But sometimes, these incredible creatives live only within the grid—admired in likes and comments, sometimes with their stories left untold.
Off the Grid is our way of changing that. In this editorial photography interview series, we take the names and faces you know from Instagram and bring them into the spotlight here on our blog. We sit down with industry photographers to explore their vision, uncover their inspiration, and share the craft behind their work with the rest of our community.
The first photographer we got the chance to interview is Florian Renner, who is kicking off our Off the Grid series. Florian’s work moves between polished luxury campaigns and raw, authentic streetwear moments—a balance shaped by his journey from skate parks to high-fashion sets.
A Skateboarder with a Camera
Florian's journey isn't so unfamiliar. He got into it in his teenage years while he was skateboarding. After a knee injury, he shifted his focus to shooting his friends, many of them sponsored, which quickly led to Florian's images appearing in skate magazines.
I was the one who always brought a camera to holidays or just with friends.
His story taps into what we’ve coined the skateboarding-to-photography pipeline, something we’ve noticed more than once in the creative community. Growing up, “every good trick had to be documented… if it wasn’t on camera, it didn’t happen.” Constant documentation, paired with early exposure to graphic design, music, and video, created a generation of skateboarders deeply attuned to a visual culture.
Finding a Niche in Menswear
After years of traveling with skate teams, Florian sensed his photography could find its place in fashion and pursued his interest in fashion photography. He studied at an artistic photography school in Vienna before moving to London to restart as a photo assistant. Immersed in high-profile fashion sets, he remembers:
"David Bailey sat on the lunch table next to our team… I was like wow, I’m in the right place."
While he initially shot a variety of subjects, Florian gravitated toward menswear from his experience shooting his friends on the skate scene.
"Within menswear, I felt a lot more comfortable and kind of made this niche my starting point."
Over time, menswear evolved to meet him halfway:
"In recent years, high fashion and streetwear have really merged, and I kind of almost had that feeling of coming home… I understand authenticity in the streets, and I also understand how to shoot something luxurious, sleek, and polished. Merging these two worlds creatively, I finally feel at home. I don’t have to pretend anymore."
The Process I
In his early days, Helmut Newton was a major influence. “I love the way he kind of changed fashion photography forever,” Florian says, but he has never had one singular creative hero. Instead, he draws from many sources, building a mental “mood board of the creative world” from images that spark an emotional reaction.
From skate parks to polished campaigns, Florian’s path has been anything but linear, but his approach remains grounded in the same instinct that first made him pick up a camera: to capture something real and authentic.
Creative Control vs. Client Direction
In editorial projects, Florian steers the creative vision, especially through casting choices and final image selection. Commercial shoots, on the other hand, require more collaboration, yet he still finds ways to integrate his signature style:
"I push my creative side into it, bearing in mind that this is why they booked me."
If a brief starts to veer off track, Florian addresses it early in pre-production. Being part of the creative process from the outset is essential to him:
"The clearer the vision you share… the easier it can go on a shoot."
“You either feel it or you don’t.”
Even with meticulous planning, not every shoot clicks into place right away. Florian says sometimes it’s best to “let go for a bit and see if it develops into something,” as unexpected moments can bring “magic” onto the set. But if it’s just not working, he trusts his instincts by reassessing the plan, splitting the day into a new approach, or, in rare cases, stopping entirely.
The Factor X
When asked how often final images deviate from the original concept, Florian says it’s rare, but when it happens, it’s usually for the better. Unexpected circumstances can create what he calls the “factor X.”
"Those shots you created with the terrible wind or terrible rain could be exactly those images that are the outstanding ones… and become the key visual for a brand or a campaign."
The Biggest Key to a Successful Shoot
For Florian, the foundation of a successful shoot is clear: communication. “If the hairstylist, the stylist, the art director, and the client know what kind of world we’re moving into, that’s really essential,” he says. While he prides himself on flexibility, Florian admits that endless pre-production meetings can sometimes feel excessive, but necessary. He prefers focused, direct conversations that align everyone before stepping on set.
Chasing Real Characters in a Digital Age
Many trends in photography, especially AI and TikTok aesthetics, leave Florian hesitant creatively, though he admits AI can spark ideas for mood boards. What excites him most is working with real characters rather than traditional models.
"The fashion is a side note… I try to shoot fashion a little bit more like a portrait, and portrait a little bit more like fashion."
In an age where technology can replicate imagery, he’s focused on authenticity:
"We still want to have that real connection, real places, real people… not only a cheap replicate of the real thing."
If you want to see more work from photographers in the industry, check out our Instagram here, and be sure to catch up with Florian on his Instagram.