Ahhhh. Grrrrr! These are the sounds that Hong Kong-based photographer Gareth Brown sought to capture in his shoot for Pure International. Pure International is a Hong Kong lifestyle brand that specializes in fitness and yoga, and they wanted Gareth to shoot a series that captured the “ahhh” moments of release in yoga and the “grrr” moments of intensity in fitness workouts.
Gareth has worked with Pure International for over ten years, so he’s never surprised to be called on for another campaign. Gareth wanted this particular campaign to feel different from some of their previous campaigns, looking a little less slick and a little more raw. He shot with continuous light, and used no make up or retouching to achieve this more natural, in the moment style. Gareth says that this style wound up being more reminiscent of his personal photography style rather than the typical campaign work he shoots in Asia.
All the creative work for Pure is done in house, so Gareth worked directly with the company’s creative director, Marc Scott. They set out with some planned shots, but also allowed for some flexibility and time to deviate on set.
Gareth says that for this shoot, he tried to visualize the cue as audio, sensing the “ahhh” and “grrr” moments more than seeing them. He also spent a decent amount of time at the gym before the shoot listening and observing how the body’s movements corresponded to sounds.
One thing Gareth was concerned about for this shoot was capturing the “ahhh” sound from the yogis. “Yoga is more about inner control,” says Gareth, noting that there’s not always a distinct audible moment. But with observation and patience, he says, he was able get those visual moments that spoke to feelings of audible release.
Gareth’s images are hitting billboards now, and he’s definitely excited about the great reactions they’ve been getting.
To view more of Gareth’s work, visit blowupstudios.com.hk