Photographing a Fashion Concept

I just finished Figure/Fashion Photography, PH435. It was most definitely the hardest class I have faced in my career at AIPOD. It was also one of the best classes for me in my career at AIPOD. Why, you ask? I am a good portrait and wedding photographer. I am great with lighting my subjects to highlight their faces and expressions, and capturing emotions and images that tell their stories. I have rarely had to create the story or concept I was photographing. I also have never been into photographing fashion. I didn’t know how to make the images about the clothing and not the model. For the first three weeks of class I kept hearing, “they look like portraits,” from my professor.

By the third week of class I was ready to throw in the towel, but my professor kept encouraging me and talking me through ideas. Then I ran into problems with models. At the end of week four I still didn’t believe I was going to be successful in this class or with my final project. Finally the beginning of week five I was able to do the shoot I wanted and needed for my project. It pushed me so far out of my comfort zone.

So to bring you into this fantasy that I was trying to create, let me describe the project. Using tulle of multiple colors I would create couture fashion that looked like lighthouses. I challenge each of your to come up with a concept totally beyond normal and try to create images that show your concept. As I was encouraged by my professor, think of things that you are really interested in or love. (I love the water and lighthouses and playing with light.) Then think of a new and different way to illustrate it. I did it through fashion, you may want to do it using a different concept. This project whet my appetite to do more creative work. My prof encouraged me to work on this for a year. I plan to. I wonder what my images will look like next year!

Here’s some of my lighthouses. Which says lighthouse fashion to you the most?

  

Liquified!

Good Thursday morning everyone. I had someone mention my last post in a class the other day. That was so exciting. It really means a lot to us to know you are reading. We cherish your feedback!

Something else that excited me happened this week also. Last Saturday I took fashion photos out at the beach and then got to play with them. I planned to create a water effect from this image, but I was overwhelming surprised by the liquefy effect in Photoshop. I took shells, and water colored tulle for my model to lay on and in. The image with no post-production was quite satisfying, so I assumed I could really go someplace great with it.

I had an image of a lighthouse with its reflection on the water that was slightly rippled, but very calm for Lake Michigan! Because I was working on a Lighthouse project, this image worked into my scheme.  By itself it creates a very interesting image, but a lot of people will wonder what the shadow is along the side.

Placing the water over my model, I lowered the opacity to 66% so that it created a soft watery look over her. Then came the fun. I duplicated my portrait layer first of course to preserve it (don’t forget this step)! Using the Liquify (apparently Adobe doesn’t know how to spell J) tool, found under Filter, I began playing with her hair and the tulle around her. I used varying sized of brush and pressure. The rest, beneath the water layer, was almost like oil on water. I was so excited, I couldn’t wait to share.

What have you created lately that you couldn’t wait to share. Tell us about it. We get as excited over other’s work as our own!