Portrait Photography in Palma with Jan Hofer

Mr. Tagesschau

Jan Hofer, the face of certainty. Decades behind the desk, delivering news with a voice that never wavered. Measured, calm, precise. No opinions, no hesitations. Just the facts. Germany trusted him. Then one evening, he said goodbye. The suit stayed, the teleprompter moved on. But something remained. A man who became an institution. Mr. Tagesschau.

Walking through the city, finding light, letting moments happen. Portraits should feel like fleeting glances, like something seen from the corner of your eye. No studios, no setups—just people in places that blend in, stand out.

I asked Jan: you've been photographed thousands of times. What's different about this shoot?
He said: you take your time. And you want to show me.

Maybe that's it. I need three, sometimes four hours for a portrait session. Walking with my subjects. Talking. A lot. Trying to understand who they are, who they might be when no one is watching. And of course, building trust.

Because standing in front of a lens is terrifying.

Maybe it's like being naked. I wouldn't know. But I can imagine.

Behind the Scenes

Our first scene was in La Lonja de Palma. Jan's wife was there. She manages his social media. She filmed some clips. Maybe you've seen them on Instagram.

If not, check them out: part 1 and part 2.

I captured her with the camera too. So now you see the setup. The place. The mood.

Equipment Matters

Let's be honest. Of course, you can take headshots with a small camera and a zoom lens. Will they look great? Under perfect conditions—long focal length, short distance, far background—sure. But it limits what you can do.

If there's movement, I use Sony. The 85mm GM II f/1.4, the 135mm GM f/1.8. World-class autofocus. No other camera keeps up.

If it's slower, I love the Leica SL3. The 50mm Summilux f/1.4, the 90mm APO Summicron f/2. Or the Fuji GFX 100 II. Digital medium format. Not quite true medium format. The 55mm f/1.7, the 110mm f/2. About 45 and 90mm in full-frame terms.

Also, check out Jan Hofer's Instagram!