TOOLS TO SURVIVE : RETAW BY HAW-LIN
HAW-LIN SERVICES
A CONVERSATION WITH NATHAN COWEN & JACOB KLEIN
Berlin based creative studio Haw-lin Services has influenced many curious minds over the years with their digital mood board. Now focusing on hyper-realistic still life photography and films, the duo has been working on commercial imagery with companies such as Chanel and Cartier, while pushing boundaries with more personal projects. Nathan Cowen and Jacob Klein tell us more about their studio.
What is Haw-lin Services?
We work as a duo in both photography and film. We both have a background in graphic design, and we have been working together since 2013. Although our focus is on still life, it is not a strict rule and sometimes we try to break away from that.
How did your studio begin?
We began by offering creative services including art direction, design and photography. However, our work has shifted to purely photography and films in the last 6 years. This all happened quite organically just like our collaborative history. We met in 2008 as interns, working for the design studio HORT in Berlin, sitting next to each other at the same desk. From constantly looking over each other's shoulders to exchanging images via e-mail, we set up a blog as our shared mood board, haw-lin.com. Our website gained traction and we began art directing and photographing a few editorials. This eventually led us to leave HORT and begin our studio Haw-lin Services.
How would you describe your style of photography?
Detailed, sharp, dark, macro, composed, with intricate arrangements. The subject matter, aesthetics and narratives are often unconventional. We have a pretty consistent approach to our stills and we're keen on extending this ethos to our work in film. Although it can be a bit of a struggle to keep up with the constant advancement, we aim to stay in the loop when it comes to new hardware and software that can boost our creative process. It would be interesting to explore the technical side of things more deeply, diving into the details on a scientific level. Collaborating with experts who have their hands on tools and instruments from other fields aligns perfectly with our interests.
Do you think growing up in separate countries (America and Germany) has influenced your vision?
We both grew up in the nineties, there is some connection there. We were both heavily influenced by the visuals of our very different cultural backgrounds. Our interest in music, snowboarding, surfing, and sports were respectively very German or very American, but they aligned aesthetically very smoothly. Basically, our "Deutsche Amerikanische Freundschaft" is a great balance of contrast and differences.
Looking back at almost fifteen years of creative collaboration, what would be your advice to keep a partnership positive and productive?
To be honest, we have had no real plan for fifteen years. It has been a process of trying to make the right choices at the right moments and always staying hungry and inspired to move forward.
What are your favourite subjects to photograph?
It would be hard to pin down our favourite subjects. Our attraction derives from the basic aesthetic form and then we begin to address the other elements such as context, brand, personal connection, etc. Although our work is in the commercial field, we are inspired by a variety of subjects and like to approach each project individually, case by case. We try to balance commercial and personal work equally, but we find it hard to focus on our personal work unless we treat and plan it like a commercial project. This little mental trick always helps us move forward. Some of the most rewarding projects involve repeat clients, exploring the challenge of constantly redefining the same product or highlighting subtle changes.
How do you stay inspired?
We are inspired by our friends and colleagues and especially our Berlin studio-mates. Our studio is very collaborative, and we enjoy sharing the space. It is also interesting to look back at past work of artists, photographers, directors, and architects to see how their approach, techniques and views can be reinterpreted.
What is next for Haw-lin Services?
We are currently focusing on films and narrative content. It will be interesting to explore a new type of storytelling, at least for us, by keeping inanimate objects as the protagonists.
Concept & Creative Direction : Haw-lin Services
Art Direction & CGI : Lukas Popp
Additional CGI : Anatolik Belikov
Post Production : RGBERLIN
Production : Christophe Victoor