Dentistry of Impressions
A visit to a dentist with the emotions of a modern amusement park
I am very keen on projects where the client gives me pretty much complete freedom for creativity. This is quite a rare situation, because most of the time we work with creative briefs drawn up by agencies, and all the work is clearly regulated and specified.
So working on your own concept is extremely important, it shows the client's confidence in my work, but it also means taking more responsibility for the result, because in this case I have to act not only as a photographer, but also as an art director.
Last year, I created an advertising concept for a regular client of mine, the market leader Inwhite Medical, a private dental clinic. The management of the clinic were very positive about the rather ambitious ideas and agreed to bring them to life. The main objective was to maintain the image of a clinic with no fear of the dentist. The concept was based on the idea that a visit to a modern dental clinic should be like going to an amusement park, where everyone is full of great memories and wants to get back more and more.
I imagined the clinic as a world of adventure and excitement, conveyed through the characters that the customers would feel like while sitting in the doctor's chair. The breathtaking feel is what I wanted to get from the final images.
We compared a visit to the dentist to experiences that invariably evoke strong emotions — a roller-coaster ride, a thrilling movie, a holiday at the sea, a parachute jump, or a sporting or creative moment of triumph.
The idea is that a visit to the dentist is like a roller coaster ride: nervous at the beginning, a bit scary, but very exciting and the result is a delightful experience in terms of client service and atmosphere.
I also focused on the fun side of the images to make them more catchy - I used a leaf blower during a shoot to create a strong wind effect, a wide angle lens and a special Optragate retractor to make the viewer understand the specific side of this campaign.
