Noctilux
Breathing New Life into Light and Shadow
The ultra-fast Noctilux is the world’s first lens featuring aspherical glass. Built with elaborate precision, it brings details to the fore which can hardly be seen by the naked eye. Even at dusk, when the world loses its colors, life continues to shine in all its beauty in pictures taken with a Noctilux. The unique concentration of light, its bokeh effect, the clear separation of the subject, the mystical look at wide apertures: The Noctilux offers photographers an unprecedented degree of freedom.
An Unforgettable Punch
In 1966, Thomas Hoepker, one of the most prominent photojournalists of our time, is commissioned with photographing the most charismatic boxer of all time: Muhammad Ali. He accompanies him for days, following Ali’s routine and getting to know him. This allows him to take a number of unique character shots. Like this iconic image, which captures Ali during his training while he goes head to head with the camera for a few seconds. Hoepker presses the shutter release, but has difficulties focusing, and only later sees That he has landed a knock-out punch.
Muhammad Ali, boxing world heavy weight champion showing off his right fist.
Chicago 1966, USA
I want to try to provoke with my pictures, without artificially creating sensations and without distorting the truth.– Thomas Hoepker, 1965© Arne Wesenberg
