellow curtains are visible. Various tools and equipment are scattered around the room. The image is a black-and-white photograph of a room with a large window in the background. In the center of the room, a man sits at a desk, with a camera on a tripod in front of him. He is wearing a sweater and appears to be working on a project. On the right side of the image, various photography lights and accessories are scattered around the room. The man is holding a camera and appears to be concentrating on his task. The room is well-lit, with natural light streaming in through the windows. The entire scene is a mixture of a 3D rendered image and the previously shown photo. The image shows a 3D rendering of a room with a large wooden table in the center. The table is made of wood and features intricate carvings on the tabletop and sides. It is rectangular in shape with a flat tabletop and four legs. The legs are decorated with a floral pattern. To the right of the table are a white chair and a small table with a vase of flowers. The room has large windows on both sides that let in plenty of natural light. A chandelier hangs from the ceiling, adding a touch of elegance. The floor is covered with wooden planks, giving the room a rustic and cozy atmosphere.

Udo was also there

One of Moritz's specialties is his Udo Lindenberg impersonations. So we thought it would be absolutely fantastic to have Moritz dancing as Udo on a small music box on his desk. The dance was filmed directly during the shoot.

The results seemed quite convincing. And if you'd like to check out the site now, here's the link:

moritz-netenjakob.de