Pirelli Calendar Photog: Mario Sorrenti

Photo by Mario Sorrenti

One of the premier showcases for European photographers, the Pirelli Calendar, is just out for 2012. The picture above is one that the World's Best Photography Magazine calls "one of the very few PG-13 images" from the new calendar. The photographer this year is Mario Sorrenti, who, believe it or not, is the first Italian to be chosen for the prestigious shoot.

Re the item about album covers from the other day, Mario Sorrenti has shot a number of those, including for Shakira's "Oral Fixation Vol. 1."

Read about the Pirelli Calendar here, including the story about the copy already posted on eBay for $999....

Mike

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Original contents copyright 2011 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved.

Featured Comment by poagao: "When you can't think of anything else, photograph a pretty girl."

Featured Comment by Jim Allen: "Ummm, count me among the demographic labelled 'appreciative and admiring.' I won't make excuses, I think beautiful women are...beautiful. I'm sure this opinion will age well; I thought this at 16, and still think it at 49. I'm pretty sure I'll be solidly in the admiring camp at 75 if I'm lucky enough to make it that far. Merry Christmas Mike!"

Featured Comment by Eric: "Although I believe that the 2012 calendar will certainly feed prurient interest in minor 'slebs,' it is surely one of the least interesting ever. No edge, no art."

Featured [partial] Comment by Germaine: "A relative was a rep for The Ridge Tool Company back when Peter Gowland did the shoots for their calendar. Many of the shots featured curvy models cavorting in the Malibu surf while holding various items manufactured by the company. I'm kind of surprised that Pirelli doesn't have some sort of a product tie-in in their shots."

Peter Gowland, Ridge Tool 1965

Mike replies: Product tie-ins in calendar-style cheesecake shots, while a distinct and well-known genre, have reliably felt kitschy and bizarre to me, always. I mean, Raquel Welch kneeling on the sand, smiling delightedly, her hand resting approvingly on the thing she kneels beside as if on the head of beloved small child...except it's not a small child, it's a Ridge OilR. That sort of thing always has struck me as strange!

Featured Comment by gary isaacs: "'The thing about Pirelli is that they're really great tires'...Milla J. sort of puts it all in perspective? lol."

Mike replies: I laughed at that too. She's right with the program, isn't she?

Featured Comment by Lukasz Kubica: "When you look at this calendar without prejudice, it is apparent (to me at least) that some (most) of this photos are much more sophisticated then it might seem. Just try looking at the composition and lighting instead of...um, other things :-) ."

Comments

[Kenneth Tanaka]

The allure of this annual pin-up calendar, like the Sports Illustrated magazine swimsuit issue, completely eludes me. It just seems like such a male adolescent project and rather antiquated at that.

But I guess Pirelli knows its customers' tastes...like Sports Illustrated.

[Carl L]

Check out the calendar shoot.

http://www.fashionologie.com/2012-Pirelli-Calendar-Making--Video-Trailer-20785571

[NOTE: Not school/workplace friendly —Ed.]

[Piotr Edelman]

The whole thing is here:

http://www.fashionologie.com/2012-Pirelli-Calendar-Mario-Sorrenti-Pictures-20749310

[NOTE: Not school/workplace friendly —Ed.]

[Mike Johnston]

Ken,
Completely eludes you? [g]

Mike

[Roger Bradbury]

When I worked for Milton Keynes Council a few years back Pirelli websites and others were barred, and it was not possible to open their pages. This wasn't because of the calender, but because of the petrolheads drooling over the tyres.

Us electrical guys had special dispensation so we could look at the pirelli cables. For work purposes of course.

[Richard Bellavance]

Good grief, won't someone please feed these poor, seemingly starving girls ?

[Mike Johnston]

"won't someone please feed these poor, seemingly starving girls ?"

Richard,
It's worse than it looks, too, because the camera really does add ten pounds. In D.C. when I was an assistant I'd see models in the $2k-$5k/day range--i.e., not top models but decently far up the food chain--and some of them looked emaciated in person...and "attractively slender" in photographs.

Mike

[Doug Dolde]

Ho hum how boring

[David]

Apparently, evolution is doing pretty well with the complete elimination of pubic hair.

Only a few more to go and no more PUBES!!!

If Darwin were alive Im sure he'd be REALLY HAPPY to study this phenom.

[Karl]

Soft core porn at its finest.

I wonder if Berlusconi gets two copies:one for home, one for the mistress'pad.

[aizan]

"seemingly starving," "looked emaciated"...ok, but keep in mind what people who are actually starving or emaciated look like and how their situations differ from highly paid fashion models who have nutritionists and personal trainers at their beck and call.

[David Vatovec]

Hmmm he shoots the models with clothes on and the pictures come out sans clothes!! What kind of lens does he use?
The models are way underweight ... I don`t like ribcage bones.

[Lukasz Kubica]

When you look at this calendar without prejudice, it is apparent (to me at least) that some (most) of this photos are much more sophisticated then it might seem. Just try looking at the composition and lighting instead of, ... um, other things :-)

[Edward Taylor]

Somewhat off topic, but in response to at least one comment -

Although many seem to resent thin people, all the models in the shoot were obviously healthy, and nothing approaching anorexic.

Being very thin and very healthy are not mutually exclusive. In fact, it has been scientifically proven that one of the few things that will prolong mammalian life is mild starvation.

Some animal's lifespans have been doubled just by feeding them a starvation diet all their life.

[kirk tuck]

Oh Goodness me. What will my boss say if he sees that image (above shot) on my browser? Oh, I am my boss? Bravo, carry on. None of the allure of the Perelli calendars is lost on me....

[vlatko]

except it's not a small child, it's a Ridge OilR. That sort of thing always has struck me as strange!

Well, it's the most basic application of the "sex sells things" principle. It's no more strange than what we call "car mechanic calendar" here. You know the thing - women beside tyres, oil cans, tractors and similar stuff.

I mean, a girl suddenly decided to bare her charms right beside a stack of oil cans? Talk about strange. It's not even chocolate syrup to incite sinful thougts.

[Richard G]

Quite fascinating. Yes, some interesting poses and ideas foreshadow more banal final shots. The one of Jovovich kneeling, turned left with the shadow of foliage was very good. The one of her stretched on rocks was ridiculous.

[Ed]

Pirelli tires are for negotiating curves.....!

[Hugh]

Fairly unimpressive.

As someone who's own major subject matter is "Naked chicks on Rocks", there are so many better examples of this type of work.

Slightly disappointed that, after excluding nudes from the recent TOP print sale, when you so choose to show some, it's as feeble as this.

Just for starters, here are 150 examples by different photographers, many of which leave this years Pirelli in the dust (NSFW!):

http://www.modelmayhem.com/list/60607

[Steve Duffy]

I'll be impressed when a photographer gets to shoot the board of Pirelli naked for the next calender. Mind you, my vote goes to Mila Jovovich as chair. Merry Christmas all.

[JohnMFlores]

I would buy a teapot from any of the subjects photographed.