Photographer Adam Flipp shoots horses and royalty for Australia’s Magic Millions

Initially, Adam Flipp took up photography in his teens as a way to avoid traditional school work, however, he soon became enthralled by the craft. As a child, he found it difficult to express himself, and found that through photography he was able to communicate without words. He knew from the moment he picked up a camera that his life had changed forever, and he hasn’t looked back since.

Now, Flipp is an industry leading fashion and portrait photographer in Australia. Having collaborated with renowned brands like Nike, Hewlett Packard, Johnny Was, and more, he has shown his country, and the rest of the world, just what he is capable of. In the fashion world, he impressed the masses with his work on the hit show Australia’s Next Top Model, travelling the globe doing what he loves.

“My style is clean and commercial but with a little bit of edge. I’ve spent most of my career shooting pictures for clients and I would like to have more time to shoot more of my own pictures. I do love the fact that my office is never the same and working in amazing locations brings the best out of me and my style. Lighting is a crucial part of my work process and I always like to make women look beautiful and men look strong and sophisticated, so I am a little classic in my approach,” he said.

One of the highlights of Flipp’s career was shooting a campaign for Magic Millions, where instead of just shooting models, he photographed horses. Magic Millions is Australia’s foremost racehorse auction company that operates the world's richest sales-based incentive race series. For the photographer, it was a chance to work on a highly creative project that gave him the freedom to do the job properly and would be seen by citizens all over the country.

“There is a lot of hype around the event, and this carries into the shoots. It is something we usually need to portray in the images, and I love that it’s in Queensland as the weather is beautiful one day and perfect the next,” said Flipp. “In terms of shooting this campaign it’s always a challenge so I like that I have to bring my very best.”

Flipp’s experience with photographing horses was one of the reasons he was chosen for this project. On top of this, he knows how to get the best out of his subjects even when they are not models, and as he had to shoot the famed Olympian, Equestrian, and British royal Zara Tindall as part of the project, he was more than up for the task.

“I work quite organically in these situations because you cannot force things as there are rules. I do not stress when things don’t go according to plan, instead I adapt,” he said.

Working with Magic Millions and their sponsors meant that Flipp was able to work with some of the biggest name brands in the world. Many of the marketing images needed to include sponsor products like Jeep, Moet Chandon, Calleija Jewellery, and more.

In addition to shooting the Queen’s granddaughter, Flipp also worked with Nacho Figueras, a special moment for the photographer. Figueras is an Argentine polo player with a 6-goal handicap. In September 2009, he was ranked as one of the top 100 polo players in the world. Sometimes called the "David Beckham of polo", he usually plays in Argentina and in the U.S. as part of the Black Watch Polo Team. Now a model, he has also been in many of the Ralph Lauren Polo campaigns.

“There is a massive expectation when shooting celebrities and they need to have a good experience on the shoot, or you simply will not do the job again. My aim is always to make sure the shoot runs smoothly, and that people enjoy the experience. When this happens, we know the shoot is a success before it is even released,” he said.

Flipp managed to take an enormous task that had to be done in a short period of time and turn it into a work of art, each shot more beautiful than the one before. His pictures were displayed across the country to promote the event, and he was more than happy to work with some of his favorite animals in the process.

“Working with these horses is a true pleasure as they are some of the most valued horses in the world, worth millions of dollars and seeing the connection between riding and animal is truly amazing,” he concluded.

By Annabelle Lee

April 24th, 2019