30.10.09

Work Experience






During September I was given work experience with a well established fashion photographer who goes by the name of Mathew Shave. His clients include Harpers Bazaar, Elle, Jimmy Choo and Vogue. As a photographer who owns his own studio, life seems pretty easy going for him. Having assistants means he can come in when he's ready and his equipment will be set up ready for him, which makes the technical side of his job as a photographer pretty easy i guess. For the three 'Advertorial' still life shoots we did, Mathew was given designed images of which we had to recreate for the magazine...not so much of a fun shoot really. The lighting set ups took a long time to get right before the propper shooting could begin, and there was a strict look to which Mathew had to stick to, not to mention the anal and quite bratty 'stylist' we had to pander to.

Aside from that, just being in the studio everyday gave me such a surge of desire to be doing this for life. Looking out of the windows, across Borough High Street and seeing people sat at desks in dreary offices and realising that we were soaking up the natural light, blowing up balloons and chatting about what music to put on the surround sound. Its so exciting to see the images coming up on the computer screen and working out how to make them look even better. For the first three days of my experience with Mathew, it was all still life, jewellery, shoes, bags and the last day shooting martinis. The last day I was there, was a shoot for Gloss magazine, an editorial shoot involving the most beautiful of couture and the most beautiful models. I nearly exploded the whole day, it was all hard work but I didn't want to leave! If everyday of my life could be like that then I think I'd be a very happy girl. These models make posing look so easy, and they were such lovely girls too...towering over everyone. From Christian Louboutin's over the knee 'Alta Fifre' red suede boots (my personal alternative to a diamond slipper) to Ralph Lauren's red beaded evening dress, and what I think was an Alexander McQueen peacock feather jacket. Basically, I've had a taste and I want more!

Mathew was really great to work for and I hope to work for him again soon, he's shot alot of stuff you've seen before but never realised it was him, including Calvin Harris's album cover with the diamond shades. As I cant get hold of the editorial shoot images for Gloss (foreign mag), there are a couple of examples of his work above.


18.8.09

David Bailey in London

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/lifestyle/article-23733653-details/David+Bailey+captures+Londoners+alive+at+night/article.do

Experimental shoot.



PLEASE CLICK THE IMAGES TO ENLARGE.

Here are two images from a recent experimental shoot I did in the woods. I never photograph men and I've never done a night shoot. These images were shot in late twilight. Because of the changing light, I have found that the images don't necessarily work as a series but do work individually. I wanted to create a low key, fun shoot with a slight fantasy ambience. The rest are shot with a very subtle flash so have a much warmer cast than the late night blue natural light cast.




11.8.09

Lillian Bassman





Photographer to Harpers Bazaar around the 1940's and 50's, producing some of the most poignant black and white photography in fashion. With stark tonal contrasts within her images and plenty of hand manipulation, they almost look like fashion illustrations. Here are two images from a series that I liked the most (although different to her most famous images).
The elgance in these images has been heightened with her developing methods. I cant be sure as I have not been able to research her methods, but it look like in these images she may possibly have used solarisation. In her other more memorable images (as above) she may have overexposed the paper to the light and also painted the developer on, aswell as alot of extra dodging and burning. Her images could be considered more art than photography. Either way she designed a whole new aesthetic for fashion photography during and after the war.


Coco Before Chanel

Following the viewing of this magnificent film, I feel it an absolute must to express just how great this film is and urge you to see it. If you have a strong interest in fashion design/photography then this film is going to make a big impression. The cinematography within the film is utterly alluring. Coco's story will capture you, her personality and wit will have you giggling, and it will give you such a surge of inspiration you'll want to go out and immediately start cutting up your clothes.

9.8.09

Fun at 55





Heres a few images from a recent shoot I did with my housemate Lex. Its really just a bit of fun but I was hoping to capture some natural light portraits of her and get back into doing the type of photography I've missed since going to uni!

Inspirations were classic b&w photography from David Bailey and Sally Mann.


4.8.09

Burberry Campaign




This is definitely my new favourite Autumn campaign and by far the best portrait I've seen of Emma Watson..
Shot by Mario Testino the campaign proceeds the many previous Burberry advertisements with sublimity. The campaign continues to demonstrate true British style, with the classic mac- a staple for everybody, and an example of the great tailoring and sophisticated style expected from such a reputable brand.

Annie Leibovitz








Here are just a few of some of my favourite Celebrity/Fashion portraits by Leibovitz. In every one of her celebrity based, female focused pieces she brings out a real beauty in the subject. She makes every one of her female subjects look like goddesses, with flattering lighting anf extravagant outfits.




Leibovitz started her career at Rolling Stone magazine and then went on to join Vanity Fairmagazine. Her photography made a transition from grainy, raw black and white images of rock personalities to sophisticated polished images of commercial celebrity. Leibovitz is a contraversial photographer. She likes to challenge the structure of what makes a good portrait whilst sometimes offending others. Her recent shoot with Miley Cyrus, proved to be less than popular, shot against a grey background, clutching at a sheet she is seen as sexual and vulnerable; not good for a child TV star's image. Liebovitz was accused of taking advantage of a young girl to project her own personal style and preferance to that of the star.


Jobling

"Identities are simply embodied in apprearance, and the donning and discarding of an appropriate mask or look."

Barthes

"Fashion effects that sort of shock to the concsiousness which suddenly gives the reader sign the feeling of the mystery it deciphers; Fashion dissolves the myth of the innocent signifieds, at the very moment it produces a theme; it attempts to substitute it's artifice, i.e, its culture, for the false nature of things: its does not suppress meaning; it points to it with its finger."

Theory of Fashion Photography

As a student on a thoroughly art based photography course but with a strong Fashion interest and having studied Fashion Promotion, I found it hard to make my interest feel it was worth as much as my peers' deep intellectual work. Barthes and Jobling helped me reconnect with my interest.

Fashion Photography is no less important, if anything in the social world we live in media has every power of its subjects. Not to say there are differences in approach and meaning with fashion work and art based produce, but the distinction between the two is becoming harder and harder to recognise.

Fashion is constant advertisement. Its advertising your personal image, your identity, celebrities are walking advertisements to the public and their followers. Whether or not people acknowledge that they prejudge a person by the clothes they wear, clothing is one main thing a person can read and subconsciously recognise about a person that enables an impression of lifestyle. This automatically projects the ideas of what more there is to a person and how you could relate to them. It all leads on to relationships and status and more...

Introduction

Through being a photography student with nothing better to do with her time other than shopping or browsing internet sites, I thought wouldn't it be great to start something new. This blog will consist of both fashion photography but also fashion and news. With case studies on particular artists and designers, discussions and examples of some of my favourite works both classic and contemporary, and also uploads of examples of some of the amazing images my friends and I are creating during our spare time.