1940s Knitted Hair Portrait

For my 1940s portrait I decided to go for an up do with the hair. I liked all my visual research with the curls on top, as I felt it was completely different to the 20s and 30s designs that I liked. I had some problems with the piece, as time was not on my side.

I used my machine to make straight pieces, originally I had been cabling strips, however I could not produce them fast enough. I had also been making in a dusty pink colour and came to realise I did not want two pink shots in the series. I started knitted in a pastel purple and decided to change the rest later in photoshop. Because my piece was limited, my make up artist and I decided the best thing to do would be to comp it together, shooting with the pieces up and down. It would mean more work for me later, but it was for the good of the hair piece!

We had a lovely model come down from brighton. I chose her because of her interesting features and felt should would work well as an alternative 40s girl. She had a persian background which made her really interesting to work with, and gave her lovely big eyes.

I shot against a purple colour, but it was quite dark and I decided to change that later. I knew when I was shooting it that it was not going to be my best image from the series, but was happy with it none the less.

Bronson Caves

After my test shoot I wanted to find some more interesting inspiration images, I came across Brice Bischoff's Bronson Caves on Nonverbal Magazine. I thought they were a fresh and contemporary series that I could be inspired by. The images are surreal, using long exposures and beautiful colours. I think from seeing these it does make me think I can create photos in my own way. I do not want to copy these at all, I couldn't! But I am attracted to the silhouette idea and shooting things more creatively. I do think some of my work is stiff and I need more movement, and maybe this could be my starting point. I think with my final shoot I do want to play around more with my models body movement and use the material more to my advantage. I thought Jess was an amazing test model but she lacked the high fashion element that the girl I am casting should bring to the table. 

All I can hope for is that it all comes together on the day. And that I can produce some amazing photos. My confidence is slowly growing and my team is coming together well!

1970s Knitted Hair Portrait

Today I had my 1970s shoot. I had a Natalie from Portsmouth come down for it. I found from my research I really liked the Farah Fawcett flick, however didn't want to completely recreate her. I had also been looking at Diana Ross and when casting my models I could see the potential to use her influence with Natalie. Through out my research I had liked the heavy lashes on the bottom lips. I had seen them in my visuals and with my blogger images. 

The hair piece was inspired more by the flick of the era, using tassels to mimic the hair. Looking at the contemporary versions of the 70s inspired hair I like the flatter hair with the middle parting. This was my main inspiration. The only fault in the piece was that I had made it way too long. As I was only doing a headshot I should have realised this when casting on. I think it could have been half the size.

I decided to use the purple headband to break the hair up a bit, and to add a hippy style to it, so that the era would be reinforced. I love Natalie's big eyes and lips, as I felt they referenced Diana Ross perfectly.

I made the piece in green, as again I felt it was quite organic and free. Mixing and matching the stereotypes of the time.

Studio Marisol

There are many artists that work with hair. I think this is an amazing example of hair as high fashion. The oversized piece on the first two images is extraordinary, with the plaits changing size and creating a piece that makes you ask "how did they do that". It creates quite a stern character. I think with big hair it is easy to think of judges hair, which is not contemporary at all. These on the other hand have some kind of life to them. Even the image where the model is naked with the piece covering her face. She looks like a mannequin, perfectly formed, showing this beautifully crafted piece on her head. I like the way you can see the hair as well. It does make me think maybe I could try something like this, going more artistic and abstract, however I am not sure how well it would fit with my vintage era idea. 

Finally I found the fourth image. I love the idea of knitting hair, I think that would be such an interesting thing to do on a larger scale, but I am worried about the production value and how much it would cost. If I am using so many yards of wool for my project and that is costing a fair amount, how much would hair cost?

Tests and Developments

After talking to my stylist about my project she suggested shooting at winspit caves in swanage. There has been a few people who have shot there, she knew it from a music video she had helped out on. I decided to go with an open mind, as the shots she had shown me looked really interesting we did a quick location scout before going to do the test. I was originally more interested in the ruins next to the quarry as I thought they could represent the paris riots. However upon seeing them I wasn't sure if that connection would be quite weak, and that I should just go with shooting against the rock and experimenting with material for the texture.

I think the shoot went really well, these are my most successful images from the day, I have a few more I am happy with but don't want to completely ruin the surprise with my next shoot. I think because the location is well known in this area I am a little comprehensive with shooting there, however we were told to make the most of our Dorset location for these projects as I probably wont be living here again. I wanted to use the rock as more as a background, getting inspiration from the previous editorials I had looked at and the advice to look at Ryan Mcginley's cave series. I think these inspired me to go out and do something different to what I usually do and the results for my test have come out well.

The styling is still not quite there or consistent, so I need to work closer with my stylist to bring it together more, we still need to source a few more outfits and put it all together for the final series.

Overall it was a great day, watch this space for the final shoot!

The Hunger Games

Judianna Makovsky

I recently watched The Hunger Games at the cinema, I wasn't really interested in seeing it, in fear that it would be like Twilight, but I did really enjoy it. My favorite character quickly became Effie Trinket, played by Elizabeth Banks. Not for her personality or in terms of the story line, purely because of the styling used. The whole Capitol had incrediable costumes, and it made me think back to the Edward Sissorhands references I had looked at earlier in my project. The stylist Judianna Makovsky created elaborate costumes, helped visualised by the author Suzanne Collins. Like Scissorhands I liked how most things were matching, and how the Trinket wore several different styles throughout the film.

Everything is over the top, the big cuts, wigs and patterns on the outfits. They have been so thoughfully designed. I liked the use of the pastel colours in the hair, especially the purple. If I were to style my project I would want it too look like this. It is always great to see styling like this in films, at a higher budget and consistency than most celebrities. I love how it is set in the future, I keep coming across futuristic feelings to images and films which I think helps with the re-touching I do. Showing that the future and the past can be envisioned at the same time. 

Editorials

This week I have been looking at the Asian Models blog again for inspiration for my editorial. I think looking at it does open me up to so much more than just flicking through English magazines. I have chosen four editorials that have caught my eye and that I could use to influence my work. I have chosen them for different reasons and will write notes on what I like about them.

Rony Shram - Harper's Bazaar Vietnam

I love how she is laying down with her eyes closed

The hair and make up is really beautiful, love the lipstick

I think what I love the most about these images is the energy and feeling I get from them. The shoot looks like it has a high production value because of its location. The lighting and tone of the photos looks very sunny and cheerful, but then we take a double take with the model as she seems in her own world and maybe even a little distressed. I think she looks like a socialite, in her expensive apartment and on the roof top contemplating. The backdrop of the city is exciting, I think because of her posing it does make it seem like it is very still, rather than a busy place.

What I could take from this shoot is some of her poses, I want to shoot something much darker, but I do really like the look of worry in her face. Is it worry, or dis-interst? I think the images are very interesting and I would love to take something from them and incorporate that within my shoot. 

Flower Power by Mark Segal - Vogue China 

This is another shoot that caught my eye on the blog. I think what i really like about it is the cold tone to the images, it has a real winter appeal with the use of the background and tones used. The first thing that drew me to it was the material over the models face, how it changes her identity and you are unsure of who she is. The images have movement, I think my favourite is the one with the material over her, as her body is dramatic and shapely, matching the flow of the fabric. I think these images do look like campaign standard, rather than an editorial, maybe it is because of the background. I don't think these images have as much as a narrative as the story before, maybe it is because I see them as more glossy.

The darker eye make up does draw my attention in more in shoots, thinking bout it for my project. 

I love the dramatic use of material in both these images

Snake Wave by Kim Tae Woo - Vogue Korea

I think these were interesting to me because the model does not look typically asian. Her hair colour made me look instantly, rather than brushing over them. I then noticed the texture of the rocks around her, which is really beautiful. Because these images were taken on such a sunny day it does look exotic, like the first series I looked at. Again I do not thing they have as strong of a story line as Shram's photos, but they are unique fashion images. The rocks do really interest me, as I have been looking at texture for a while now. Smugglers bay could have potential rocks like this? Would it reflect my storyline or should I just run with something I find visual interesting? 

I really love how the light picks up the texture, I think I am more interested in the background than the styling of the images.

The rocks look a little bit like out of space.

Desert Rose by Whee Kim for NuYou 

I think I was attracted to this shoot because of the previous images I had looked at. I like the idea of shooting against rock more and more because I have never really done a location shoot and feel it would benefit my portfolio. I am looking at lots of bright images, but I feel I would want to create slightly darker images. I do really love the square crops with this series and that is something I would like to do with my work. I think these images are a little bit off topic with what I am researching but I think I should look more into texture and what that could mean for my images. 

Primal

From my test shoot I decided that I should develop my work to be more edgy and dark, to get the best results for this project. I think by doing some thing different to my previous work it will benefit how I make images. This week I am looking at Primal, a February 2012 editorial in Dazed & Confused. Shot by Serge LeBion, the images are really interesting and edgy. I like the use of the darkness and how dramatic the models are. Like Good Kate, Bad Kate the location is interesting and that does really add to the shoot. From the series, the three images I have picked up on are the most interesting. In the first two I really like the model's hair, in the first it creates a new texture to the image, and with the second it does blend in to the background. I think the styling here would be something I would love to do for my shoot, the use of sheer material does catch my attention with the second image, and maybe adding in layers of it could be something I experiment with. 

I think one of my biggest problems with the shoot will be how I make the styling look like high fashion.  Although this is titled Primal, the clothing is still expensive looking. How can I portray a poor, heart broken character? 

Knitted 1950s Hair Shoot

I had my third shoot today, for my knitted hair portrait series. On the search for a model with my other project I had come across Toni. I kept her in the back of my mind and then when it came to sorting this project out I contacted her as I really wanted to shoot with her. 

The hair piece was baby blue, inspired by the 1950s and Katy Perry's use of the eras styling. I was using one of my favourite make up artists, Danielle, who I had worked with on several other projects. She was very attentive with what was working with the make up, as well as helping me place the piece on. 

I had some problems positioning it, as it was one of the harder pieces to put in position, however it payed off once it was on properly, as it began to really mimic the hair. 

I shot with a range of blue and purple gels on the background, but settled with blue on blue, to be coherent with my project. 

Later on we tried using some tattoo lips, as Danielle had them. I thought they were really interesting, but where I hadn't used them in any of the other photos they would have been odd in the series. I can use them as a stand alone image. 

I was happy with the use of the big eye lashes, nice brows and nude lips. I wanted to keep it fresh and contemporary. We changed the eye shadow colour a few times and I am really happy with the end result. 

Pastels

I really love the pastel trend at the moment, and felt from my test shoot with Faith that I needed to do something more light hearted and quirky. As I will be casting interesting looking models I felt that doing something quite soft with my colours would work really well. I have found some pastel examples that I can draw inspiration from with my work.

Sharif Hamza - Passion for Pastel

I think this series is so beautiful and interesting, the colour palette is amazing. I really love the soft pinks and how they relate through the whole of the image. It is really simple, but works.

Ina Jang

Finding Ina Jang's work on Trendland was a bit of a surprise. The photographer takes the images, and then makes strange collages from them. I think they are really interesting, and I can't really comprehend how she makes them. I was really interested in the pastel backgrounds, they are really soft colours, contrasting the colours in the image. 

Material Girl - Xanthe Hutchinson

I thought these images were a different take on the pastel look for this season. They are much more grunge inspired, with the prints quite bold and busy. I like the purple in the hair on the second image. 

I Want Candy 

Images from I Want Candy, from Elle Netherlands. I love the colours in this, the make up is really dramatic and the styling is incredible. It makes me question how far I want to push the make up with my images. How far is too far with the knitted hair pieces?