The process of a concept photo shoot for the editorial
Engel & Völkers magazine
The proposed photo session by Engel & Völkers was meant to create images for the edition of the magazine with the major topic ''Family''. Gonzalo Quesada, a retired Argentine rugby player who currently coaches for Stade Français in France’s Top 14, and his wife, Liga, were named the editorial’s main heroes. The photo shoot had to take place in the country, next to a horse farm.
MOODBOARD
PREPARATION
I suggested taking photos in two different areas. I started by researching local equestrian clubs, and after several video chats with the editor, we settled on the Chantilly Polo Club. For the second one, I wanted a lot of horses running about freely. My models needed to feel comfortable, therefore the second venue had to be close to the polo club as well.
SHOOTING
The polo club was the first stop. We had to start shooting at 11 a.m., which was not ideal because the sun was too bright. But, because Gonzalo is a very busy person, I had to work around his schedule. Because the heroes had to ride without saddles, we had two very calm and easy horses for the shoot. Liga’s look changed twice. One was more romantic to display their passion, while the other was more inspired by the Argentinian gaucho motif.
Following that, we moved to the second area, where horses are free to run. I had four horse assistants and two light assistants. We shot the magazine’s cover here. The editor was not present throughout the shoot, but we were on a video call with her the entire time to ensure she was satisfied with the outcome.
POST-PRODUCTION
Between selecting the photographs and processing them in Photoshop, the post-production took around a day.
