Georges Antoni talks THAT shoot with Margaret Zhang
He’s no stranger to shooting a cover – from Bella Hadid for Harper’s Bazaar to Gemma Ward for Wonderland magazine – but this week saw renowned fashion photographer Georges Antoni’s latest cover shoot for Elle deliver an innovative twist… It was shot completely on an iPhone 7 Plus.
Hitting Bondi without his traditional camera equipment, Georges just shifted his phone to “Portrait Mode” and got snapping – shooting Australian creative and influencer Margaret Zhang for both the cover and an inside editorial for the June issue of Elle magazine.
Discussing the campaign in a press release, Antoni reveals: “One thing that struck me was how liberating it was to shoot and not worry about lenses, tripods, tethering to the computer, etc. It’s also such an interesting dynamic to see how the public are so conditioned to seeing people shooting on their phones that they don’t really take notice, so the shoot could happen in a much more stealth way.”
Always excited by anything “outside-the-box”, Husskie tracked down Georges to have an exclusive chat with him about the Elle shoot…
Why did you decide to shoot Margaret Zhang on an iPhone?
I felt very privileged that Justine Cullen, the Editor of Elle, invited me to do the shoot and asked me to do it on the iPhone. I thought it was a very clever idea by Justine to capture Margaret Zhang with the same device that she [Margaret] successfully used to create an incredible brand.
Do you often swap the camera for an iPhone?
They both have their purpose. The iPhone is wonderful for me capturing day-to-day things quickly … it is invaluable in that respect – never missing a moment. But as a photographer, it is also nice to slow down and craft a picture by using more conventional cameras.
Can you talk me through the shoot on the day?
It was a fun and energetic day. In essence we wanted to shoot a story that looked like you were viewing it on your computer screen – it needed to feel dynamic and energetic. We just ran around a hotel lobby playing dress-ups actually – it was really fun.
What’s the benefits of opting for a phone over a camera?
A phone is usually at reach – quick and easy, and cameras are more for crafting and honing an image. Both are very valuable in the right situation.
All images: Margaret Zhang for Elle Magazine.
