You wouldn't believe the extraordinary lengths that BMW Motorrad would go to in order to bring you these stunning images of the new S1000RR superbike, but we hope you'll agree that the results are well worth the effort.

With a brief to combine the outstanding high-tech design of the S1000RR carbon race bike with a cool looking fashion style, BMW Motorrad commissioned top photographer Markus Hofmann to capture the action. Markus specialises in Stills, People and Events but he knew he was facing a real challenge with this outdoor shoot on one of the coldest days of the year. The motorcycle arrived in Munich in the early hours of December 10th and was taken to a small airfield at Oberschleißheim, where the team was waiting. With bad weather conditions forecast and only a few hours of decent light available at this time of the year, Markus knew that every second would count.

Model Ann Kathrin Ruhl and the new BMW S1000RR

"The new BMW S1000RR race bike is an outstanding looking motorcycle in terms of its design and styling, so I was knew it would be an extraordinary motorcycle to photograph," said Markus. "Because we wanted to have a helicopter in the shot, it was necessary to discuss all the safety instructions with the pilot and make sure that the shots that we wanted were actually achievable. One of our assistants was responsible for communication with the helicopter pilot, which was done by means of hand signals in order to ensure that he could manoeuvre the helicopter into the right position and move around if necessary."

"The other assistant was in charge of handling the lighting system and protecting it the from the strong rush of wind created by the helicopter's rotors. There was also a stylist on hand, who would be refreshing or changing the look and make-up of Ann Kathrin Ruhl, our model for the day. The coldness, of course, made things difficult for everyone, and the 'wind-chill factor' was intensified by the helicopter blades, which affected Ann Kathrin more than anyone else, but she was very professional, having modelled many times in 'extreme' situations. With such a great team around me, I was able to focus completely on the photography and only needed to give short instructions from time to time, which made the job go smoothly. I think the results are very effective." Bettina Bruary Maurer, the stylist for the day, was delighted with the results of the photoshoot: "My passion for this work is to create moods where the viewer feels drawn into and captivated by the picture. This idea I had in this instance was to mix a style of feminine fashion and the typical motorbike outfit. I wanted the model to look like a strong independent 'Bond' girl who perfectly matches the BMW style and charisma, and I wanted the pictures to surprise and to create harmony - this job was perfect in achieving these objectives!"

Photographer Markus Hofmann

Without a doubt, the coldest person on the day was model Ann Kathrin Ruhl from the Java Model Management agency. Without the benefit of windproof, waterproof and thermal clothing, she still managed to look great, despite being chilled to the bone in one of the less glamorous locations she has been photographed in. "It was freezing cold out there and the noise from the chopper was absolutely ear-piercing," said Ann Kathrin. "Compared to some of the jobs I have done, it certainly wasn't the easiest conditions to shoot in, but at least I had a great team who kept me smiling so this made the job more enjoyable than it could have been otherwise."

Model Ann Kathrin Ruhl with the BMW S1000RR

Once the shoot was over, a shortlist of pictures was then selected back in the warmth of the studio, before being handed over to Arno Schaller, a graphic designer with more than a decade worth of experience with digital picture publishing and retouching for a variety of photographers, agencies and magazine editors. His work focuses on high-end creative compositions, and includes look and style development in beauty and fashion industries for clients such as Cosmopolitan and Getty Images.

As you can see from the 'finished' images, the pictures portray the new BMW S1000RR as an extremely desirable, exciting, yet almost unobtainable piece of exotica, much like the supermodel sitting astride her. Her look says 'strong fashion for a powerful woman' and the helicopter n the background gives the scene an action/adventure look, but it's definitely the BMW superbike that shines through as the real object of desire.

Credit Notes:

PHOTOGRAPHER
Markus Hofmann
www.white-photo.com

STYLIST
BETTINA BRUARÖY MAURER
www.stylingroom.de

MODEL
Ann Kathrin Ruhl
www.javamodels.de

MAKE-UP and HAIRSTYLING
elisa koester
www.elisa-koester.de

RETOUCH & COMPOSING
Arno Schaller
www.schaller-medien.de

2008-12-15