Advertising jobs have never been my cup of champagne, mainly because I am not very good at following instructions from "creative directors". But the Pommery one sounded different - at first: "We want you to shoot a photograph for our champagne, according to your own inspiration. You are entirely free to photograph it as you like. But of course you have to show a couple, he middle-aged but very distinguished, she in her late twenties, sexy but elegant; their evening is just beginning; the Pommery bottle has to be prominent, and turned in such a way as to show the label..." I accepted the assignment, on condition that there wouldn't be any agency person on the sitting. For once I followed the agency's instruction by the letter - while still producing an image they didn't expect: the stereotypical situation was exactly as they had requested, but I photographed it from an unusual angle, by placing myself and the camera on a platform above the models.

One of the other images shown here was for Chantelle, a lingerie brand. It was my first advertising assignment and was refused by the agency at first sight.