Making of an Opus

The primary aim of every Opus is to give the reader a totally unique visual experience, bringing them closer to the subject than ever before. Finding and then selecting the images that warrant their place in an Opus is a fascinating and exhaustive challenge. For every image included thousands will be rejected. Specialist teams of picture researchers scour every possible source, from archives to personal collections, to find the most beautiful, iconic and emotive imagery available about the subject. Our aim is always to uncover a unique gem that has never been published before; the thorough research undertaken ensures that each Opus includes many rare and previously unseen images. In addition to the painstakingly selected archive imagery, every Opus contains content exclusively commissioned by us. As an example, the United Opus contains more than 50 original photo shoots.

Making of the United Opus Part 1.
See more at www.opus-uncovered.com

The sheer scale of every Opus creates its own set of challenges. We have invested in the very latest image reproduction and enhancement technology to ensure that every image is as clean, sharp and impactful as it can possibly be. Our highly skilled and enormously dedicated reprographics team oversee this process, helping to produce the amazing results that you see on every page.

(Above) A Page from the United Opus Polaroid Gallery featuring Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo.
(Below) Polaroids of Terrell Davis and Jerry Rice from XL Super Bowl The Opus MVP Gallery. Super Bowl Polaroids

The unique Polaroid Gallery has already become synonymous with the Opus brand. Shot on sepia toned Polaroid film, using the huge Polaroid 20 x 24 Studio camera, these beautiful portraits create a fascinating insight into the character of the subject.
Both the United Opus and XL Super Bowl The Opus contain galleries of legendary players taken by world-renowned Sports Illustrated photographer Walter Iooss Jr.

Future Opuses will also contain exclusive polaroid galleries, with photo shoots already completed for the upcoming Arsenal, Formula 1, Wimbledon and Celtic Opuses.

With every Opus our mission is to create the ultimate work ever produced on the chosen person, organisation or event. This means that visually it will amaze, but it must also deliver fascinating and original writing to give each Opus a depth of content that is unrivalled. Therefore, we hand pick writing teams for every project. The greatest writers from their respective fields are chosen to deliver original and comprehensive historical features, plus exclusive interviews with all the key personalities.

The United Opus contains more than 40 newly-commissioned interviews, that help to make up the 400,000 original words written by many of Britain’s greatest sports writers including Hugh Mcllvanney, James Lawton, Jim White, Johnathan Northcroft, and Patrick Barclay.

XL Super Bowl The Opus contains exclusive new pieces from literary icon David Halberstam and Michael MacCambridge, plus contributions from some of America’s greatest sports writers, Dave Anderson, Red Smith, Jim Murray, and Davis Maraniss.

Matt Dickinson conducts an interview in Buenos Aries as part of the Maradona Opus.