Off-Roading In Luxury: Stefan Furtbauer for Mercedes-Benz

In 1888, one woman paved the way for a revolutionary industry. Her name was Bertha Benz and her husband, Karl Benz, invented the world’s first gasoline-powered automobile. Apprehensive about the car’s capabilities, Karl was reluctant to take the vehicle out on the road. Bertha, on the other hand, saw things differently. She forged ahead and became the first person in history to drive an automobile over a long distance.

Founded in 1926, Mercedes-Benz stands the test of time in a class of its own. The luxury brand has invented many of the automotive technologies we see today, yet their most recent campaign brought them back to their off-roading roots.

Vienna, Austria-based lifestyle photographer Stefan Furtbauer showcased the rugged capabilities of the newly designed G-Class SUV for a new campaign and website relaunch. Much like Bertha’s historic ride, his images capture the innovative-luxury vehicle as it expertly navigates an extreme test track.

For the client, it was important to show the passion behind creating such a special vehicle, which is renowned for its unsurpassed off-road capabilities.

Stefan was scouted and hired by Bruce-B., a German advertising and corporate communication agency, as a result of his past experience photographing within the automotive industry. While shooting a vehicle may seem straightforward, the project needed to convey emotion by adding a human component to the images. Stefan worked to include the subjects as they tested the car’s endurance at various angles and speeds. 

 I often work in the field of automotive photography without being an automotive specialist, but whenever a human element is involved and emotions are to be created, that is what fits my style.

The location was a client-owned training track where the G-wagon is tested to the extreme. A remote pre-scout of the track was done initially, but the team also did a comprehensive tech recce the day before the shoot to find the right spots and the right lighting. After deciding on the precise location, the shoot took place over the course of two days. The training track served as a location where the images could depict the multifaceted capabilities of the SUV while allowing staff ample opportunities to interact with each other and the off-roader. 

A challenge was certainly to position the car in a way that safely allowed staff to move around the vehicle, while maintaining control over the shadows, lights, and reflections. That was often a matter of inches and forced us to be even more creative and patient.

During the preparation phase, the team decided it was best to avoid pre-defined motives and scribbles and instead focus on the messages they wanted to deliver. This flexibility allowed them to abandon an idea if it didn’t work out and move on to the next. Because the art director and client team were given an iPad connected to Stefan’s camera, everyone was closely involved. They could follow the process of the image creation and provide feedback instantly.

The art director created mock-ups on the fly during the shoot to check if the images would work in the final layout, allowing for the selection process to be easy and swift. Post-production was a rather simple tone and color grading process with minor retouching. 

Except for one hero shot, which we had to composite from a back plate, the only retouching done was some foreground portraits and a graphical grid laid on to the car.

Stefan was reminded that the most authentic interactions lead to the best photos, whereas making-up shots and micro-managing a shoot can be cumbersome and leave room for doubt in the final image. Both an off-road and a luxury icon, Stefan’s images highlight the cross-country design and features of the premium G-Class SUV that has stood the test of time for more than 40 years.

Luckily we had real engineers and technicians with a real passion for the car and everyone was loving what they did, on top of the great fun and laughter we had during the entire shoot!

See more of Stefan’s images on his Instagram.

Credits

Agency: Bruce-B.
Creative Director: Tom Wahl

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