Having shot for the likes of Interview, The New York Times and Loewe, Jacob Sutton is one of the most chased photographers in the fashion industry. He spent much of this year exploring film, live action and stop motion techniques for the first time, and sits down with Wonderland to talk us through the projects as well as ambitious plans for the coming year.

What prompted you to explore film more than any other medium this year?

I started sky-diving last summer, which got me interested in live action and using vertical wind tunnels, but I see it as a continuation of older works really. I had the idea for it a couple of years of ago – diving just helped me find ways to execute it properly.

The Man Who Fell To Earth – POST Gravity from Jacob Sutton on Vimeo.

How did the Gary Card, stop-motion commission for Loewe come about?

Me and Gary first worked together a couple of years ago now – we did an ad for Comme De Garcons. The first film like that I did was a powder column film for a Bermuda Triangle exhibition – it all just kind of carried on from there in terms of aesthetic.

And the Angelo Sorrenti piece? Your work has had a heavy sports bent this year…

I just like working with people who move really well. If you’re trained in a discipline – be it fencing, martial arts, dance or whatever – it means you have a lot more ability to express what you want to do creatively. The same goes for the fencing story for Last magazine. I think they’d seen some of the Stella McCartney Adidas stuff I’d done before, so that probably helped.

The Partisan – New York Times from Jacob Sutton on Vimeo.

The fencing piece reminded me of the kind of dance projects you’d worked on in the past…

Yeah. I was keen to take them out of the sporting context – take the whole thing away from that. For me, fencing is like a form of dancing – from that point we were able to easily transfer the project into a dance piece. But with the Angello Sorrenti film it was way more about power and capturing an explosive movement. I didn’t want it to be a macho film, that would have been boring.

What piece do you feel you enjoyed making the most this year?

The flying film was something I was very satisfied with because I’d envisaged it for such a long time. It was quite tricky to make, too; we ended up filming it in Switzerland. Some of the projects which aren’t out yet I’m really excited about. I’ve just made a new film for Interview magazine, with a dancer called Lil Buck. This is set to be out in February. The Angela Sorenti one was a highlight too – it was moving in a better direction for me; more emotional and soulful.

Can you name me the best emerging photographer you’ve stumbled upon this year?

I really like Dan Sannwald’s pictures. They’re often really exciting and brave.

Jacob Sutton
Words: Jack Mills