15.01.2018 - When leafing through a magazine, have you ever asked yourself how it was planned out?
The magazine, indeed, is only the tip of the iceberg, the final result of a massive work that involves a lot of people. There are many steps to go through and complications to face during a shooting. But this is irrelevant to the client… he needs to approve every phase and be satisfied.
The more prestigious the brand is, the highest commitment and perfection is expected. Organization and planning is the alphabet of the art director and photographer. Everything has to be excellent as the audience is very demanding. Critiques are made on absolute basis without taking into account issues encountered during the shooting. As a result, slip-ups or mistakes are not accepted.
Like in the cinema and fashion world, every detail is a significant component of the whole scenery. The interconnection of each of these particulars lead to create a mood, which has to follow the guidelines of the client.
And believe me, this is not an easy task especially if one considers that the more the brand is popular, the stricter are the guidelines. I know that this sounds almost maniacal on the one hand, but on the other hand it is important to understand that this process is vital to define the specific philosophy of the product. When expressed rightly, the consumers will identify with it. To give you an example: the “Jeep® brand Marketing Communication Instruction” is a 100 pages book stating what is Jeep®, what are the places, the actors, the accessories, the colours of the location…all these details have to reflect the brand.
Now, here is my advice. If you like to take photos, just do it as a hobby. Do not turn this passion into a job. Being a professional photographer is a different story.
The Actor: a positive and reassuring man aged between 35 and 50. He cannot generate any negative feelings... simply no criminal face.
The Location: rigorously mountain (the man wearing Jeep® does not drive a Spider). The altitude is important. However, roads need to be accessible. Thus narrow and difficult tracks are not taken into account.
The Seasons: this aspect is very important. Often, collections are not likely to be finished 12 months before their presentation on the market. If they would be done on time, it meant that we would take summer photos in the summer season and winter ones in the winter season. However, in the real world, this is not likely to happen, thus we are photographing the winter season in the spring or summertime and vice versa. This is when the world of postproduction develops and becomes essential: adding some snow where it is missing, turning leaves, that are exploding with chlorophyll into yellow and again turning what is looking yellow into green.
It is evident, therefore, that identifying the location for a shooting is not only a mere emotional choice but rather a rational and intense assessment of many variables, both during and after the production.
In the last two seasons, Jeep® has chosen Alpe Cimbra as its shooting site. This is thanks to the beauty of its woods of conifers, its mountain pastures and the favourable logistic.
Last but not least the friendliness and availability of the local communities, aspects that make a big difference in the limited time of the production.
And now... it is time to enjoy the show and observe the beautiful glimpses of this magnificent place.
