You wouldn't believe the extraordinary lengths that BMW Motorrad
would go to in order to bring you these stunning images of the new
S 1000 RR superbike, but we hope you'll agree that the results are
well worth the effort.
With a brief to combine the outstanding high-tech design of the
S 1000 RR carbon race bike with a cool looking fashion style, BMW
Motorrad commissioned top photographer Markus Hofmann to capture
the action. Markus specialises in Stills, People and Events but he
knew he was facing a real challenge with this outdoor shoot on one
of the coldest days of the year. The motorcycle arrived in Munich
in the early hours of December 10th and was taken to a small
airfield at Oberschleißheim, where the team was waiting. With
bad weather conditions forecast and only a few hours of decent
light available at this time of the year, Markus knew that every
second would count.
"The new BMW S 1000 RR race bike is an outstanding looking
motorcycle in terms of its design and styling, so I was knew it
would be an extraordinary motorcycle to photograph," said Markus.
"Because we wanted to have a helicopter in the shot, it was
necessary to discuss all the safety instructions with the pilot and
make sure that the shots that we wanted were actually achievable.
One of our assistants was responsible for communication with the
helicopter pilot, which was done by means of hand signals in order
to ensure that he could manoeuvre the helicopter into the right
position and move around if necessary.
"The other assistant was in charge of handling the lighting
system and protecting it the from the strong rush of wind created
by the helicopter's rotors. There was also a stylist on hand, who
would be refreshing or changing the look and make-up of Ann Kathrin
Ruhl, our model for the day. The coldness, of course, made things
difficult for everyone, and the 'wind-chill factor' was intensified
by the helicopter blades, which affected Ann Kathrin more than
anyone else, but she was very professional, having modelled many
times in 'extreme' situations. With such a great team around me, I
was able to focus completely on the photography and only needed to
give short instructions from time to time, which made the job go
smoothly. I think the results are very effective."
Bettina Bruaröy Maurer, the stylist for the day, was
delighted with the results of the photoshoot: "My passion for this
work is to create moods where the viewer feels drawn into and
captivated by the picture. This idea I had in this instance was to
mix a style of feminine fashion and the typical motorbike outfit. I
wanted the model to look like a strong independent 'Bond' girl who
perfectly matches the BMW style and charisma, and I wanted the
pictures to surprise and to create harmony – this job was
perfect in achieving these objectives!"
Without a doubt, the coldest person on the day was model Ann
Kathrin Ruhl from the Java Model Management agency. Without the
benefit of windproof, waterproof and thermal clothing, she still
managed to look great, despite being chilled to the bone in one of
the less glamorous locations she has been photographed in. "It was
freezing cold out there and the noise from the chopper was
absolutely ear-piercing," said Ann Kathrin. "Compared to some of
the jobs I have done, it certainly wasn't the easiest conditions to
shoot in, but at least I had a great team who kept me smiling so
this made the job more enjoyable than it could have been
otherwise."
Once the shoot was over, a shortlist of pictures was then
selected back in the warmth of the studio, before being handed over
to Arno Schaller, a graphic designer with more than a decade worth
of experience with digital picture publishing and retouching for a
variety of photographers, agencies and magazine editors. His work
focuses on high-end creative compositions, and includes look and
style development in beauty and fashion industries for clients such
as Cosmopolitan and Getty Images.
As you can see from the 'finished' images, the picture below
portrays the new BMW S 1000 RR as an extremely desirable, exciting,
yet almost unobtainable piece of exotica, much like the supermodel
sitting astride her. Her look says 'strong fashion for a powerful
woman' and the helicopter in the background gives the scene an
action/adventure look, but it's definitely the BMW superbike that
shines through as the real object of desire.
For further press/media information
contact:
Tim James
Product Communications Manager
BMW Group Australia
Phone: 03 9264 4150
Fax: 03 9562 2799
Mobile: 0439 568 819
Email: Tim.James@bmw.com.au