Armani love male fragrance 2012 advertising film photographer Bruce Weber interview Q&A

Q: Mr. Bruce Weber, as you all know, you are famous for photography by taking stylish photos and highly naturalistic images of pastoral youth. Water is often an indispensable part of your work: Is it an important part for you?

A: I can always feel the sense of freedom that the sea inspires. I grew up in a small town in the Midwestern United States. Obviously there is no sea; there are many lakes but no sea. Therefore, for me, water has become synonymous with “departing the dusty, traveling and returning to nature”. I use a lot of water in my photography. People in the photo are either wet with water or swimming, or in a bathtub or in a shower... For photography, moist The skin is a grand and exciting theme. As for models, I like to shoot young people, and I like to shoot older people who are old. What I seek is beauty, which is more important than anything else.




Q: Isn't beauty eternal?

A: This is not necessarily. You know, I met people in my life. They were much older than I was at the time, but their mental state was very young. For example, I once met the poet Allen Ginsberg. Both he and his poetry work made people feel that his attitude is very open-minded and his work is very free. In my opinion, this is where the real beauty lies. I think that people have different experiences every day, trying to extract some personalized things from them - things that can be shared with others.




Q: The pictures you take also tell stories. So you are both a photographer and a storyteller in one...

A: It's like an old song. Each photo tells a story. Sometimes this story is woven in your own mind, and sometimes it actually happens in front of you. But the story is about it all. Therefore, you must maintain an open vision, so that you can see the story and tell the story.




Q: What was the source of inspiration for your “Acqua di Giò water” commercial?

A: Regarding Mr. Armani, I thought a lot. I was looking at his picture, wearing his design clothes, and growing up with the perfume he designed. I have always admired him very much. Sometimes he is just a portrait of me for me, but I can feel that this person is historic. I want to explore in-depth on this point, more in terms of emotion, attention to details, and highlight his generosity. Next I will explain what I just said. Many years ago, I attended an Armani fashion show in Milan. After the fashion show ended, we were invited to a party in a very old house. As we walked up the grand staircase of the house, there were people dressed in 18th century costumes with candelabras in hand to meet us. The light at the time was really beautiful. In the dining room, a small mat was placed on each chair. The cushions were all made by Mr. Armani himself. This is what I want to express: this kind of hospitality, people feel so happy, and that kind of incredible fine taste.




Q: Is this one of the qualities that Armani has?

A: Absolutely. And it is Mr. Armani’s main trait. He has always been full of enthusiasm for work and life; he has a strong desire to create beautiful and influential things and share it with people. So, I took this into account and there was a house on an island: I thought of this island, and why he made him choose this island: the peace and quiet of this place. As a result, I have conceived a story that incorporates Simon Nessman to reflect this fragrance.




Q: Until now, your cooperation with Simon is really not short...

A: When Simon was 15 years old, I knew him. When I first met him, he was still a newcomer from Vancouver. He was still playing football and basketball... I gave him the first set of photos. I liked it from the very beginning. His elegant sensibility. He has a strong masculine personality, good spontaneity, and some hidden fragility. There is courage - you must have great courage to stand in front of the camera - shyness and love. He is not just a good-looking and beautiful man. He has a rich inner world and natural elegance.




Q: In the digital age, you still use film to shoot. What is the reason behind this choice?

A: I don't know if this is an option. However, as far as this is concerned, I belong to the conservative old school and feel comfortable with it. When my grandmother liked to take beautiful pictures and paintings, she used film and my uncle also used film. My dad made a movie and also photographed: They all use film. I grew up in this environment. I like the texture when the light hits the film. You can touch the photo and you can almost touch the person in the photo.




Q: What kind of light did you plan to capture?

A: Actually, I didn't seek any specific type of light... morning or sunset. I just want to make it feel like Simon and I have spent a day together. It is not a specific moment that is fixed, but a linear narrative. It is an adventure that we go through together. In the time of day, we are the only two people.




Q: You also produced a movie trailer for this advertisement. How did you go about conceiving it?

A: When I took these pictures, I thought about how perfumes connect us with the world around us. I thought a lot about yoga. I like it to give Simon the courage to get close to the camera and keep him from fear. I thought of water, nature and scene settings. As far as the matter is concerned, it is not so much creating a sequence of creation as it is creating a mood or atmosphere. It can be said that from the perspective of this idea, my imagination spreads out: I have a lot of imagination, but this is certainly what people expect from me!




Q: How did you work?

A: I have to say it once more. It was a momentary rise and whim. I am not the kind of person who has put down a tool and stopped working because there is a cloud in the sky. I like imperfections and mysteries. I like surprises. These themes were explored in depth by Bergman and Pasolini. I have a very good work team with Peter Zuccarini, the underwater photography master. He was involved in the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean. The focus of this shot is the same, to capture the nuances and freshness of the Armani world. I did not treat it as a perfume, but I wanted to go beyond the product. I think I am very aware of Mr. Armani's life and work style, and this is the experience I hope to convey in the shooting.




Q: You just mentioned some great movie directors. Will the movie bring you inspiration?

A: Of course! When I was little, I lived in this farm town in Pennsylvania. Every Sunday night, our family members jumped into the car and drove to Pittsburgh where they could see a foreign movie or something. Many of the films at that time were Italian films. I just read Federico Fellini's "La Dolce Vita" and Vittorio (Vitatorio). De Sica)'s "The Bicycle Thief." The magnetism that Anna Magnani showed on the big screen made me infatuated. Today, some of the leaders of the Italian neo-realism trend are still my main source of inspiration. As a source of inspiration, there are also some great Italian actresses, giving two examples, such as Sophia Loren and Claudia Cardinale.




Q: So you used black and white tones this time?

A: Someone told me that Mr. Armani wanted to do this. I have no objection to this. For this filming work, black and white are very appropriate for “Acqua di Giò Essenza Silver Men's Men's Fragrance”. In a more general sense, this is also in line with Armani's brand spirit. When you take such photos, it is very important to keep the privacy of the atmosphere, so black and white is the perfect choice for this situation.




Q: This also gives Simon a very cinematic trait...

A: That's true. I have heard all kinds of statements about Simon. People say that he has a silhouette like a Greek god. The most appealing aspect of Simon's body is his fragile qualities, which are a bit like Alain Delon in his youth. At a crucial moment in your life, everything is full of possibilities, but you don’t know it. What will happen in the future? I think those names that I mentioned just now, if you look at these pictures, will definitely desire to enable Simon to work for them. Well, at least one of them will do this.




Q: Which one is it?

A: I think a lot about this issue. The answer must be Luchino Visconti.

Q: Is there a distinctive Italian style for this commercial?

A: I don't think so. It is part of a larger world. Even if I use light and movie-like qualities, it brings a "Italian taste" to it, but then again, it does not follow any style. My idea is, in my own way, to capture the feeling of the Mediterranean, the connection between people and water, the freedom of the sea, and the body on the beach... I really like this country. My feeling for France is also the same. In these places, you can linger in the streets of cities or villages and you will find someone who is like a character coming out of a novel.




Q: We're back to storytelling...

A: Yes, because everything starts from this point. There is beauty. Especially the beauty of Simon. I know this sounds a little crazy, but based on my experience, I think the camera is just like people, and there are people who like it or not. The camera really loves Simon, likes his body, his manners, his state of mind. Therefore, these pictures are also a way of creating records for him and will be kept as a memorial.




Q: What kind of way to commemorate?

A: Let me explain. When I first started working on photography, I lived in Paris. I have met all kinds of people, artists, etc. They wanted to take pictures of me. At the time, I was a young American who had not been identified. I think this is a good thing, but in my heart, I actually want to be a photographer and film producer. I was destined to work behind the camera. I don't want to be the subject of photography. I want to be the one who presses the shutter with my finger. After returning to the United States, I was still very poor. Everything was just beginning. The main subjects were rock musicians and poets. I realized that I didn't need to be so serious. When I took photos of some of my young people who were originally living in Paris, I was very sensitive to them. This prompted me to give them a time record of their youth. This commercial film for Acqua di Giò Essenza Silver Men's Fragrance is like a record of life given to Mr. Armani and Simon.