For example, Testino speaks fondly of his work with super model Kate Moss in a recent Mira Mira podcast, where the two sat down to reminisce about their myriad of photo shoots over the years. It’s undoubtedly essential for a photographer to establish a safe and trusting environment for their subject(s), as time and again Testino speaks of the gracious relationships forged with his models, regardless of age, ethnicity, or gender the mutual respect and ease in which the work is founded. How do you plan for the unplanned, let alone capture it?

“Every time I saw something out of the window I would say to my friend, ‘Mira, Mira!’ By the time he had leaned over to look, the thing had already passed.” That passing moment is a poignant metaphor for what many photographers struggle with in their daily work. “When I was a kid I used to get the bus to school my best friend sat next to me and I sat on the window seat,” he tells The Telegraph. Mira Mira, translated from Spanish as “Look! Look!” was inspired by Testino’s own childhood school days. While the connection between Instagram and the world of high fashion photography may not be immediately apparent, it’s worth noting–as Testino has–the value in allowing a shoot to take on its own shape and form, to use the moment as inspiration, rather than seek to construct the moment itself. Instagram has been amazing for that I didn’t know that I would have such a reaction – I managed to get 2.5million followers.” With Instagram I discovered that I had a place where I could do it all for myself and decide myself.

Like when I’m working on a big shoot for British Vogue or Anna Wintour at American Vogue or at Michael Kors, they always have the final say. Testino admits that the Instagram age has brought about a refreshing new perspective on the world of photography as we once knew it, noting in a recent interview with The Telegraph: “When I started using Instagram, I realized all my professional work had always been edited by other people, who decided what goes in.

Testino’s new website, Mira Mira, is a testament to the relaxed one-off snapshots featuring some of the photographer’s most famous subjects, borne of a desire to create an unedited online world that would offer fans a unique insight into his life and work. Celebrity, model, and newcomer all have one thing in common through Testino’s lens: irreplicable individuality. Internationally renowned photographer Mario Testino built his career on the concept of capturing his subjects’ subtle nuances through a single, offbeat smile or unplanned lapse of posture. The most unforgettable shots are the in-the-moment-of-the-moment ones: unrehearsed, unposed, and completely natural.

Mario testino photography