Perou launches the Focus on Imaging 2012 ad campaign

The countdown to Focus on Imaging 2012 is well and truly underway with the first of our iconic ads for 2012 now published. The star opening our campaign is a very particular celebrity photographer - Perou - who joined us at Holborn Studios back in early August to Share the Passion with the Focus team led by photographer Matt Sills. You can find out much more in our 'In conversation with Perou' video. Perou says: 'Before I started taking pictures I was incredibly shy - I didn't even answer the phone to people. Photography has forced me to become the outspoken nuisance I am today! As a photographer myself I like to speak my mind - I'm saying something, not just showing you pretty pictures of stuff.'

In keeping with the 'Share the Passion' slogan of Focus on Imaging, we've created a short 'making of' video too - so everyone can see that the image in the ads was created for real on the floor of the studio, with minimal post-production. Photographer Matt Sills explains: 'We picked Perou to star in the ad because he's very current at the moment and has done lots of interesting work. The shot itself has taken weeks to build and it took us four or five attempts to get the set right, but then it all just comes alive in front of you.' On the experience of shooting Perou in his own environment, Matt says: 'Photographing a guy who's working in studios every day, yes, I was very nervous. But the moment he turned up we all automatically felt relaxed. It just came together.' Perou added: 'This is all good fun for me. I'm just as happy being in front of the camera as behind it and this is all about making pictures and being creative.'

VIDEOS