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Documentary photographer Alicia Vera had first shot for Airbnb back in 2013 for their Neighborhood Guide section. As a local who is familiar with the terrain of Mexico, she was successful in creating authentic and engaging imagery for them. The agency Teran TBWA/Chiat took notice of her photographs, and their Creative Director Stephen Lum reached out.
Stephen hoped that Alicia would be able to produce positive and relatable imagery to fit within Airbnb’s latest campaign that was targeting the brand’s Spanish-speaking audience. Airbnb wanted the viewer to be able to imagine themselves in the properties that they rent out.
Alicia had to switch gears from her usual style of reportage/documentary photography and embrace a more commercial aesthetic for the shoot. Her work, like most photojournalists, is more of a fly on the wall approach…camera in hand waiting for the moment to present itself rather than directing one.
The biggest challenge was switching from a documentary mindset – photographing things as they happen – to a commercial mindset…I overcame the challenge by having a great team behind me who believed in me and made me feel confident in my work. Having “real people” with genuine relationships also helped bring out authentic expressions for the images.
The planning of the project began with Alicia looking at mood boards from the client and brainstorming activities for the talent to engage in while in the Airbnb homes. Airbnb was interested in using “real people” as talent, so Alicia watched video interviews to see who would be appropriate for each look, and to find the talent that would be most comfortable in front of the camera. She also played a hand in picking the perfect Airbnb locations to shoot at, making sure to take into consideration that those locations would need to have multiple areas to shoot in, in order to make the most of their time. Alicia worked with the art director to scope out the best angles and times of day to photograph at each location, and from there she worked with the talent to get the perfect shots.
My favorite part of the project was being able to get out of my comfort zone and photograph something that isn’t strictly documentary photography. I had a lot of fun collaborating with an art director and getting instant feedback on the shots I was taking. Knowing that I am capable of this kind of work makes me excited about future possibilities.
Alicia has received many positive responses to the images, and people have been charmed with the authenticity of the ads. Alicia is looking forward to the possibility of working with Airbnb in the future, and also expanding her commercial portfolio.
See more of Alicia at aliciavera.com