fashion photography + motion Nov 2017

A12 Team is a photography and production company based in Poland, working internationally for clients and agencies. Founded by Marcin Biedroń in 2004, the company provides full production service from brief and budgeting to location scouting, casting, crews, equipment rental, photography and retouching of final images.

The small team specialises in advertising, fashion and commercial shoots giving clients full service production without big agency fees, but with the same results.

The portfolio speaks for itself.

Appurva Shah of Blu Studios is a passionate photographer who has worked on catalogues, lookbooks, campaigns, editorials and covers for labels and brands such as Cotton World, Max Retails, Raymond’s, Diesel, Reliance Brands and more. Appurva is also currently the official photographer of Elite Model Look Paris for India.

Most recently, he has worked as a creative producer on projects like Tata Cliq and Bangalore Fashion Week, Maude Vivante, A la mode and more.

Appurva easily adapts to any style of photography, from street style and outdoor fashion shoots to studio environments. He loves a challenge and enjoys the excitement of handling complex shoots against the clock.

Another aspect is his love of making documentaries and fashion films with a very candid style. He has a fully equipped studio based in lower-parel Mumbai with an equipped editing team for a perfect finished product.

Astrid M. Obert is a Munich and Cape Town-based photographer who has been producing engaging images for fashion lifestyle and advertising clients for more than 20 successful years.

"I strive to capture images that express emotions and bring people and situations to life".

Productions with Astrid are top notch and fun, with touches of crazy and inspired creativeness.

With her team and a dedicated producer, they have a unique ability to conceptualise ideas and produce and manage photography and film projects from start-to-finish. Every brief is nurtured to its fullest potential to assure client satisfaction.

Astrid has built a commercial customer base that includes established agencies and renowned lifestyle and fashion brands.

View her latest portfolio and follow Astrid on Instagram.

Los Angeles-based photographer Caesar Lima’s portraits come with a certain choose-your-own-adventure quality to them, emphasised by his myriad of protagonists - from mad scientists to Hollywood seductresses.

Caesar was born in São Paulo, Brazil. He earned a Bachelor's of Art in Advertising and always had the passion and drive to go against the creative grain.

A self-proclaimed non-conformist, his unique style has earned him multiple awards and accolades, including most recently Best of the Best Photographers Book 2017, Spider Awards 2016, scoOne Eyeland Award (2016), four IPA Awards (2015), Px3 Award (2012), IPA Awards (2011-2013), and Lürzer’s Archive '200 Best Ad Photographers' (2012).

Working with clients like Sony, T-Mobile, K-Swiss and Wella, Caesar says to make a good portrait is a challenge, "as there has to be plenty of expression, mood and attitude to create that one successful image."

Recent work from Christian Hoppe featured in this Spotlight includes:

• Bags and Shoes Marc Cain 2017 social media campaign shot at Delight Studio Berlin.
• Collections Marc Cain 2018 shot in an abandoned greenhouse near Düsseldorf.
• Collections Marc Cain 2017 TV campaign, shot in Berlin with bullet - time effect and super slow motion.
• Social media campaign for Deichmann with Eva Padberg shot at Spreegraphen studios Berlin.
• Kelly Rohrbach for the new MC label Bags and Shoes at Delight Studio Berlin.
• Sports Marc Cain 2017 funny social media campaign shot in Berlin.
• Sports Marc Cain 2018 new campaign for Marc Cain SS 2018 shot in an original American diner.

"The idea for the project was born five years ago while daydreaming in my studio. I questioned myself on how I could bring Montenegrin national dress closer to younger people, and especially foreigners. The answer seemed so obvious - let’s shoot female costumes in a the style of a fashion shoot.

Montenegro is a very small country in south east Europe, with no more than 600,000 inhabitants. But it remains very diverse; high mountains and beautiful Mediterranean sea coast, mixed nationalities and a lot of historical and cultural diversity. The preparation took several months, but the final shots were taken during the summer."

Fabio Costì is a fashion, beauty, portrait and advertising photographer based in Milan. He studied sculpture at the Art Academy of Naples and discussed his degree thesis in photography. His work has featured in numerous private and collective exibitions since his early years as an artist and photographer.

His interest in the field of fashion photography brought him to Milan, where from the beginning he cooperated with fashion brands and magazines. He is highly appreciated for his creative approach to photography.

Fabio teaches 'Photography Language' at IED College in Milan and he also works as art director for Boutique Agency, also based in Milan, taking care of brands like Roberto Cavalli, Bikkembergs and Luisa Spagnoli.

Major companies and magazines he has worked with include Golden Lady, Alviero Martini, Metradamo, Hetregò, W&F Bird, Nexy.co, Winonah Milano, Moreschi, Andrea Incontri, Cielo Venezia 1270, Bronzallure, ELLE Japan, Men's Health Italia, Vogue Italia, POSH, Maxim, Fahion Trend, Flamboyant, TO2W, Marie Claire Indonesia, Sorbet and Cosmopolitan Italia.

Jon Moe left after one year of college to go to Italy where he worked with Gianni Versace and Valentino as well as many other fashion leaders. He has been working in Europe and the US for the past 20 years.

He understands the strength and purpose of the still image and has helped many clients use the right type of imagery to double and even triple their business. His work has helped companies win awards in their fields and even dominate the market over their competitors.

Jon has a passion for making things work better and works hard to find just the right kind of image to make the right impact. He is fascinated by the psychology and marketing of imagery and how best to use it to advantage. He is often hired as the art director as well as the photographer and says that the trick to his success is "to make more money for the client so that by working with him they actually save money."

Jovana Rikalo is a fine art and portrait photographer based in Serbia. She loves to capture emotions and feelings outdoors, in breathtaking scenery.

Jovana had no interest in choosing photography as a profession until autumn of 2013. Photography has since become her greatest love. Capturing emotions and milestones is now a big part of who she is, and the whole idea of perfectly freezing special moments and feelings pushes her to take risks, get creative and learn as much as she can about the art of photo editing. She likes to create unreal situations in the real world, and tell surreal stories with her camera.

Interviews and features include Spunky Magazine, PhotoPlus magazine, Digital SLR Photography Magazine, Scorpio Jin, Photography Week, Creative Review Magazine, Hugo Boss Serbia, Bella Grace, Practical Photography Magazine, Vogue.it, Popular Photo, Canon Europe, Grazia Magazine, and more.

Jovana is available to travel worldwide.

"As a self-taught fashion photographer who is passionate on both sides of art and business, I try to capture how I see the world of beauty. Learning new knowledge and adding my personal view to my work is the main reason why I love to create, experience and push the limits.

I focus on creating and capturing a short story focusing on lifestyle or culture. Bringing out the beauty and the voice of my subjects is what I love to do. My recent clients include advertising campaigns with Claudine Ivari, still photographs for delicious Caviarly’s and a commercial campaign for Yohann Fayolle."

Visit Kavak Agir's website for more information.

Marc Rosés is a Spanish fashion and portrait photographer based in Barcelona, working in the profession since 2009. His editorial client list includes Glamour, Icon Magazine, Vogue Kids, L’Officiel, S Moda, Vice Magazine and Vein Magazine.

Marc studied photography in Barcelona and London, where he first began his interest in visual art. He has numerous individual and collective exhibitions to his name and his artwork has been purchased by important private and public collections.

His extensive visual culture together with a creative mind make him tell stories with a very particular and young vision, creating very powerful and avant-garde images. Clients always appreciate the results of his excellent teamwork and the professional development of photo productions in a very relaxed atmosphere.

Marc loves shooting on location as well as from his fully-equipped studio in Barcelona.

Australian photographer Michelle Holden has a body of international work spanning over two decades, crossing six continents and recently with clientele in America and the United Kingdom, after residing in New York for ten years.

Michelle has contributed to magazines including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Wish, InStyle, Glamour, Shape, Condé Nast Traveller, Foxtel, Cosmopolitan, Fitness and Oprah. One of her highly accredited assignments was capturing Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, at home in the Amalienborg Palace, for The Australian Women’s Weekly 80th Anniversary Edition.

Michelle is known for her acute sense of detail, her consistency in understanding her clients' needs, and her ability to allow the process to flow flawlessly. A great collaborator, her self-effacing and low-key style brings out the best in everyone, resulting in images that tell the story as it should be told. Her experience in editorial, advertising, fashion, beauty and portraiture is vast having worked globally across varied print and digital campaigns.

Her recent commissions include Dove, Specsavers, Garnier, Laura Ashley, Speedo, Covergirl, Target, Playtex, Lands End, Celtic and Co, Debenhams and Bloomingdale’s.

Samantha Lausted is a high-end freelance fashion and marketing photographer with a passion for capturing aesthetic design. Growing up in West Palm Beach, Samantha discovered her love for photography after purchasing her first camera at the age of 13, and she hasn't put a lens down since. She pursued her BFA in Photography and Digital Imaging at the Ringling College of Art and Design, where she graduated with honors.

Samantha launched her career in New York City, interning for the renowned National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry. She also worked as an assistant to fine art photographer Jessica Craig-Martin.

Samantha's attention to detail and unique creativity landed her at the fashion and lifestyle brand Peace Love World (PLW), where she excelled as a Marketing Designer and Photographer. During her five years at PLW, she supervised, designed, and photographed countless lookbooks and campaigns for the company.

Samantha is currently residing in Key Largo, Florida and offers fashion and lifestyle photography services to Miami and New York.

London-based fashion photographer Zuzana Breznanikova shoots both menswear and womenswear. With her unique aesthetics and style, which is much in demand by fashion brands, she is an influencer on social media.

She is passionate about fashion photography and helping brands to create campaigns that help them to achieve their goals.