Although the project was inspired by the Olympics and planned for the Games, Seb says it is far from a “straightforward” story of competition, but instead “a celebration of the athletes themselves, their teams and the preparation they go through every day,” he says. “The taking part rather than the winning, if you want to be British about it.” While Seb has extensive experience photographing elite athletes, and finds the “tension of athletes super compelling,” for Fa and Fon (who normally enjoy working with models, dancers, musicians and actors) it was their first foray into the world of sport. “Our usual atmosphere felt a bit uncertain and the world of sport seemed like a far-flung place,” says Fon. “We’ve always been fascinated by athletes – their stories and dedication intrigued us.”

They began the project by talking to the athletes, hearing their stories and trying to plan a shoot that would fit their personalities. “That was the most fun,” says Fon, “just having a conversation with such disciplined people.” It was also a steep learning curve. Fa says their initial approach was “through very innocent eyes,” and that some of their original visions—such as athletes jumping headfirst onto a crash mat—had to be shelved. Fa continues, “Initially, we were entertaining extreme concepts, imagining athletes diving headlong into danger for the perfect shot, and we expected wild and emotional results. But through in-depth conversations with these athletes, a common thread emerged—their bodies were their craft (…) our creative vision had to be proud yet humble, majestic yet serene in its quiet moments.”

But while the athletes couldn’t put their bodies on the line, that didn’t mean the production crew couldn’t. One particularly impressive shot shows Emily jumping from below on her horse Goose, with Seb physically underneath the leaping horse. “I’m used to getting really close to the action in my shots, but with this one I took it to the next level,” says Seb. “You can feel the power of that horse and the rush of air as it came over me, it was really something special.”

Another way the scenes’ vibrancy was accentuated was through clothing and accessories, with In Woo as Emily and Shammi Popat as Ojie. “We thought about a typical fashion shoot and then we had to do everything differently,” says Fon. “In terms of mixing sports and fashion, I think it just makes sense. Athletes have something about them, they’re proud performers, so it was great to have them as subjects in terms of movement.” But one of the biggest challenges was making sure the outfits were ones that the athletes could actually move in. Some highlights include Emily’s helmet-cum-hat that gives her a ’60s supermodel vibe, or Ojie’s brown-and-blue tracksuit, whose white piping pleasantly mimics the running track he passionately sprints across.