The photographer behind the recently published photo book, Bigger, has chatted with Queerty about his inspiration.
Joseph Wolfgang Ohlert was born in 1991 in Prien am Chiemsee, Germany. He works mainly in Munich and Berlin. Bigger encapsulates his latest series of portraiture work. It represents an issue close to his heart: the representation of larger men and challenging societal norms around attractiveness.
Besides photos of 80 different men, the 160-page book also offers opinion pieces from several authors on growing up queer and plus-sized. Some recall being shamed or mocked because of their size. It makes for an emotive read.
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“The idea for Bigger came from a very personal place,” Ohlert told Queerty.
“Every book I publish is, in some way, a self-portrait. It reflects the questions, insecurities, and themes I am dealing with myself. With Bigger, I wanted to challenge the constant pressure of self-optimization and the narrow body ideals that dominate both mainstream media and social media. The project became a necessity for me — a way to make peace with a topic that affects many people, including myself.”
Addressing insecurity and shame
Putting the book together took around four years.
“Finding participants was initially difficult because my previous portfolio contained very few larger-bodied men, so some people were unsure whether they fit into my work. Once I had photographed several models and could show examples, the process became much easier. The accompanying texts were developed together with five different authors, whose perspectives added depth and helped create a dialogue between image and text rather than a simple collection of portraits.”
Were there any essays that particularly touched him?
“What touched me most was not necessarily one single story, but the recurring realization that many of us share very similar experiences. Several contributors wrote about feeling invisible, judged, or never fully ‘enough’ because their bodies did not match the standards celebrated in media and within parts of the LGBTQ+ community.
“One of the reasons I invited multiple authors to participate was precisely to show these parallels. Reading how different people — with different backgrounds — described the same feelings of insecurity, shame, or the desire to be accepted was deeply moving. It confirmed for me that body image is not an isolated issue; it is something that connects many people in ways we often underestimate.”
Self-conscious
Bigger guys can sometimes be very self-conscious about posing for photos that expose their bodies. Did Ohlert experience this?
“Yes, I definitely experienced that, especially at the beginning of the project. Some of the men I approached had never done a photo shoot before and were understandably nervous. As the project developed and I could show previous photographs, the atmosphere changed considerably. People became more relaxed and trusted the process. I believe an important part of my work is creating a space where the person in front of the camera feels respected and seen. When someone senses that you genuinely want to bring out the best in them rather than judge them, much of that initial shame begins to disappear.
“By the end, many participants not only embraced the experience but were proud to be part of a project that represents bodies that are so rarely shown with dignity and tenderness.”
Future work
Following Bigger, Ohlert says he’s now working on a series of close-up portraits inspired by the Renaissance sculptor Tilman Riemenschneider.
“[Riemenschneider’s] work captures an extraordinary elegance in faces and hands,’ he says. “What some people describe as rigid or old-fashioned, I see as a quiet beauty that I would like to reinterpret through contemporary portraits. The working title is Riemenschneider’s Faces.”
So is there any chance of a Bigger 2 at some point later in the future?
“I would not rule it out,” Ohlert replies. “The response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive, and many people have told me they finally felt seen through the book. There is still a lack of representation for larger bodies in art and media, so I feel the conversation is far from over. Whether that becomes a direct sequel or evolves into a new project is something I am still exploring.”
Bigger is available through Kellerkreuzberg.
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