Three hundred seconds. That’s how much time São Paolo, Brazil-based photographer and director Luiz Maximiano had to make a series of portraits of Pelé, a man who is known by many as the greatest footballer to ever play the game. The images, which appeared both on ESPN’s website and in their magazine, showcase the aging athlete’s intimate relationship with the sport that made him famous.
Because Pelé had a TV interview and press conference to launch a UNICEF partnership on the same day, Luiz was pressured to make the most of his five-minute shoot. He set up the background and lights in a small area near the trophy room at the Santos Football Stadium, where he was scheduled to interview. After some light prep, Pelé arrived with his entourage.
He is great. Really nice guy. The problem is that he’s surrounded by people 24/7. Lots of people. That’s the impression I got. Amazing how busy the man is and how much attention he draws.
Luiz chose to capitalize on the simplicity and strength of a stark white background. He made the most of his time with the icon and gave the client something special:
At the end, I took the ball and gave it to him and told him, “hold it as if it was your best lover,” and I showed him what I meant. He understood immediately and then said to the ball, “thank you for everything.” It was a really cool moment to witness.