Mario Testino fought for Gisele

Legendary photographer Mario Testino ''fought'' for supermodel Gisele Bundchen when she first started out because he could see something special in her.

Mario Testino "fought" for Gisele Bundchen.

The legendary photographer says he saw something special in the Brazilian supermodel as soon as he met her when she was a rising star even though others didn't.

He told Grazia magazine: "When I started, Bruce Weber was the big star photographer, so all the models were the ones he liked; sporty and outdoorsy. I couldn't find anyone, so I would go to the street looking for people who suited my aesthetic. When I met Gisele in New York, I liked her immediately. No one was using her. I fought for her."

Although Mario, 56, is one of the world's most sought-after snappers, he still worries it could all be taken away from him.

He said: "It wasn't until this September that I felt I had finally arrived. I had six covers and 180 pages of editorial. For once, I felt I was accepted everywhere.

"But I still worry that nobody will call me for the next job."