Deep recently collaborated with the Royal Hospital Chelsea to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of D-Day by telling the stories of Chelsea Pensioners who fought there. The commemorative publication includes new, intimate portraits of four Chelsea Pensioners, which aim to capture a sense of reflection and contemplation over their personal experiences. Each portrait is accompanied by a story of D-Day, told in the words of the individual photographed. These personal recollections emphasize the real human impact of what happened on June 6, 1944.
"As such a monumental, historical event, D-Day can often be difficult to comprehend," said Grant Bowden, Creative Director at Deep. "Our goal for this project was to tell an intimate, sensitive story and led by the individuals who experienced it first-hand. We really wanted to communicate the human element, telling their personal stories and recollections."
The process began with portraiture sessions of the four individuals. High contrast lighting was used to expose every fine line and pore, highlighting the lives and experiences of each veteran, and to capture a sense of contemplation in the photographs.
"Throughout the publication, we also used archival imagery taken during the Normandy invasion," added Matt Shelley, Design Director at Deep. "We wanted the reader to feel like they were there and that these were normal people with families and ordinary jobs at home. I was particularly fascinated by Frank Mouqué's story. He is an ordinary looking man who was caught in an extraordinary situation."
When creating the publication, Deep aimed to reflect the time period of D-Day to bring a sense of authenticity. The portraits are displayed in black and white, and the team replicated hand printing techniques for the metallic lettering and textures on each page. The typography is also designed to look haphazard and rough around the edges, similar to the writing and stamps seen on army ID cards from that time.
Photos: Courtesy of Deep