Photographer, videographer and director Chris Priestley is no stranger to creating content that engages. Discover what pushes his own buttons, and why Canon cameras have always clicked with his approach
01ELLESSE X TOMORROWLAND WINTER Shot for Ellesse, the sponsor of Tomorrowland Winter 2022. I sat at the base of the rail as athletes performed their tricks, narrowly avoiding me as they passed. I shot this as wide as I could, so I was as close as possible to the action, to give the image a dynamic feel. It was shot at a high shutter speed to ensure the whole image was sharp as well as capturing the flying snow particles.
CONTENT creation has gradually been revolutionizing the world of commercial photography and marketing. Over the last 10 years or so, it’s transformed from a pool of images on platforms like Instagram and 500px into a dynamic and multifaceted art form. Having started out directing social media campaigns, photographer and videographer Chris Priestley is now a full-time creator himself and harnesses the power of Canon cameras to craft stunning visuals and bring his ideas to life. He always uses Canon gear, thanks to its hybrid ability to shoot both photo and video assets at the same time.
You need energy, passion and a multi-skilled approach to succeed online in the crowded digital era, but Chris is careful with what he posts, usually opting for quality over quantity. Selftaught and seemingly self-driven, he now shoots white-label campaigns for massive global brands and has already worked with (and for) Starbucks, Red Bull and Aston Martin.
Blending a mixture of editorial and commercial genres, Chris’s luxury lifestyle content often receives millions of views, but his approach and budgets can be impressively low-key. Read on to
02 SLALOM SHOOTING
I met up with an Olympic slalom skier in Alp d’Huez. I wanted the mountains to look huge, so I made sure I was a good distance from him, and used a long focal length to compress the foreground and background
Lens Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Exposure 1/1250 sec, f/7.1, ISO125
03ZANNA BY THE LODGE
I noticed a patch of light peeking through the trees and asked my friend Zanna to stand where the light illuminated her face. I love this shot as the shallow depth of field turns the leaves into a sparkly backdrop
Lens Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Exposure 1/100 sec, f/2.8, ISO3200
04SWISS COWS
I was on a hiking holiday in Switzerland, and we would always come across these cows. You could always hear them before you saw them, due to their huge cowbells
Lens Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Exposure 1/320 sec, f/2.8, ISO100 discover the evolution of Chris’s career, and how the switch from EOS DSLR to mirrorless has been pivotal in helping him to create dramatic and
