TEZZ
Tezz
by Stefan Rappo
for MARLEY
COMPLETE
Over the past few years, Stefan Rappo and MARLEY have seen numerous exciting
developments in parallel, both creatively and personally.
In the midst of this lively creative activity, we often lose track of things, but the bond of friendship that connects us with Stefan remains unshakeable.
His warm character and impressive work make every meeting a special experience that we always look forward to.
We are especially proud to present his latest publication, the book “Tezz”, in collaboration with the fascinating top model and his muse Tezz.
In this interview, we had the opportunity to talk to both of them about the inspiring genesis of their joint project and dive deeper into the creative world they share.
Teddy Marks
Creating a nude photo book with only one model is certainly a great challenge and also a risk. Why Tezz?
(Stefan) Yes, that's true, doing a project with just one person can be a bit risky. You have to be very careful to make sure there is enough variety in the book, as the photos can quickly start to look similar. However, we have a lot of variation in the locations, and Tezz always adapts to them, which makes her posing vary as well. You also have to be sure that it's the right person, because
you'll be working together for a longer period of time. But with Tezz, it worked out excellently, and we were more or less always on the same page regarding the direction of the project.
Tezz, you wrote text quotes for the book. What was your inspiration?
(Tezz) I was inspired by the book’s layout and the photographic style, connecting it to my own experiences of growth and evolution as a woman, and sharing insights about life. I write only when I feel compelled, whether by inspiration or the need to express something within me.
What does this project mean to you as a model, as a person?
(Tezz) On a personal level, I’m incredibly moved to be part of such an intimate project. I’m proud that we had the strength to complete it, facing every challenge along the way, and choosing not to take the easiest path, but to make it truly ours. This was my first time working on a long-term, large-scale project, and I had no idea what it would require. Thankfully, Stefan led the way, and I learned so many new, eye-opening things throughout the process. Professionally, this experience means a great deal to me. I see the book as a testament to the connection of my personal and artistic life, they’re inseparable.
Stefan, how have your travels and international experiences, especially in the context of Lindbergh, influenced your view of nude photography?
(Stefan) In the past my photos were much more static and focused more on the model's body. I always tried to make everything as perfect as possible. Today, there's much more movement in my pictures, and I try to capture situations that are more authentic. I also give the models a lot more space to express themselves.
Especially with such a big project like a book, there is always a mistake that has crept in somewhere. Is there a mistake in your book, whether in planning, shooting, layout or even printing, and how did you turn it into a “happy accident”?
(Stefan) In such a large project, it's almost impossible for everything to go perfectly. There are always problems that need to be solved, and often you have to make compromises. But I think that's just part of the process, and the art lies in handling it as well as possible. Of course, there are things in the book that I might do differently today, but they're such small details that in the end, it doesn't really matter... in two years, you'd probably make different decisions again.
What was the strangest thing you experienced on your travels for the book?
(Tezz) Haha, I think we would both choose the baboon attack in South Africa!
(Stefan) Oh yes, the baboons. We were photographing on a beach near the Cape of Good Hope, and I saw animals running towards us from a distance. At first, I thought they were dogs, but Tezz immediately recognized that they were baboons. Fortunately, they were only interested in finding food and had nothing personal against us. We then spent 1.5 hours watching them as they searched every little detail and rummaged through our bags... eventually finding Ricola and a few pieces of chewing gum. Even if the situation was a bit scary, we both felt that nothing was wrong with it since we had stepped into their territory.
Is there a message you would like to convey with your new nude photo book?
(Tezz) I’ve learned something interesting. We were putting the book together for few years, and when the final version came out, I thought, This is it. The book felt complete; Showing the wilderness in both human and nature, the depth of emotions, my own personal written reflections and Stefan’s vision. But I’ve come to realize that the book is alive; its meaning and message are crystallizing slowly over time, changing its shape by every bit of feedback we receive, especially from people outside the photography world. These moments are deeply touching and refreshing for me, as I can see how the book’s message resonates differently with each viewer and reader, revealing new layers over time.
(Stefan) For me, it was important to portray Tezz as a person and not as an object, and not to reduce her to her naked body. I also gave her a lot of space to move freely, and through her texts, the whole project became even more personal. When I look at the book today, I don't primarily see a naked woman, but a free person expressing herself freely, and that was also the goal of the book.
Suppose you could be an expert in a completely different field for a day - what would it be?
(Tezz) Stand-up comedy 😀
(Stefan) Musician in a rock group (probably drummer)
Have you ever had a “photographer/model moment” while shooting that was so crazy you'd want to see it in a movie?
(Tezz) Going back to the monkey attack—though it wasn’t funny at the time, we were lucky.
(Stefan) I would love to see the whole project as a film. We photographed in Ibiza, Tenerife, South Africa, and Normandy, and we experienced so many amazing and emotional moments.
Which picture in your book tells the biggest story and what exactly is that story?
(Tezz) It’s hard to choose because each picture holds the memory of that moment. Which makes me very sentimental. If we went through the book together, it would take an hour just for me to tell all the stories behind each image. But if I had to pick one now, I’d choose the series of photos taken in Tenerife, near Mount Teide. We discovered this location by chance, a massive volcanic fissure in the mountain that had a powerful impact on us. We stood there silently for 30 minutes, feeling the intensity of the place, both deeply moved. I surrendered to the rawness of the environment while Stefan captured the entire moment. Still vivid in my memory.
(Stefan) Yes, I would choose that moment as well. As Tezz said we had no idea we would stumble upon this location—it was pure coincidence. We were both speechless when we discovered it late in the evening, and that was definitely one of the most emotional moments we had. It’s exactly these kinds of moments that are important to me, the ones that make all the effort of such a project worthwhile.
Imagine you could spend a day immersed in an image from one of your own photographs. Where would you be and what would you be doing?
(Tezz) On South African beach watching the sunset once more.
Is there an image in your book that was particularly challenging or difficult to shoot? How did you overcome this challenge?
(Stefan) Surprisingly, no. We were mostly lucky with the weather and only had interesting locations. The technical effort for the pictures was also very minimal. We were traveling alone and weren’t dependent on a team. We didn’t have any additional lighting, and almost all the pictures were taken with a Nikon and a 24-70mm lens, except for the underwater shots, which were taken with a Sony in a waterproof housing.
If your photographs had a song, what would it be and why?
(Tezz) Wicked game from Chris Isaac, because we both love it.
(Stefan) Oh yes, we were listening a lot to this song. But also, the whole film music to “Into the wild” from Eddie Vedder would fit perfectly.
Did you take a photo for the book that you didn't like at first, but would later consider it a favorite?
(Stefan) Yes, actually I have. It’s a picture in the desert of Atlantis in South Africa. (Page 130 in the book). Stephane Coutelle, with whom I worked on the layout, ‘pushed’ me to use it, and at first, I wasn’t convinced. Now I like this picture a lot.
If you had 5 words to describe this book project, what would they be?
(Tezz) Untamed, nature, deep, woman, life
(Stefan) Adventure, nature, liberty, intimacy, freedom
NEW BOOK
STEFAN RAPPO
TEZZ
This new book from Stefan Rappo and Tezz is a must for every bookshelf.
TEZZ is dedicated to the connection between two people: photographer Stefan Rappo and model Tezz.
To immerse the viewer in Stefan’s artistic perception, the book is crafted in his distinctive storytelling style.
Intimate words penned by Tezz accompany the images and bring the audience into the model’s raw emotions.
The project took place between 2021-2023 when Stefan and Tezz travelled to Ibiza, Tenerife, South Africa, and Normandy.
The untamed locations harmonize with Stefan’s vision to immortalize Tezz’s sublime wild beauty.
The body of work conveys a strong validation of unfiltered freedom.
Both the photographer and the model consider the book to be their most intimate work to date.
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