Mathieu César - Revolution - Capture magazine

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Mathieu César - Revolution

Rather than simply receive a brief from an advertising agency, French photographer Mathieu César finds it imperative to be involved in the concept development stage of an idea in order to create images that convey the final message. This cohesion is evident in the Revolution campaign for AIDES, launched on World AIDS Day, which aims to dispel fear and isolation, and reduce the stigma of HIV pathology in sexual relationships. “I love that I was able to be involved in this campaign and use my photography to share important core values,” César says.

Mathieu César - Revolution

In order to create the perfect shots, César described the project as a balance between adventure and caution. “We were afraid that this campaign would offend people,” he says. “We needed to convey the correct message with the correct image, [therefore] I needed to catch the perfect moment when the desire and the emotions were in perfect cohesion with the position and the location.”

Mathieu César - Revolution

All four images of the campaign were created with César’s signature black-and-white aesthetic, but keeping their unity with such different scenes was a challenge. “Three of the images were shot in studio, including an underwater studio created at a swimming pool in Paris. We managed to keep the same team, as well as the same gear on each shoot to create a consistent campaign, with limited post-production work,” says César.

Photographer: Mathieu César
www.mathieucesar.com
Campaign: Revolution
Client: AIDES
Agency: TBWA Paris
Executive Creative Directors: Benjamin Marchal, Faustin Claverie
Art Directors: Sébastien Skrzypczak, Morgane Alexandre
Production: Iconoclast Image