Historic Automotive Photographer

The Pirelli calendar is one that's eagerly awaited by all and sundry involved with automotive matters and excellent photography, but 'sundry' rarely ever gets to own a copy. Even so, there is always keen interest in both the models, the photographer/s shooting this exclusive calendar, and how the models are depicted in the calendar. One of the most striking, and yet subtle, calendars from this tyre company came several years ago when the tyre tread pattern was tastefully depicted as an element of the whole image. This time around, the thirty-fifth, Pirelli has a more commercial motive behind the choice of models – Pirelli's increased presence in China with the opening of a new tyre plant. So, along with the inclusion of Chinese models in the calendar, the theme of the calendar focuses on Shanghai, along with its teahouses and former colonial areas. The photographer is Patrick Demarchelier, originally from the small French sea town of Le Havre.

He is possibly most well known as being Princess Diana's official photographer – historic because he was the first non-Brit to photograph the royal family. This is Demarchelier second time as the Pirelli calendar photographer – the first was in 2005 in Rio de Janeiro in exotic, sultry Brazil. The 2008 edition has (disappointingly for those expecting a skin show) 23 portraits, the odd number due to August having just one. The selected models include Agyness Deane and Lily Donaldson (UK), Doutzen Kroes (the Netherlands), Catherine Mc Neil and Gemma Ward (Australia), Sasha Pivovarova (Russia), Coco Rocha (Ireland) and Caroline Trentini (Brazil). The Chinese beauties are Mo Wan Dan, Du Juan and Maggie Cheung, the latter is an actress known for her roles in Chinese and English films like Police Story, Super Cop, Actress, Chinese Box and others. Du Juan, whose name means both the Azalea flower and the Cuckoo bird, was the first Asian model to grace the cover of French Vogue.

Mo Wandan was born in Guangdong Province, China. She trained in track and field, but quit after injury. After she participated in, and won, the China Model Star Contest in 2004, she was signed on by a modeling agency. Narain’s flawless performance should remind those who’ve have cast him aside that he’s still very much a force to be reckoned with on the world motorsport stage. In all fairness though, he was a little lucky to inherit first position when Neel Jani of Switzerland, who was leading comfortably, had trouble in the pits. But, more often than not, you need lady luck in your corner in order to win a race. Narain, on his part, put in quick laps when it counted, and set one fastest lap after another to secure his position.

The Pirelli calendar is one that's eagerly awaited by all and sundry involved with automotive matters and excellent photography, but 'sundry' rarely ever gets to own a copy. Even so, there is always keen interest in both the models, the photographer/s shooting this exclusive calendar, and how the models are depicted in the calendar. One of the most striking, and yet subtle, calendars from this tyre company came several years ago when the tyre tread pattern was tastefully depicted as an element of the whole image. This time around, the thirty-fifth, Pirelli has a more commercial motive behind the choice of models – Pirelli's increased presence in China with the opening of a new tyre plant. So, along with the inclusion of Chinese models in the calendar, the theme of the calendar focuses on Shanghai, along with its teahouses and former colonial areas. The photographer is Patrick Demarchelier, originally from the small French sea town of Le Havre. He is possibly most well known as being Princess Diana's official photographer – historic because he was the first non-Brit to photograph the royal family.

This is Demarchelier second time as the Pirelli calendar photographer – the first was in 2005 in Rio de Janeiro in exotic, sultry Brazil. The 2008 edition has (disappointingly for those expecting a skin show) 23 portraits, the odd number due to August having just one. The selected models include Agyness Deane and Lily Donaldson (UK), Doutzen Kroes (the Netherlands), Catherine Mc Neil and Gemma Ward (Australia), Sasha Pivovarova (Russia), Coco Rocha (Ireland) and Caroline Trentini (Brazil). The Chinese beauties are Mo Wan Dan, Du Juan and Maggie Cheung, the latter is an actress known for her roles in Chinese and English films like Police Story, Super Cop, Actress, Chinese Box and others. Du Juan, whose name means both the Azalea flower and the Cuckoo bird, was the first Asian model to grace the cover of French Vogue. Mo Wandan was born in Guangdong Province, China.

She trained in track and field, but quit after injury. After she participated in, and won, the China Model Star Contest in 2004, she was signed on by a modeling agency. Narain’s flawless performance should remind those who’ve have cast him aside that he’s still very much a force to be reckoned with on the world motorsport stage. In all fairness though, he was a little lucky to inherit first position when Neel Jani of Switzerland, who was leading comfortably, had trouble in the pits. But, more often than not, you need lady luck in your corner in order to win a race. Narain, on his part, put in quick laps when it counted, and set one fastest lap after another to secure his position.