Oakley - Elements /// Photographed in South Africa

Oakley - Elements /// Photographed in South Africa

Oakley - Elements /// Photographed in South Africa

Topic:

Portoflio

Year:

15 Februar 2025

Oakley Visual Study – Elements

Earlier this year, I set out on a personal photo journey through South Africa – a country that offers an incredible range of textures and moods. From dry desert plains to rugged stone landscapes and dense forest areas, the goal was to explore how environment and gear interact visually and emotionally.

Oakley has long been a brand I connect with – not just for its design language, but for what it represents: movement, resilience, and clarity. So I chose to build this series around some of their key pieces, using them as visual anchors in an otherwise wild and unpredictable setting.

The result is a set of images that celebrate both the rawness and the functionality of well-designed outdoor gear. A study of contrasts

Behind the Project – Planning Meets Intuition

This project had been on my mind for quite some time. I knew I wanted to explore the raw, contrasting environments of South Africa through a visual lens – using outdoor gear as both subject and companion. The concept was there, but the team wasn’t yet.

Once I arrived in Cape Town, things began to fall into place. One of the first people I connected with was Aidan Murgatroyd – one of the kindest and most reliable assistants I’ve worked with. His calm presence, technical confidence, and grounded energy quickly became a core part of the project.

It was actually Aidan who introduced me to Geran Raath – a talented photographer and a brilliant gaffer with a remarkable sense for light. Geran brought an extra layer of precision and visual depth that shaped the mood and rhythm of many key shots.

Producer Ally Vau joined early on as well and played an essential role in making things happen behind the scenes. Her mix of structure, intuition, and creative understanding was crucial in turning ideas into actual moments.

And of course, a huge part of this project was the styling – masterfully led by Morena Verovic. Her ability to connect wardrobe, character, and setting gave the imagery its cohesion.

In the end, what started as a personal vision became a collaborative journey – shaped by the landscapes of South Africa, but even more so by the people who came together along the way.

Once I returned home, the images went into post – where the vision truly came full circle. A massive thank-you goes out to Matteo Cianfarani and the entire team at Recom for their outstanding work in post-production. Their attention to detail, color sensitivity, and technical finesse brought the final images to life in a way that stayed true to everything we felt on set.