Jaguar Strikes a Pose with Photographer Rankin for Auto Art
Collaboration with fashion photographer yields series of photographs celebrating Jaguar’s sedans XF, XE, and legendary MK 2.
Jaguar recently teamed up with noted photographer Rankin to capture a stunning project on film: the Jaguar. In “Rooms by Rankin” the automaker worked with Rankin to use his camera to capture the design one performance of three key Jaguar sports sedans, the XF, XE and the legendary MK 2.
“With our passion to create innovative, stand-out designs and Rankin’s reputation for fearless creativity, this collaboration makes perfect sense,” says Julian Thomson, Jaguar Design Director. “We asked Rankin to push the boundaries and create a series of images that makes the cars really stand out. To that end, the photographer and director designed and built three bespoke studio rooms, each dressed to reflect the unique character of the car.
Flying High
The first photograph, entitled “Flying High,” showcases the Jaguar XF. Using hundreds of individually crafted paper birds in bright orange, the photo creates a dramatic contrast with the XF’s striking metallic paintwork, as well as referencing the XF’s precision engineering and beautifully crafted exterior.
Moving in the Mist
The next work is “Moving in the Mist.” It features the the Jaguar XE in a moody, misty, spirit, with no lack of the dramatic. To achieve the diaphanous appearance, they suspended layers of translucent sheets from specially constructed rigging. Several wind machines were used to to create a controlled air flow, the finished picture echoes the flowing form and natural elegance of the XE.
The third piece, “Period Drama” is described as using nostalgia to evoke and celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Jaguar MK 2. It will be released on October 21.
Of the experience, Rankin said that Jaguar presented him with an opportunity to showcase the vehicles in his own way.
“It’s not often a global automotive brand presents you with an open brief, but that’s exactly what happened this time,” he said. “They wanted three entertaining and eye-catching photographs to celebrate the core characteristics of each model. And that was it. What a dream brief. The idea behind the ‘Rooms’ concept was to create a backdrop for each model–a bespoke visual tapestry that is fun and will make people smile. To me that’s what makes all Jaguar cars different and desirable, so I hope we’ve managed to achieve that.”
To see the full series, check it out online at Jaguar.
Photos: Jaguar