Leica S-System delivers the ultimate Fantasy Portraits

London’s most creative minds have managed to make their phantasmagorical dreams a reality with the help of Yves de Contades and the Leica S-System. Fantasy Portraits is a collection of photographs created by Yves de Contades featuring UK’s leading creative gurus acting out scenes from their wild imaginations. Viewers see a mix of quirky, clever and downright bizarre scenes including a digital robot, a spaceman bouncing through Piccadilly Circus and a dragon slaying ninja. Each featured creative director also gave a short summary on their solution, which was then evaluated along with the photo by leading psychologist Dr. Cecilia d’Felice who has evaluated every shot and offered her own thoughts on the fantasy portraits.

All images were shot exclusively on the new Leica S-System. After the shoot, Yves commented, “My vision was to bring to life the weird and wonderful imagination of some the UK’s most creative minds. It was refreshing to collaborate on a project focused solely on creatives, who are generally preoccupied with their clients’ brands.”

Yves added, “The Leica S-System is a step forward in technology that harks back to real photography, as it combines the latest digital medium format with the highest end camera body, designed by photographers for photographers. Once you have used this camera, you cannot help but fall in love with it.

“As I was photographing the leading creatives in the UK, all with high expectations, I needed to use a world leading digital camera, the Leica S2, that would cope with the wide variety of conditions and environments I would experience during the shooting of these portraits.”

Peter Doherty, the magazine’s joint creative director and the giant man standing next to Big Ben in the photo above said, “We’ve long shared an interest in the behaviors, motivations and psychology of consumers and brands, which we’ve taken through to the magazine and projects like Fantasy Portraits.” He added, “It was so timely to work on something so positive. A perfect antidote to the gloom that has recently hovered over the creative industry.”

You can view a selection of the collection online at: www.internationallife.tv/fantasy-portraits-2010 or in person at Lost Boys International, 146 Brick Lane, London.

-Leica Internet Team

Yves de Contades, a driving force behind International Life, a premium brand platform of magazine and online, dynamic news hub for luxury brands, is also an international fashion photographer. After a career in film finance, Yves has spent the last 15 years between Paris, London and New York shooting film, video and photography for high profile campaigns and editorial for fashion magazines the world over. For more information on Yves visit http://www.allaboutyves.com/ and for more information on International Life visit http://www.internationallife.tv.