Alex Álvarez

Asturias [Spain]: Alex Álvarez

This Spotlight presents the winners of the Photographers Shoot Out Contest featuring the models from Fresh Faces 2010.

This editorial, 'Match Point', was created following the launch of the Shoot Out contest, and is inspired by the evolution that every sportsperson must go through to reach their goals. The struggle and the aim of improving everyday build the basis for success, not only in sports but in every aspect of life.

The team split the photo session into two series. In the first, photos show the fears and the difficulties that the protagonist must face. She overcomes these fears with a fighting spirit and the will to achieve her dreams. With this idea in mind, the crew shot the series on an old basketball court. The faded and flaking walls show the insecurity and the uncertainty before the unknown. The make-up artists took the inspiration from the masks of the Japanese Kabuki theatre as a symbolic hiding of internal emotions. The styling is a fusion of East and West made through a combination of Spanish design and Japanese make-up.

In the second series, the protagonist reaches success in every possible way and can finally leave her mask behind: both her fears and her rivals have been defeated. The tennis court was chosen as the location for this series because tennis perfectly reflects the mix of glamour and success in sports.