Selection of unedited images

These images are a selection of our best images from the shoot, we still need to narrow them down further and edit them and work out a suitable layout. We are mixing images of the model with still life images of the location to create a more interesting layout. I am really pleased with the images so far, I can't wait to see the edited versions :)

The day of the shoot

We had access to the location from 9am on Monday 18th April. We were lucky to get the location for that day as the following weekend the shop was being re-occupied. We were originally meant to do a few test shots with all the styling and lighting before the model arrived at 11am. Unfortunately there were issues with the lighting kit and we didn't actually get the kit until noon because of other students not returning the equipment on time. So instead we took Jon Purcell's advice and 'engaged with our surroundings', we took a really good look around the premises and what we had to work with. Luckily the manager of the Mall said that we could use anything that was left in the shop as long as we left it tidy. This was great as there were boxes of mannequins, steel cages, trolleys and all manner of display units. This meant that we could really work with the environment. The shoot went really well, the model was great and we worked well as a creative team. Whilst the photographers were sorting out the lighting we were sorting out the styling and props.

Our styling/outfits

Myself and Becky (stylist) decided that we wanted the styling to include highly textured fabrics and metallics such as velvet, lace, pvc, studs etc. We were going to make labels and barcodes however we felt that it would be making the clothing too literal. The clothes are all very tight fitting and it the same black,blue &silver palette which suggests the restriction and the 'cold' nature of life after formal education. We also thought that these colours and textures would work well with our location as it it is an industrial environment.

Better images of the location

Jim Fiscus

When discussing our ideas and references, Josh had a few photos from '200 best ad photographers' and this was one of the images. We really liked the poses of the models, the styling, the lighting and well everything really. It is highly stylized and we knew it would be unlikely to be able to recreate this standard of image at our stage in the degree and in the time given but at least we had something to aspire to!

Gareth Pugh-Showstudio

Styling inspiration

Belle Sauvage - Self-Similarity

Styling Inspiration

Concrete Island

Styling inspiration and general aesthetic ideas

Alexi Freeman & Tom Blanchford- Stardust

Styling inspiration

Mike Ruiz

http://www.mikeruiz.com/

Again I like the structured outfits mixed with the metallic materials and textures. In the two images at the end the model looks plastic with the use of latex hold-ups and gloves. Unfortunately we are not going to be able to get hold of any latex accessories as we have left it too late to order online and nowhere in Preston offers this sort of niche thing. So we are going to have to find an alternative way to make the model look plastic!  Also I like the idea of using some sort of cage dress/skirt to make the model seem as if she is restricted.

Styling ideas

I like this necklace made from broken coat hangers strung together, I think it would be quite simple to recreate and really relevant to our concept.

As we are thinking of the styling as packaging I thought it would be interesting to look at the signs. labels and warnings that you can find on packages.

The idea of using barcodes in one way or another would reinforce the concept.

We want the model to look like a mannequin so we want to use shiny, plasticy fabrics such as latex combined with strong structural shapes to give the effect of being man-made, regimented and conformed.

Dansk Magazine

For the styling we want to create clothing and accessories that look like packaging. So far our initial ideas are using bubblewrap, barcodes,hangers, tags and possibly CV's. These images from Dansk magazine show the model styled like this however in our images we want the look to be more polished and regimented as these images look quite dishevelled and unkempt.