Client :: Davidoff Cigars

Creative :: Paul Domenet, Free the Birds

Concept :: The concept for our shoot was to capture the care and attention that goes into hand crafting Davidoff Cigars from start to finish. From the agronomists who look after the soil where the tobacco is grown all the way through the production process of curing and sorting to finally documenting the skilled hands of torcedores, the cigar-rolling craftsmen who work in pairs to create the perfect cigar.

Challenges :: We really didn’t face any challenges except perhaps not enough time to shoot everything that caught my attention. This was a dream job that I could have photographed for weeks on end, but we only had 10 days in the Dominican Republic with a crew of about 30. We covered nearly all aspects of the growing, drying, aging, rolling and packaging process for the brand. It was a privilege to be immersed in these environments and meet the incredible people who for generations have skillfully hand-crafted these luxury cigars.

Solution :: We embraced all the character and patinas in every scene and situation that we photographed and in doing so I think we captured images that are both honest and deeply authentic while celebrating the brand’s heritage and attention to detail and quality.