2020 has been a year which until now still seems surreal and what better way to finish our advent calendar with a shoot inspired by a dystopian sci-fi movie! Swedish, Dubai-based photographer Martin Norén takes us into the desert on a 'Mad Max' inspired shoot with no other than his own daughter Ashley and model Akiko Solon. Pay special attention to the fantastic, on-point outfits designed by Janice and Jonathan Warner. We love this shoot and while a snowy landscape might have been a better fit for Christmas eve, we just couldn’t resist and save this sandy desert shoot for a special day like today!
We wish you all a festive holiday season and lots of fun reading this last Editor's Choice of our 2020 Advent Calendar!!
We wish you all a festive holiday season and lots of fun reading this last Editor's Choice of our 2020 Advent Calendar!!
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Martin Norén
-Photographer-
-Photographer-
Hello.
My name is Martin Norén. I am 45 years old, married and proud father of two beautiful girls, 5 & 16 years old. I grew up in the heart of Småland, Sweden and since 2004, I have worked around the world as an aircraft engineer. In 2018, I got a new job and we had the chance to move to Dubai and start a new life. It's very safe and has a lot to offer. We love it!
I´ve had an interest in photography since I was young but it's only the last couple of years that I've aimed to level up my game and expertise. I like doing TFP ( time for pictures) and attending workshops, because I get to meet so many different people, each with their own unique story, but with a mutual interest for the art of photography and for me it's the best way to learn and grow as a photographer.
At one of these events in Dubai, sponsored by Nikon MEA, I met a couple that had designed beautiful gowns for the models that day.
Janice & Jonathan Warner are both aspiring photographers like me and Janice has her own business designing and fabricating gowns & dresses for many photographers and models both in the UAE & Philippines.
Last winter I got this idea for a Mad Max inspired shoot after watching Fury Road and asked Janice & Jonathan if they'd be up for the theme and if she could design a dress for this. Without hesitation they were onboard and suggested that we'd shoot at a cool place outside Abu Dhabi called Fossil Dunes.
For this shoot we had two models lined up, Akiko & Ashley. Ashley is my oldest daughter & Akiko is a cousin of Janice. Akiko is an experienced singer and dancer at a popular night club in Dubai and did not require much direction for posing because she's also a very talented model. We found charcoal from an old camp fire when we arrived at the site and used it to give our models & clothes a more rough look, fitting the occasion. We even found a dried out sheep skull that we used as props.
My go to kit here was my Nikon D750 + Nikkor 50mm f1.8 & Sigma 85mm 1,4 Art. I brought my Profoto B2 strobe and zoom reflector along as well to overpower the strong sun.
I think we were all very happy with the results from this shoot but one thing is for sure, we had lots of fun, which for me is just as important as good images. When it comes to editing I don't have a particular mood or color grading that I aim for in my flow, so each shoot and edit will be unique and I mostly stick to Lightroom for editing, but I use Photoshop as well from time to time.
My name is Martin Norén. I am 45 years old, married and proud father of two beautiful girls, 5 & 16 years old. I grew up in the heart of Småland, Sweden and since 2004, I have worked around the world as an aircraft engineer. In 2018, I got a new job and we had the chance to move to Dubai and start a new life. It's very safe and has a lot to offer. We love it!
I´ve had an interest in photography since I was young but it's only the last couple of years that I've aimed to level up my game and expertise. I like doing TFP ( time for pictures) and attending workshops, because I get to meet so many different people, each with their own unique story, but with a mutual interest for the art of photography and for me it's the best way to learn and grow as a photographer.
At one of these events in Dubai, sponsored by Nikon MEA, I met a couple that had designed beautiful gowns for the models that day.
Janice & Jonathan Warner are both aspiring photographers like me and Janice has her own business designing and fabricating gowns & dresses for many photographers and models both in the UAE & Philippines.
Last winter I got this idea for a Mad Max inspired shoot after watching Fury Road and asked Janice & Jonathan if they'd be up for the theme and if she could design a dress for this. Without hesitation they were onboard and suggested that we'd shoot at a cool place outside Abu Dhabi called Fossil Dunes.
For this shoot we had two models lined up, Akiko & Ashley. Ashley is my oldest daughter & Akiko is a cousin of Janice. Akiko is an experienced singer and dancer at a popular night club in Dubai and did not require much direction for posing because she's also a very talented model. We found charcoal from an old camp fire when we arrived at the site and used it to give our models & clothes a more rough look, fitting the occasion. We even found a dried out sheep skull that we used as props.
My go to kit here was my Nikon D750 + Nikkor 50mm f1.8 & Sigma 85mm 1,4 Art. I brought my Profoto B2 strobe and zoom reflector along as well to overpower the strong sun.
I think we were all very happy with the results from this shoot but one thing is for sure, we had lots of fun, which for me is just as important as good images. When it comes to editing I don't have a particular mood or color grading that I aim for in my flow, so each shoot and edit will be unique and I mostly stick to Lightroom for editing, but I use Photoshop as well from time to time.
Why ZZ Loves It
Who else hates it when sand get everywhere? Probably a lot of you... In our opinion it was really worth it for Martin, Akiko and Ashley to "get sanded". This looks like straight out of a movie! Not just the location but the clothes and just...everything. For you action movie lovers it most likely reminds you of Mad Max and you sci-fi fans perhaps think of the planet Tatooine from Star Wars. After trying to determine what we loved most about the pictures the most we came to the conclusion that it was a AMAZING shoot overall. Keep up the good work Martin! We'd love to see more of what Dubai has to offer!