Shot last year in a studio in London with Models of Diversity. Leonie Sherif wears a stunning design by Albert Martincich. Hair was by Fiona Chaffey HairStylist. It was one of those studio sessions where the team jelled quickly and we were creating images one after the other. We had around 8 models, all hoping to be even better than the last, kind and helpful, the magic just happened. We make it look easy, but the secret as anyone knows, is picking the right team and finding the right models for the job. We had Angel Sinclair, so we were at an advantage from the start!
I’ll post more photographs of this successful shoot once I have transferred all the fashion images from old web site to this one. If you would like me to create something like this for you, then please get in contact.
This is the second time I have photographed the lovely and talented Faye Povey. From Liverpool, Faye and her father (Faye is a disabled model) commuted down to the London Studio and in no time she is in makeup and hair; and ready to shoot in under an hour. There is no messing with Faye, within two or three shots we are getting what we want and Faye always brings that little bit of magic with her.
For me it is really important to get the lighting right first. I don’t believe you can make major alterations in post to correct lighting errors. I use a stand-in whilst the model is getting made up. As soon as the model is ready, most of the lighting adjustments have been made, so it’s just a question of getting the balance right for the model’s skin tones. Saving time like this is not just good business sense, with disabled models you want them to feel relaxed and confident from the off. Sometimes holding a simple pose for an abled bodied model is not as easy as it looks for a disabled model, so time is of the essence!
Both of these images are shot with a single strobe and softbox, anything else would have made it look complicated. Client: Models of Diversity
Model A wears designs by Ken Kwok-Kin Fong shot in Hammersmith. This was shot on location in an empty apartment, the room was dressed with newspaper to a feature wall. The faux fur jacket was a last minute inclusion and really makes the shot. Lighting was via mobile strobes synced using pocket wizards. Very little post production was used as we had time to get the shot right in-camera.
With the advent of affordable commercial colour photography after the Second World War, heartthrobs and pin-up we no longer just the domain of the silver screen or the illustrative talents of Alberto Vargas and Gil Elvgren.
Gone were the Victorian taboos of exposing any flesh, censorship became more liberal and the demand for images of beautiful girls to adorn magazines and advertising campaigns kept growing.
Film stars, stage actresses and showgirls all got in on the act. Film studios, theatres and publications new that if they had the biggest star they could make more money. The image of these stars fought for notoriety trying to push the boundaries further and further till the censors acted. It was like an X Factor through print. Everyman had his favourite, and women wanted to be like them. Armed forces pinned them up by their bunks to remind them of the reason they were fighting and their sweetheart back home.
Today their images look quite tame, oddly processed and low quality, given the technology and our expectations of today. However, we think this is all part of the charm. They always say ‘A little is more’ and the longevity of these image has probably long exceeded their original expected time.
With the increasing popularity of vintage clothing and retro designs we took the beautiful Roberta and gave her the 50’s makeover. Simple lighting, cute poses and charged sexuality transports us back to another era where stardom was all in the balance and at the mercy of a photographer’s lens.
Disabled Billboard Campaign for Models of Diversity
Models of Diversity’s billboard campaign designed and conceived by Urban Curve, was published this week and can be seen at The Eye, Holborn, London until the end of Sunday (2nd of September). Designed and conceived to coincide with the London Paralympics and reputed to be ‘the first of its kind’the billboard features a disabled model and two able bodied models. Main campaign photography by James Alexander Lyon.
The idea was to heighten awareness of others (in this case models) who struggle to get work in an industry that is hard enough even if you are able-bodied.
Models of Diversity choose these three models as they represented the spirit of our Models of Diversity. Debbie van der Putten (centre, who appeared on BBC’s ‘Briton’s Missing Top Model’ with Kelly Knox) is already a model and long-time campaigner for disabled models both here in the UK her native Netherlands. The other two models Varina and Iga, who coincidentally are both mothers of young children, typify some of the wide-ranging and diverse models that Models of Diversity (MoD) aims to help.
Since she’s been the spokesperson for Models of Diversity Debbie has had some amazing opportunities to speak about the campaign, who MoD are and what they do.
She went on the US TV-show called “You are the Supermodel” to talk about body diversity and disability which was a big success. Straight after, Models of Diversity received many emails from women all over the world who wanted to know more about the campaign!
There are some amazing, talented and very pretty models in the UK like Shannon Murray who did a campaign for Debenhams, Sophie Morgan recently featured in the Stella McCartney London 2012 campaign and Kelly Knox winner of Britain’s Missing Top Model but for some reasons after one or two campaigns the British fashion world stopped using them.
Went to see and photograph the Models of Diversity billboard last night in Holborn. I have to say I was taken aback. It hadn’t really sunk in till I say it up there in all it’s glory. A special thanks to Grant at Outdoor Plus for letting us have the space until Sunday. If you are in London over the weekend please go and have a look its 1 minute’s walk from Holborn Tube Station….you won’t be disappointed!
Models of Diversity’s billboard campaign designed and conceived by Urban Curve, was published this week and can be seen at The Eye, Holborn, London until the end of Sunday (2nd of September). Designed and conceived to coincide with the London Paralympics and reputed to be ‘the first of its kind’the billboard features a disabled model and two able bodied models. Main campaign photography by James Alexander Lyon.
