From a Chance Encounter to Capturing Kim Majorel's Men's Jewellery Line
On this page, you'll find an article about the shoot I did for the men's line of the Jewellery brand Kim Majorel, accompanied by the photographs I captured during the session. In the article, you'll read more about some of my personal developments, the events that led to this shoot, as well as about the process of organising and conducting it. I hope you'll enjoy!
A change of mindset
During the spring of 2024, I decided that I wanted to photograph people more. Until then, my work primarily revolved around my first passions: nature and architecture. Capturing these subjects came natural to me. Perhaps because I cherished my photowalks as moments of silence and reflection, or maybe because I am naturally just a bit more introverted than extroverted. Moreover, some of the places I had lived - Amsterdam, South Africa and now France - offered an abundance of natural beauty and architectural wonders that were impossible to ignore.
Now, however, I felt a desire to start capturing humans more, and allow them in frames that I would normally exclude them from. I began to see how human presence could add depth, character, and dynamism to a scene. Aspects that, I had concluded for myself, my photos missed sometimes. Additionnally, I realised that people didn't have to disrupt a beautiful cityscape or landscape, but rather compliment these. It was just up to me to open my mind and eyes to this, and to start exploring this new direction.
Stepping into action
Once decided, I took to the streets with my cameras, and walked around Marseille to capture different bodies and faces. My approach was simple: I photographed people from a distance when possible but always sought permission if I needed to get closer. Asking for permission, especially for close-up portraits, became an integral part of this process. A part that I found very nerve wracking, but that I, exactly because of that, wanted to conquer.
As I was walking alongside Marseille's coast, I saw many great scenes to capture. People relaxing on benches or on the beach, people who were playing volleyball or taking dives from the rocks. Eventually, I saw a couple sitting down for a picnic at this beautiful spot opposite Le Petit Nice Passedat. I stood behind them for a little bit, enjoying the same view as them, while contemplating whether I had the courage to ask them for a photo.
Eventually, I did indeed gather that courage, and tried to ask for permission in my then best French. They agreed, and wondered if they had to remove their Kiri snacks and drinks. I said, while giggling at the kind question, that the scene was perfect as it was, and so I took some shots. Reflecting on it now, it could almost pass for a Kiri advert, haha! Once captured, we exchanged Instagrams so I could send them the photos, thanked them and continued my walk. I was equally happy about having found the courage to ask, as I was with the photos I took. The rest of the walk was lovely too, and filled with a couple more nice encounters. The energy was good.
Connecting Through Photography
When I sent the photos to 'Kim Majorel' - as I thought the woman was named - she told me that she was happily surprised with the result, and asked if I’d be interested in photographing her jewellery line. Feeling grateful for the kind words, and captivated by her beautiful products and the aesthetic of her Instagram, I eagerly agreed. Together, we began planning a suitable time for the shoot. It was summer, and we both had some plans to go away. For this reason, we agreed that September would be the ideal time for the shoot, but agreed to message a bit closer to that time to set the exact date.
Sometime after our contact, I received another message from Laura - her actual name - to ask whether I could in fact meet up sooner after all, for a shoot of her newly added male jewellery line. The photos we had agreed to take in September would have been for her newest women's line, which she would launch soon after. However, she had started a male line, and a website that wanted to sell her jewellery needed some photos. Feeling very happy once again about this invitation, we started talking about the soonest moment to meet.
Eventually, we set the shoot for Saturday the 13th of July at 10 in the morning. 10 was the earliest we could meet, and midday would be the latest we'd finish, just before the sun would be at its highest. The location for the shoot was the Cercle des Nageurs, a beautiful olympic swimming pool built in 1968. My heart already warmed at the thought of just being there. However, the Cercle des Nageurs is a private members' club, meaning we had to be very discreet about taking photos there. We couldn't disturb anyone, nor show cameras, or we could potentially be evicted. It almost turned into a secret mission.
The experience: Ocean views, joy and new challenges
Once at the Cercle des Nageurs, Laura and I met properly for the first time, along with her good friend Benjamin, who would model for us. With the three of us, we walked to the entrance, and were let in. One mission completed! Once inside, everything went so fast. The beauty of the environment, the focus on creating elegance and quality, and the aim to complete the shoot in time, made time fly. Additionally, the need for discretion, efficiency, and communication in French, a language I wasn't fluent at yet, added layers of excitement and focus to the experience.
During the shoot, the primary goal was of course on capturing the jewellery elegantly. Benjamin normally wasn't a model, but turned out to be great at the job, haha. Moreover, as we aimed to take quite simple, natural photos, working with someone who approached the modelling in a natural, relaxed way, worked out perfectly too. I myself learned a lot as we went. With jewellery, you cannot be too far away from the model for the pieces to remain the focus point. This way, the challenge was to find variety at the right distance. I chose to do some close-ups that highlighted the necklaces and bracelets, as well as shots that showcased the full look of the model.
Looking back, I feel so happy that everything happened the way it did. Because of the reflection and awareness about what my work was lacking, taking action to explore the potential of improving this, staying true to a vision, daring to ask, and doing what I love, I ended up meeting Laura, and eventually doing the shoot with her and Benjamin. This was an experience that has functioned as a reminder to ask other people too, and to continue saying yes to new experiences. Beautiful lessons that I will continue to build upon, and use to support others in the quest of doing something they love.
