Alicante gets over 320 sunny days a year, and on roughly the same number of them, people are lying on the beach by nine in the morning who have absolutely no business being in my Playboy spread. So out of bed, before the city wakes up. While Melissa does her hair and makeup, I prepare breakfast: plain Greek yogurt, walnuts, raspberries, blueberries. She's a trained hairdresser and knows her craft, which saves us a good chunk of time.
I'd planned the opener from my desk back in Frankfurt. A double-page spread that tells you where the story takes place, with enough space on the left for the typography. I virtually trudged through Google Street View, marked spots, cross-checked the sun's position, read all manner of travel blogs. From the outside this might look pedantic, maybe even a touch fussy, but it's the only reason I can afford the luxury of being relaxed once I'm on location. Anyone who starts planning at the set hasn't done their homework.
Melissa is a genuine Playmate. By genuine I mean: stepping in front of my camera was the first time she had ever posed nude, for Playboy or anyone else. Classic girl next door, a presence you can't fake because it comes from real joy in living. Add to that an enchanting smile, and as an attentive reader of this blog you'll know I believe in the power of a smile. She trusted me, she was genuinely up for it, and that's the only currency that counts in my profession. Double the energy on both sides of the camera, and the rest pretty much takes care of itself.
Speaking of the July issue. I bought my first own copy of Playboy in the summer of 1991, at fifteen, presumably with a beet-red face and the heroic conviction that the kiosk owner wouldn't notice a thing. It was the July issue. Thirty-five years later, I'm shooting a July issue again. Ten years ago I did one too, so I was at the halfway point. I could have told fifteen-year-old Simon a thing or two back then, but he probably wouldn't have believed me. Honestly, sometimes I still don't quite believe it myself.
The weather forecast had me on edge for days beforehand. Rain, cooler than Germany, low-pressure system on the way, the full menu. I sat in Frankfurt staring at the weather app, already working up a Plan B that would rescue the whole shoot indoors. On location: blue sky, sun, beach, Mediterranean. The morning was a bit crisp, and what a cold breeze does to bare skin is well known: stiff nipples. In my line of work that counts as a free image enhancement, and I'll admit I quietly thank that circumstance at seven in the morning.
The pictures turned out the way I'd visualized them in my mind's eye. The styling worked, the light played along, Melissa was fantastic, and I've already added Alicante to my internal list. I'll be going back.
Many thanks to Playboy for this wonderful assignment. It makes me happy, and a little proud too, to have produced this summery July spread on such short notice. The issue is on newsstands now or can be ordered online here. As always, more shots can be found online at playboy.de in the subscriber area.
