Sølve Sundsbø summons the elements for his vision of the 2026 Pirelli Calendar

Venus Williams shot against a backdrop of fire (Image credit: Pirelli / TheCal)

Few photography commissions hold as much significance as TheCal.

Since 1964, the Pirelli Calendar has been more than a date-tracker; it’s a cultural artefact, photographed by photography icons such as Helmut Newton, Annie Leibovitz, Peter Lindbergh and, last year, Ethan James Green. Each photographer is given near-total creative freedom and the results have ranged from sultry to subversive, intimate to epic.

Now, for 2026, the honor and the pressure falls to Sølve Sundsbø, a Norwegian-born, London-based image-maker celebrated for blending technical innovation with dreamlike imagery.

Born in 1970 in Norway, Sundsbø’s fascination with light and form began while working in a ski shop, where he would watch VHS tapes of ski terrains and imagine the slopes as blank canvases.

Moving to London in the 1990s, he quickly established himself as one of the most experimental voices in fashion photography, using techniques ranging from 3D scanning to hand-painted retouching. His work often looks digitally altered even when it isn’t, a testament to his mastery of in-camera craft.

For TheCal, Sundsbø has turned to the elements – earth, water, air, fire and ether – as a framework for portraits that explore deeper human states, longing for freedom, curiosity and the thirst for knowledge.

"I have been known to stand outside in the middle of the night in the rain, looking at a thunderstorm, for too long," he says. "It’s all about that romantic connection between humans and nature."

If past Pirelli Calendars have often leaned toward youthful idealism, Sundsbø’s cast is defined by experience. The all-female line-up spans ages from their 30s to 70s, drawing from film, sport, fashion, and music: Isabella Rossellini, Irina Shayk, Susie Cave, Eva Herzigová, Gwendoline Christie, Du Juan, Luisa Ranieri and more.

"Crucially, they are all women, not young models," he says. "They are experienced, grown-up people whom I deeply respect."

The images were shot in studios in London and New York, with elemental details woven in via projections, props and outdoor footage; cloud movements over the Norfolk countryside, sunsets in Essex, and fresh flowers brought in on the day.

Some elements were literal, like water for Herzigová and Cave, others were entirely built, like a miniature forest for Swinton. Fire was pre-filmed and projected for safety.

From behind-the-scenes images, it appears Sundsbø may have used Fujifilm’s GFX100 II medium format camera, with its 102MP sensor and expansive tonal range well suited to his mix of cinematic scale and fine detail, though this has not been officially confirmed. No finalized images from the 2026 Calendar have yet been released, either, only adding to the anticipation.

For Sundsbø, collaboration with his team and subjects is as vital as the camera. His long-time creative circle was present on set: stylist Jerry Stafford, make-up artist Val Garland, hair stylists Syd Hayes and Ali Pirzadeh in London, Bob Recine and James Kaliardos in New York.

Cinematographers Benoît Delhomme and Tristan Sheridan shaped the film component alongside him, while set designer Robbie Doig and casting director Piergiorgio Del Moro brought further depth to the production. "Everyone was there to serve the pictures and create something magical," he says.

Being asked to create TheCal is, in Sundsbø’s words, "To be chosen feels like you won a prize. Then you must earn that prize by making the Calendar".

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