Pirelli calendar 2026: No dates ...

The perfect day? "No appointments and ..." We all bow deeply to the mature insights of Harald Junke every day. And yet we don't make it.

Luckily, the Pirelli calendar has been around since 1964. Now in its 52nd edition. You certainly don't enter any dates in it, but at least you always have the right excuse if you miss an appointment. The 2026 edition was photographed by Sølve Sundsbø. He is one of the world's leading image creators. His work often questions the perception of reality and pushes the changing language of fashion beyond the still image.

In the new Pirelli calendar, he didn't want to limit himself to the classics of fire, water, earth and air, but also dedicated himself to abstract, immaterial forces such as energy, ether and light. The calendar is an exploration of the "emotions, instincts and states of mind that are central to human life", says Sundsbø. You could also put it like this: If we don't have deadlines, we should at least think about the important things in life - mystery, imagination and connection to nature.

The highlight: Sundsbø not only photographed in nature (for example on Holkham Beach in Norfolk), but also brought nature into the studio by working with huge LED screens. This allowed him to use a sunset or cloud formations as a dynamic backdrop and stage the portraits in a controlled but magical space.

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And how exactly do you photograph wind? Sølve Sundsbø has a simple explanation:

It all began with the question: How can wind be made visible? Wind remains invisible as long as it doesn't touch anything. Water, on the other hand, surrounds us, we immerse ourselves in it or feel it on our skin. The challenge was to depict these elements photographically. Outdoors, this seemed too complicated because of the many distractions. So I opted for a clearer approach and moved everything into the studio. There we used huge LED walls to incorporate nature shots and recreate them in a controlled space. Of course, we also worked with real water and wind, but we transported many of the backgrounds and elements from outside into the studio. The whole process was characterised by practical considerations: At first you think anything is possible, but ultimately what matters is that the person in front of the camera looks good and feels comfortable. Nobody wants to see fire blazing behind them - unless it's unavoidable. That's why we filmed the fire in advance and later projected it onto the wall behind the people to avoid any risks.

What did you think when you were offered the opportunity to photograph the 2026 Pirelli calendar?

I was immediately happy because this calendar brings together great photographers and it's an honour to be part of it. It almost feels like winning a prize. You think: "Oh God, I've won this award" - but you have to earn it afterwards. Normally you receive recognition for what you have achieved. Here you win in advance, so to speak, and then have to justify it. At first, you're overwhelmed by the endless possibilities, but soon you start to think about how you want to approach things.

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How did you come up with the idea of choosing "the elements" as a theme? What do they mean to you?

The idea came from a desire to capture nature without falling into clichés. I didn't want to be directly in nature - even though I personally prefer to be there - but to create something abstract and unexpected. The elements reduce nature to its essence. We have always used earth, wind, fire and water to condense nature into something tangible. It seemed obvious to me to work within a framework that transforms "everything" - because nature encompasses everything - into something that can be distilled and mastered in an image. That's how the idea came about.

What can you tell us about the role of the protagonists in the calendar? How did you integrate them into the elements?

For some of them, it was very direct: we put Eva [Herzigová] and Susie [Cave] in the water. We created a little miniature world for Tilda [Swinton]. I spoke to [FKA] Twigs for a long time because she wanted to cover herself with sand and stage herself as part of the earth. Everything is based on dialogue. You want the person to look beautiful and feel connected to the element.

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What does beauty mean to you?

Beauty is a difficult concept to grasp. The word describes something that is not immediately apparent but gains meaning over time. For me, beauty is individual and multi-layered. "Oh, she's beautiful" or "he's beautiful" - such judgements change over time. But one thing remains: the slight uncertainty as to whether you find something fascinating. Beauty has to captivate and challenge you a little at the same time.

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Do you see photography as a form of exploration or as a need, a quest or a desire?

For me, it's all of these things: a desire, a quest, a passion. It's about creating a special moment and sending it out into the world to ask: "What do you think of this? Is it interesting? Is it beautiful?" This exchange means a lot to me. I take photos all the time - with my mobile phone, a small camera, whatever. For me, it's a way of understanding the world. Just as writers put their experiences into words, I try to understand the world through photography.