FINAL

Last minute shoot

(Authors Own, Contact Sheet)

 Here you can see the product of a very last minute shoot. I used my mum, who was willing to show off more than just her face and superimposed my original models head onto her body.I continued to portray the older woman's insecure nature by photographing just the back. When all the images were put together in the final layout I noticed that orange was the dominant colour, I intended for the shoot to be a variety of colours but as two of my images work well in black-and-white I had to find an alternative. with the lack of accessible garments I decided to revert back to the original idea of colour correction in photo shop. Taking inspiration from ID magazine I produced a realistic layout using appropriate text, design, style and dimensions. On the next page, displayed, are my final selection of images incorporated into my final layout design, appropriate for ID magazine.  During one of the shoots my model unintentionally posed covering her left eye, I later realised that this was relevant for my magazine choice. To conclude my photo shoot I decided to design a mockup of the issue my editorial could be exhibited in.

(Authors Own, Editing Process)

(Authors Own, Layout Design)

Final Shoot

Above shows some images on set. The first image shows make up and hair artist in action, the others show me taking the photos. The lighting used was a soft box and flash to create images with minimal shadows and a natural glow, the natural daylight from the windows helps to achieve this effect. To create one of my images using the pink garment, I created a small set (inspired by rhea Theirstein) using to polystyrene boards. I pinned each individual tassle to the board in order to give the garment a second appearance, in the same way the other garments have.

(Authors Own, Contact Sheets)

(Authors Own, Photography)

(Authors Own, Photography)

London Fashion Week - Sophia Webster

During London fashion week I had the pleasure of working for shoe designer Sophia Webster, I interned for a short while helping with the production of her show. When we arrived at the location for the show it was a very minimal stripped back church like building, and I was unsure of how they could transform it into something more "sophia-esque". When i arrived on the day of the show I was amazed at how quickly and efficiently the space was created. The workshop run by Rhea Thierstein introduced me to work of set designer Shona Heath. Shona was working on the Sophia Webster show, and I had the pleasure of watching her create amazing props, sets and costumes out of ordinary objects. She utilises her imagination and a huge range of recourses to create these designs. Although the concept for my shoot is very stripped back and minimal, this has inspired me to experiment in future with props and set design

Cut & Paste

(Photography Damien Blottiere, Styling Robbie Spencer, Models Christian Ochsenfahrt at Major, Victoire Macon Dauxerre at Elite)

Cut and Paste -Dazed & Confused.This is a shoot that Robbie Spencer worked on for Dazed and Confused - Calvin Klein - with photographer Damien Blottiere. Each image is merged by two separate shots in a collage manner, creating shapes and gaps that unveil a little of the other. These days images appear flawless and almost perfect with little need for physical alteration, but I think that the beauty of these images lie in the simple, old fashioned medium of cut and past. They're abstracted by this practice, creating another dimension to each image. Although these images are highly modified and very abstract, I do not intend to replicate this visualisation entirely through my own work. I do however aim to experiment with this idea of manipulating two images together to create one. I explained previously that I lacked whole outfits with the samples I wanted to photograph, so the idea of manipulating the two together could ensure than my idea goes further.

(Photography, Bela Borsodi in Cut & Paste" by Richard Brereton)

Bela Borsodi.I came across an amazing book called "Cut & Paste" by Richard Brereton which brings together over 250 images from more than 40 contemporary collage artists. In the digital age that we are living, most images are created using computer based programs, that tend to look very "computerised" and sometimes obvious. When exploring the idea of cut and paste in Fashion photography it became apparent that traditional methods of visual art are fading I aim to try and use the medium of cut and paste in my final imagery to create new ideas based on the smaller samples I have collected from my designer. I came across graphic designer and photographer Bela Borsodi, through combining aspects of fine art, graphic design, craft, and psychology, his work offers a surreal imagery that makes clothing and accessories 3-dimensional. Borsodi says of his work “I love making things and putting things in an unusual context incorporating various visual languages coming from art and graphic design–eroticism is also a fascination of me that I love exploring". Borsodi does in fact use a meticulous method on a computer based programme like photoshop to create these amazing cut and paste images, but they still have a traditional feel about them. I would like to experiment with the idea of cut and paste and play around with scale and proportion in the same way.

(Authors own, experiments with samples)

In the images above I have tried to capture the diverse nature of the garments that I intend to use, and how would like them to be portrayed. The green garment is curvaceous and and quirky and works well with the female body, whereas The pink garment is fun and bouncy and has a lot of volume and character to it. With this in mind I think I have already achieved depicting the green garment in this way, and the plans I have for the pink garment coincide with its characteristics. I recently discovered the concept of using one garment and displaying in two very unique with ways, and as I now intend to use the idea of cut-and-paste in my work, I have come up with an idea that can transform a small orange sample into a finished garment. A problem I initially faced was not having enough samples to create garments suitable to cover the body, I was also in doubt as to how I could use one of my models for a second time throughout the editorial. But with my recent experimentation with the idea of cut-and-paste I aim to use the same sample that appears as a collar in one photo and transform it into a dress for another. I have suggested way I could display the collar as a dress on a miniature figure, but a problem I have faced is finding out ways in which I can display it on the body without making it look too sexy. I aim to re-photograph the orange sample and style it in ways in which I think is suited to my model.

After researching various artists that use the technique of cut and paste I decided to roughly try it out myself. As I have only photographed head shots of my model (that I would like to be seen in the longer garment sample), I had to improvise with images on Google to create the rest of the body, which I would like to avoid in the final outcome. For my final outcome I will have to re-photograph the models body in tightly fitting clothes e.g. a leotard or underwear, so that everything is in proportion and looks realistic. As you can see above I have experimented with with scale, I photographed some of the pieces in a studio so that the quality was of a professional, usable standard. I think the idea is progressing but it needs a lot more attention to detail so that the final outcome will appear more professional.  I aim to re-photograph the models body in in a studio So that I have a realistic backdrop with realistic shadows etc... Below shows how I have experimented with repetition using cut and paste with a sample or garment. I think the continuous flow of the curvy samples is effective, and in some cases works really well e.g. the shoulder piece that is presented in image one.  This idea could also help me to create a final image, depicting  larger garments that can cover the entire body, to work alongside a full body shot but I aim to capture. 

Initial Photo Shoots

Below shows a selective sample of contact sheets from three photo shoot I produced over the last week. As you can see my models vary in height age and ethnicity. I did not choose my models as a way of tokenising them just to suit the theme of diversity, but I chose them to compliment each individual piece in a unique way based on their unique appearance. The green sample is complemented by a young female model with short hair and quirky tattoos, her pale skin and short hair compliment the form and colour of the piece. In this particular session I decided to experiment with some reflective material in order to emphasise and celebrate the colour of the garment. I feel that the idea could have worked well but as it was a last-minute decision, the space I photographed in was not complimentary of the reflective material. Following this shoot, I decided to cast a very tall and elegant female model, to complement a long slender dress. Using the failed method of reflective material from the previous shoot I decided to experiment with it one more time. This time I decided to place it on the floor so that the oranges and yellows of the dress could be reflected, I think it worked really well reflecting colours onto the floor rather than the backdrop. As this is the only finalised garment in my shoot, I decided that I could show its diversity by adorning the body with the dress in an unconventional way.  I challenge my own preconception of a "dress" and experimented with styling the model in different ways using it. The idea that seem to work the best, which we discovered quite quickly, was to let the dress hang around the neck as if it had not been put on properly or only halfway. Learning that single garment can be placed on the body in multiple ways has led to visualise my final outcome.  I would like my four models to display one garment or sample in two very different ways, this way I will be demonstrating the theme of diversity through the garments. At this point I have also decided that I would prefer to shoot just female models for my final outcome, have experimented with using male models and it seemed that the male physique does not complements the samples as much as the female figure does. I have plans for two full body compositions that I would like to photograph in my final shoot. I think this composition will complement the specific garment perfectly, and with this in mind I decided that it would be mandatory to shoot head shots for my third shoot. Unintentionally, but undoubtably aesthetically pleasing, my third model also had short hair, which compliments all of the garments and samples. I used an orange collar to accentuate and compliment the texture and colour of my models hair and skin tone. I am yet to discover what shot i would like to use this model for again, but for now I have a great head shot that works with the other final images flawlessly.

(Photography, Authors Own - Knitwear, Karen Moore - Model, Nelly Smith)

(Photography, Authors Own - Knitwear, Karen Moore)

(Photography, Authors Own - Knitwear, Karen Moore - Model, Cynthia Granfield)

At first I decided that I would use simple white paint across the eyes to show purity and freshness.  I didn't want my imagery to be too contrived or to be seen as tokenising the idea of African tribal body art,  so this simple makeup technique seemed appropriate. When I composed the first shoot with the green garment and tattooed female model I forgot to apply the white paint around the eyes, at first I was disappointed and wanted to shoot again with makeup,  but as I began to upload images on my computer to edit them in photo shop I actually preferred this natural look. Although the model wearing the orange collar was not one of my first, I didn't intend to apply makeup to her as I wanted to keep her looking natural and celebrate her age and identity.

Set Design & Makeup

This week I decided to test out some make up looks that I could use in my shoot. I tried them out myself to get a rough idea of what I think will work well, but for the real shoot  I have found a make up artist through the university that will assist me on the day. I started off by testing some simple tribal like markings across and around the eyes. I also realised that this style of make up was easy to colour correct in photoshop, so with the simple use of one colour I could edit each style to my preference in postproduction. The initial idea of tribal marks came from a recent issue of ID magazine,  and I thought that with the theme being based upon body adornment this would work well. What I later discovered once I had styled the clothing, was that the use of tribal markings for makeup appeared a bit cliche for the theme of diversity. Following this discovery I decided to simplify the idea of tribal markings, with the use of brightly coloured eyeshadow, I softened the look by suggesting tribal marks. I also experimented with the idea of soft paint, painted across the eye area. The paint accentuated the idea of the marks,  making the appearance of the make up more obvious and bolder which I think relates to my idea more. A worry that I had is, if the make up too colourful and bright it could draw the attention away from the garment, so above on my computer based make up faces I have suggested the use of white paint across the eyes. This idea will also brighten eyes.  The last experiment with make up was the combination of eyeshadow and lines, I would like to test a variety of combinations with this idea before I decide to use it or not to use it.

Following producing some make up ideas we had an amazing workshop with set designer Reah Theirstein. She showed us multiple ways of creating amazing sets on small budgets, and loads of ideas for creating unique backdrops. This workshop helped me greatly because I was planning on only using a white studio background to accentuate the idea of the garments. After the workshop I thought of loads of other ways I can do this by using more interesting sets. During the workshop we were asked to create our own sets, I experimented with the use of projecting imagery onto a subject. For the materials we had at the time I thought this was a great idea and will definitely help me to produce future concepts in set design. But when I came home I decided to create suggestions of set design in photoshop. Bellow, shows my illustrations and suggestions of set design, there are a variety of different ways in which I can create a set on a budget and the ideas I have demonstrated consist of simple materials such as: reflective paper, acetate or plastic, post production and simple use of materials. I will further experiment with these ideas to decide what one works best.

Isamaya Ffrench is a makeup artist who is currently the beauty editor of i-D Magazine. She is well known for her super-saturated palettes which rebel against fashion’s bored, minimalistic habits. “For her, make-up is paint, and skin a canvas.” I got inspiration from her work while I was looking through the "beautiful issue winter 2014" in ID magazine. The images were very linear,  depicting bright bold lines around the face, accentuating features such as cheekbones eyebrow bone and lips. I was interested in her style as it seems quite simple and it relates closely to my idea of tribal marks. As I began to research her work, I discovered that as well as using sharp linear markings, she has a tendency to create soft, chalky markings. Above I have attempted to portray her style using some of my own ideas. I intend to use a real makeup artist for the final images, these where just some experiments.

Styling - Ideas and Suggestions

This week we had the pleasure of working with stylist and creative director namalee Bolle. She gave us loads of great ideas on how to style an image and creating looks that poetry atmosphere, mood and meaning. This workshop helped me particularly, because I was confused and unsure of how to style my fabric samples. Two tasks that we were given were, to style a white shirt in an unconventional way and to dress a punk. Dressing a punk was a good task for me because it helped me to excessively  adorn the body in jewellery and accessories, this not being my usual style encouraged me to be over the top rather than subtle. The challenge to style a white shirt in an unconventional way was also helpful to me, it encouraged me to be experimental in the way in which I dressed the body with such an iconic piece of clothing. Both of these tasks challenged my preconceptions of the styling I want to use in my shoot. 

In light of this workshop I decided to style the garments on the human female body.  Due to the curvy and flowing nature of the samples, I discovered that they work well with the curvy nature of the female figure. I experimented with three garments and dressed them in ways that seemed impossible. Because of  the diverse shape of the samples you're able to twist and turn them in ways to create new shapes.With some of the smaller samples I decided to carry out a similar styling task, instead of using them for their original purpose of sleeves or cuffs I decided to turn them into a full garment.  Using a miniature mannequin i used the samples to create various outfits. I positioned the miniature mannequin in natural positions so that my models can replicate them in the studio.

Test Shoot

Due to the unconventional nature of the garments in my shoot, I thought it would be a good idea to get a test shoot out of the way with to highlight areas in which I needed to improve. I started this process by thinking about what sort of models I'd like to cast for my shoot. I decided that the pieces would probably create a better aesthetic on "real" and "interesting" looking models, contrasting with the experimental samples. I recored the process, and above shows some of the people I would like to cast in my shoot. They vary in age, gender, height and race. Since the project is based on the theme of diversity, I think it is easy to "tokenise" models, merely using someone to indicate allegiance to a particular group of individuals. I think I have avoided this issue by using models I think can bring the garment to life, rather that just a pretty face.

Following the casting process, I decided I would benefit form arranging a test shoot, so I chose the most readily available model and conducted one in a pop-up-studio. The idea of the test shoot was to experiment with styling the samples on the body in a variety of ways, but as the samples are not finished garments it proved difficult to “adorn” the body substantially. This task was extremely helpful to me as it encouraged me to style the samples in various different ways, and helped me to  guide my usual style towards something more interesting and unconventional - which i think is needed to celebrate these pieces. The samples have an abundance of diversity in the ways in which you can style them on the body, but I noticed that they were too small and too incomplete to fashion a whole 8 page editorial. 

I didn't want to scrap my idea because the samples I have decided to use are stunning in so many ways: shape, colour, texture and most importantly, versatility. To overcome this problem I created ways in which I could make the samples go further in terms of “outfits”. I experimented with colour correction to begin with and produced some mediocre outcomes. But something that really interested me from my previous visit to the Guy Bourdin exhibition at somerset house, was his use of scale. Extreme post production of images is something I am not fond of, as I think it can lead to amateur results, but after experimenting with scale in photoshop in a similar style to Guy Bourdin, I realised this might be a way forward in my project. Above shows a small percentage of the images I have taken for the test shoot. As you can see the light changes half way through the shoot, this is due to one of the bulbs in the flash kit overheating and breaking. Even though I encountered  a problem during this shoot I carried on, and ended up producing some images that could work well as a final. Although the test produced some good results, the contact sheet clearly demonstrates the lack of material / outfits.

Exhibition Visit - Guy Bourdin

The image Maker, was an amazing exhibition at Somerset house featuring over 100's of works previously unseen images by the influential and enigmatic fashion photographer Guy Bourdin. Bourdin's editorial and advertising imagery, took the basic function of the fashion photograph -to sell clothing, beauty and accessories- and made it into something rich and strange. Bourdin established the idea that the product is secondary to the image, he developed a distinctive style of visual storytelling which continues to serve as a source of inspiration to contemporary fashion photographers from Tim Walker to Nick Knight. He pushed the boundaries of what we consider beautiful and desirable creating a  provocative and surreal approach to fashion imagery. Bourdin plays around with the concepts of repetition, scale and proportion. For a New york shoot he demanded giant shoes , not theatrical props but meticulous oversized replicas. 

The manipulation of repetition, scale and proportion can dramatically change the mood and meaning of a composition, it emphasises  the importance (or un-importance) of an object or area. Often the focal point is emphasised by making an object larger in proportion to the rest of the elements of the artwork, or by simply repeating it. Elements that are large in comparison with the background or that fill the picture and bleed off the edge will give the impression of drama, importance, intensity or happiness. Without the limitation of just a single point of interest, repetition helps the eye dance from point to point. I would like to incorporate similar elements into my work and experiment with repetition to elude the 'regular' fashion shoot.

Refining Ideas

Based on last weeks feedback I created two extended and modified mood boards, which reflect colour schemes and concepts for post production. I have chosen the colours green, orange and yellow because of the bold tones, and they're representativeness of nature and traditional African body adornment. I have chosen samples of knit rather than finished garments to emphasise the theme of diversity. I have demonstrated how the samples can adorn the body in a variety of different ways. Mostly the samples include ruffled and obscure textures, contesting and working alongside the clean and concise concept for the photo shoot. In the mood boards there are examples of how I could style the samples experimenting with movement and angles. Below are three small mood boards I created which demonstrate the atmosphere I'd like to create. To me these images depict free spiritedness, diversity, celebration, non traditional ideas and confidence. In the past I have produced fairly straight forward images, with little exaggeration or manipulations to garments. For this project I intend to experiment, creating unconventional accessories and garments.

Body Adornment

Native American Adornment 

The origins of knitting comes from the Egyptians, and the very first pieces of anything resembling knitting we know about were socks, found in Egyptian tombs dating back to around 3AD, a time when Egypt was part of the Roman Empire. Regardless of the strong link to the origins of knitting and the Egyptians, I think that their fashion is fascinating. They were architects of fashion with their garments filled with a variety of colours and adorned with precious gems and jewels.  They highly valued personal adornment, and jewellery was worn by both men and women of all social classes. Statues of kings and gods were adorned with lavish jewels, and the deceased were sent off into the afterlife ornamented in the jewellery of the living. Jewellery was very popular in Ancient Egypt, no matter the social class. It was heavy and rather voluminous. The Egyptians became very skilled when making jewellery from turquoise, metals like gold and silver, and small beads. Those who could not afford jewellery made from gold or other stones would make their jewellery from coloured pottery beads.One creation that was specific to ancient Egypt was the gorgerine, an assembly of metal discs worn on the chest, either over bare skin or over a shirt, and attached in the back. Earrings, bracelets, armbands, collar pieces, rings and anklets were all common types of adornments worn in ancient Egypt. Jewellery seemed to be the most important factor of an Ancient Egyptians wardrobe. I plan to take this concept of making accessories a focus point in my photo shoot, but styling them in diverse ways. I wish for the accessories to be placed in unconventional ways in place of a garment.

African Adornment

Africans have ancient traditions for decorating and accessorising the body in rich and varied ways. Traditionally, many African people wore little to cover their bodies, leaving their skin exposed and available for decoration. Africans adorned themselves in four general ways: scarification, body painting, beadwork, and jewellery.

Scarification involves deliberately cutting the skin in decorative patterns that leave permanent scars. Scarification can be in the form of grooves cut down in the skin or welts that stick up above the skin in raised designs.

Body painting is a colourful art used by various African cultures to celebrate, protect, and mourn. Traditionally, body paint was mixed from natural ingredients and smoothed on the skin with fingers, sticks, or grasses. Oil, clay, and chalk were the most common paint ingredients, but the Dinka of southern Sudan have in the past used ash, cattle dung, and urine to make their face paint. Some wear body paint to indicate their age and apply full body decorations as a kind of daily outfit.

Jewellery of many sorts is worn throughout the African continent. Both women and men wear necklaces, bracelets, anklets, earrings, nose rings, and other jewellery. Jewellery serves as both an ornament to beautify and, in some cases, a protective guard against evil spirits. Ndebele women of Zimbabwe beautify themselves by stretching their necks with tight rings of brass called dzilla. The Berbers of northern Africa wear silver ornaments to protect themselves from illness and evil spirits.

Knitting in Culture

Following my visit to the Fashion and Textiles museum I decided to look further into the idea of culture and knitting. I studied three varying knitting traditions from contrasting cultures to look at the differences and similarities. Colours, styles, patterns and shapes differ somewhat, but what really interested me is the variety of ways the human figure can be “decorated”. Linguistically, all evidence implies that knitting is a fairly recent invention. There are no ancient legends of knitting like there are legends of spinning and weaving. There are no ancient gods or goddesses who knit, no legend of how it was invented or given by the gods. That lack implies that it is a recent skill, developed after mythologies were established around the world.

Native American clothing was a main factor in cultural and religious ceremonies. Intricate knit, beadwork and feathered headdresses were also commonly worn during ceremonial displays. Many of the decorations and the objects used by the women to adorn the clothing were significant symbols of stature and power. Family relationships were also honoured through the art of making Native American clothing. Women would diligently work on the clothes for loved ones, and by using objects that represented the occupations of her loved ones. The Native Americans are known for their belief in the respect of nature, including animals, earth and the environment. They also adorned their bodies in a variety of different ways. From designs applied directly to the skin to elaborate ornaments crafted of symbolic materials, Native American body decoration was very important to the religious and social life of tribal members. In many tribes the skin was considered a canvas on which to paint or tattoo designs. Although warriors used paint to prepare for battle, body painting was not only used for war paint. Painted designs

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The Aran jumper is a style of jumper that takes its name from the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland.A traditional Aran Sweater usually is off-white in colour similar to a sheep's wool and is made from 100% wool. One of the most recognisable features of a tradition Aran is its cable patterns on the chest. The jumpers are distinguished by their use of complex textured stitch patterns, several of which are combined in the creation of a single garment. Some stitch patterns have a traditional interpretation, often of religious significance. The honeycomb is a symbol of the hard-working bee. The cable, an integral part of the Aran islander's daily life, is said to be a wish for safety and good luck when fishing. The diamond is a wish of success, wealth and treasure. The basket stitch represents the basket, a hope for a plentiful catch.

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The Norwegian image, as it is presented to tourists, is dominated by moose and polar bears rather than sheep. Nonetheless, clothes that are made from the wool of the sheep generally have a substantial symbolic value at the regional or national level. During the late 19th century, the task of building a nation pervaded Norwegian cultural life. This also applied to the Norwegian handicrafts movement, which strove to preserve and pass on the best handicrafts from traditional farming society. At the same time, such products had to symbolise the essence of being Norwegian.The new suits and national costumes were based on historical folk costumes and formal dress clothes. The tradition of knitting garments with woollen yarn of two or more colours reaches back to the 1850s, and the resulting patterns on knitted sweaters and cardigans are generally viewed as Norwegian. In stories about the Norwegians, woollen garments are strongly associated with the image of Norwegians being born with skis on their feet

Exhibition Visit - Chanel to Westwood

I recently visited the exhibition at the Fashion and Textiles museum “Chanel to Westwood.” It is an exploration of the knitwear clacked up by some of the biggest names in fashion.” The space demonstrates how shapes, styles  and pattern in knitwear changed over the decades, from Coco Chanel’s neat twin sets – which introduced jersey to the world of couture – to the vibrant, multicoloured knits that came out of the ‘make do and mend’ movement in the ’40s. Whether machine-produced for the general market or hand-knitted during wartime rationing, the garments on display give a sense of the emotional investment that went into their creation. That is something almost unique to knitwear, in my opinion.

Dennis Nothdruft, the museum’s curator, believes the “basic functionality of knitwear” loses out against the glamour of couture. But with knitwear, especially if knitted yourself, every step and stitch in construction is known, seen and touched – the very same characteristics of haute couture, which makes it even harder to understand why knitwear suffers by comparison.

Before visiting this exhibition my understanding and passion for knitting was present. My mum had previously studied knitwear design at central saint martins and had produced some amazing samples. Over the years as she saw me follow a similar pathway as her, we began to look at them together and she taught me some basic skills. I decided that my project could become a lot more personal due to this aspect, and could be explored in detail.

Although everything on display was amazing in its own right, something that really grabbed my attention for a potential narrative idea was the traditional knits. In comparison to the other garments they aren't instantly amazing, but they represent cultural identity and tradition. The Fair Isle is a traditional knitting technique used to create patterns with multiple colours. It is named after Fair Isle, a tiny island in the north of Scotland, that forms part of the Shetland islands. Fair Isle knitting gained a considerable popularity when the Prince of Wales (later to become Edward VIII) wore Fair Isle tank tops in public in 1921. Traditional Fair Isle patterns have a limited palette of five or so colours, use only two colours per row, are worked in the round, and limit the length of a run of any particular colour.

Exploring themes

My initial idea was focused on knitwear. I don't know a lot about knitwear but I am interested in the making of it. I like the way it can be placed on the body in unconventional ways and still look amazing. To place knit on the body in this way would be an aspect of diversity I could explore. I would use knit different ways in which they are normally used or accepted and display them in a non-traditional way.

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Group critique notes

This idea is more suited to my style

Reflects diversity through clothing rather than using "obvious" model choices for topic 

Experiment with location and studio photography

Experiment with movement

Visit the V&A

I took these comments into consideration and decided to pursue this idea.

Another idea I came up with was to explore the idea of astrology in the news. Recently NASA have made huge breakthroughs is scientific history, which is an area that interests me. I started to look into space like photo shoots, involving a lot of pre production e.g. hair and makeup. I am confident in computer based production and would be happy to collaborate with hair and makeup artists to achieve this concept.

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Group critique notes

This idea is interesting, but it doesn't suit my style of work

Looks fun to produce, but may not reflect idea of diversity 

Experiment with idea first

Try out makeup & hair

Although I was passionate to work with an idea that I hadn't tried out before, the comments my group made were valid and  decided to abandon this idea.

Term 2 - Researching Mastheads

For this unit we must develop the ability to tell stories through visual means. This unit explores the power of storytelling within fashion communication, specifically for editorial fashion images. Our brief is to create a narrative fashion editorial that addresses issues of diversity. Fashion images are often criticised for their dependence on rigid beauty ideals that exclude groups of people based on issues including but not limited to age, race, and body type. This brief is being run in conjunction with the All Walks Beyond the Catwalk Diversity NOW! 2015 campaign supported by i-D online.

Narrative: a representation of a particular situation or process in such a way as to reflect or conform to an overarching set of aims or values: 

Diversity: 

The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance, respect and understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. It is the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment. It is about understanding each other and moving beyond simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within each individual. 

I have started off this unit by exploring different Mastheads online. I received the latest issue of Tank magazine for Christmas, I have never actually had my own copy of this magazine until now and I really enjoyed the contemporary approach to fashion. Included in the magazine is a variety of coexisting cultural themes, such as art, architecture, fashion, current affairs, and music. The magazine has acquired an "idiosyncratic, distinct voice through design, critical approach to writing and eclectic style". Acquiring this magazine encouraged me to do some of my own research into it, and through this process I was connected to multiple different magazines that I had not come across before, such as - "10" , "Purple Fashion" and "Soon international". Although magazines such as VOGUE and ELLE have immense credibility in the fashion-sphere, I feel that my style does not collate. As you can see through my mood board, I have chosen magazines that celebrate emerging talent, culture and youth with a bit more "edge". 

After researching mastheads I decided to really get a feel for some of the magazines I had initially looked into. With assistance from the internet I started collecting editorial style imagery from each magazine. This process helped me to identify which style Id like to adopt for my own editorial style shoot, and which mastheads didn't really coincide with the style I was looking for. I have managed to narrow down my options to a handful e.g. Dazed&Confused, I.D, Garage, 10, Love, Tank and Another magazine. To narrow my options down further I intend to view these in person and purchase either recent copies or past copies on eBay.