Seven.

So this week was the first week back at uni and i'm glad to be back :) I'm excited to get a new brief that isn't so forced and i can actually be imaginative with!! ... However, im not looking forward to this essay!

On wednesday we had a presentation from the fashion photographer Frederike Helwig. I found her presentation truly inspiring. Before the lecture i had researched and gained an insight in to her style of photography as i was unfamiliar with her work. My initial thoughts were that her photographs were quite plain and simple. However, her presentation gave a complete different context to her work and really displayed her character and style within her photographs. As a fashion photographer, her presentation was hugely relative to my practice. I found it inspirational looking at how she had started out in the industry and how she grew as a photographer, changing in different styles of fashion but still keeping her individual style. Her style displayed a 'quirky' european style, that was heavily displayed in her early work, but as her career moved on and by restrictments from commissioners her photographs had to conform to a more american style. However, within her american work, her individual style was still recognizable with that element of 'fun'. With her discussion on style, it really made me think about my own work. Frederike said that university is a good place to discover your own individuality as it what sets you in the right direction for when you leave. I feel that within my work i do show a sense of my own style, however, i feel i need to experiment a bit more with quirkier, individual ideas as my images seem a bit predictable!

TRULY AMAZING!!

Jessica x

Six.

After just posting about Natalia Vodianova... I found this video on the Vogue website of her modeling for the front cover of the February issue by Nick Knight in the Somerset House live studios.

http://www.vogue.co.uk/video/voguetv/player.aspx/exclusives/video,9214/

Take a look :) :)

Jessica x

Five.

Over the last few days, i have literally been inspired by EVERYTHING! I just can't stop thinking about ideas and shoots, constantly coming across new photographers and models.

After receiving 'The September Issue' for Christmas i have been amazed by the works of Grace Coddington, creative director at U.S Vogue. Previously a model for Vogue in her early years, Grace now works along side Anna Wintour (editor-in-chief) creating all the ideas for the shoots etc.

I was inspired by her dedication to the shoots becoming not only the director but also the stylist! She shows a constant creative thought, coming up with new ideas and locations all the time. In particular, i loved her Alice in wonderland shoot she did for vogue in December 2003.

These images were photographed by Annie Leibovitz, but from watching 'The September Issue' its is evident that Grace creates and styles the whole scene, and the photographer is simply just there to sort out the technical issues and press the button!! I just love her sense of style and romance she displays throughout the shoot. All the images are so beautifully staged, portraying the imagery of the story.

Also from this shoot.... the model Natalia Vodianova!! Although she has been around for a while now... i am still struck by her elegance and pure beauty.

Ahh...... I just LOVE her!!!

Jessica x

Four.

Before Christmas i also had my hand in for my incongruous project, that i have spoken about before. For this i went along the idea of 'food for thought' and literally played on that idea. I had a lot of fun with this project as my studio shoot was to have a model in the studio looking as though she was bored and hungry at work sat at the desk.... However, the fun part came in when sticking sweets to the models face!!! Luckily i had my friend Danni to model, that didn't have a problem with this, as i was literally sticking sweets to her face with icing sugar and putting doughnuts in her hair!! Throughout the shoot we were constantly trying to stick the hundreds and thousands back on her lips but they just didn't want to stay so in the end a little photoshop editing did the job!

The second shoot for the back drop of this image was taken in an office, out of focus so the attention would be on the model. I then put the two together by a very long and detailed process on photoshop. To enhance the sweets i then made them brighter and more contrasted and added little things like making her nails different colours and editing and blemishes.

Overall i am very pleased with my outcome and portrays the idea of incongruous well enough with a slightly styled fashion edge!!

Jessica x

A Very Delayed- Three

Sorry.... its been a while!! After all the stress of the hand in i was so relieved that i had finished, i completely forgot to post a blog, and then came christmas ....and then came the snow!! I hope you had a lovely christmas.... and HAPPY NEW YEAR :)

Anyway back to where i left off!!!..... Oh that technical project was my worst nightmare, i don't think i have ever been so stressed in my life!!! However, i've done it and now its all over :) i am pretty pleased with my final images!!

These are my only digital images i have to show for my technical project, as all the rest are film, but when i eventually get the time i will put them up!!!

This was my first attempt at using the metz to create a fill in flash effect. I did later shoot a second shoot as i was unsure if this was correct but after showing the lecturers it turned out i h

ad got it right and these images worked best.

After all the stress of finishing the project, i was happy with my images and the dedication and time that i gave.... it seemed that not having a social life for weeks on end payed off in the end!! The crit went well and they seemed pleased which was good :)

Jessica x