Day 105: Shoot 1 Finals

Using the chosen editing technique and best three compositional photos I have produced my final three photos of costume 1. 

The main issue I encountered was the shades of the models skin, her face and chest was tanned whereas her legs and arms were very pale. I overcame this by adjusting the colour balance and adding more red and yellow in her arms and legs. 

I am very pleased with the final outcome as everything works well together. The costume, hair and make up are all very striking then there is a detailed and unusual background full of texture.

Day 104: Shoot 1 editing

Initial editing

The first step in my editing process is to select the top compositions I want to use, roughly 12. I then edit each on differently using a wide range of effects, crops and tools. I try to make each one completely different from the last as then i will have a huge range to chose from. The only problem i encountered with this is...i forgot how i edited them!

Some are pretty basic editing but for my final effects i had chosen the one technique which i couldnt remember how to do. After manipulating an original photo for awhile I finally found how i created this unusal technique, by desaturating the photo, then going crazy with curves which gave the metal in the photo a space like look. I have chosen this effect to use on my favourite three compositions. I chose three as in a fashion spread this is the average amount I would be fascinated by before losing interest.

I have found editing your own pictures is one of the hardest things as would have to be very selective

classic b&w with extra contrast

love the composition, b&w with extra contrast

like the effect but takes away from costume

barbie inspired pose and colours

barbie inspired pose, b&w, compliments the costume

ejector seat adds detail and context, highlights shape in leg and arm

flash makes it look superficial, saturated colours

very successful edit, curves gone crazy and b&w

extrude around model, very effective but takes away from costume

Day 103: Shoot 1

I have taken pictures throughout the day and photoshoot as a storyboard for the making process.

designing and doing the make up myself

cling film around the body and taping the bodice to the model

finished bodice

problems encountered with the back of bodice

problems fitting the leg shield on

taking role of stylist and choosing accessories

taking role of hair stylist, without or with wig?

Final outfit with wig and taped boots

Todays shoot went really well and encountered no major problems, whilst I have been able to handle playing all the roles in the days before the shoot such as designer and stylist, I found it very demanding and time consuming to play all roles on the day, make up artist, designer, stylist, hair and photographer. On the other hand it has helped me as for future reference I have to allow alot of time for the shoot as instead of a team working for afew hours it is me and the model for the day. I cannot wait to start editing the pictures now, I already have an idea of how I want the final outcome.

Day 102: Prep for shoot

The location of the shoot plays such a big role in the costume and in the final photo, I have spent today arranging the location and selecting props. The locations colours and modern feeling makes it perfect for costume 1 as not only will the costume look great with shiny metal but the propeller, one of my chosen props, has the black and white strips aswell. The location needed to be organized and swept as at the end of the day it was a dirty garage!

Day 101: Costume 2 cont.

By the end of the day I am still not happy with the skirt. I managed to get structure form string, a belt and garden rods then overlaying the garden material, but I am still not convinced. In my eyes it is in the shape of a lampshade! I wanted to achieve an unusual shape, something different but have ended up with a kind of granny skirt. For now this will have to do and wil work as back up but I hope I have the chance to re design the skirt before the shoot.

Day 100: Costume 2

Costume 2 was inspired from a journey back home to London and passing the breathtaking yellow fields with daffodils as far as the eye could see. Continuing on the theme of re invention I decided to incorporate the flowers themselves as a garment.

I was worried as to if the obscure idea of hanging baskets filled with oasis would hold the daffodils but to my suprise I was amazed with the result, it was better than I had ever imagined. The hanging basket idea was going to work!

The real challenge today came when making the skirt. I wanted the skirt to have an architectural feeling to it, one of the Bauhaus' most successful outcomes, but to get structure and shape in a skirt made form garden materials was very hard. I tried everything from cardboard boxes to garden wire but nothing would hold. Tomorrow i plan on continuing my experimentation for the skirt.

Day 99: Costume 1 cont.

Following on from yesterday the making of costume 1 continues, I used three pieces of card to create the leg shield but as i have not been able to source a model yet, i had to shape the cone around my measurements. At all times I have had to keep in mind that the costume is only for the photoshoots, the costume is not my final piece but the PHOTO IS. Therefore the costumes just have to serve their purpose on camera, meaning they dont have to be made to perfection but

Day 98: Costume 1

Reflecting on the first day I had to tackle many issues but successfully overcame them all. I have had problems with the weight of the cardboard (used to add the structure) as it was not being supported, I figured on the day of the shoot the rest of the bodice will be taped to the model (over cling film so it doesnt stick) and therefore the cardboard would hold. The original design for the sleeve was to have it loose and accentuate the length in her arm but I found problems whilst securing the bottom of the sleeve. Therefore I rolled up the sleeve and pinned it, in the end the problem turned into a positive as the sleeve now adds extra shape and design int the costume and really gives it a modern edge. I found using tape as the main material very tricky as soon as it sticks it cannot be moved so it didn't allow much room for mistakes.

Day 97: Costume 1 inspiration

I have tried to incorporate many sources into my inspiration for the costume, including locations, Bauhaus shapes and the iconic barbie striped swimsuit. Today has been very successful, by gathering lots of pictures and referring back to my initial design ideas, I was inspired and anxious to get started making the costume.


I have had to preempt  problems which I may face in the making period as I am on a very strict schedule with only two days to make the costume. Therefore I have already sourced the materials, such as specific tape and card. The location I chose is only available on the 12th April and the location shots below of the garage for my shoot show possible props, including a propeller and ejector sets which I will have to arrange on the day.

Day 96: Fashion Sketches

Taking inspiration from the locations, oskar schlemmer and the original barbie fashion I have produced a range of skecthes exploring initial ideas for costumes for the modern day Bauhaus Barbie.

Based on the location of a field of daffodils.

Based on a boat yard.

Based on the original swimsuit for Barbie and shapes of Oskar Schlemmer.

The sketches are only initial ideas but I am cautious as to the limited time I have, so whilst designing I am also considering the materials as to which can be easily sourced and made into a fashion statement. I find these designs striking but yet at the same time a theme of barbie dress up is occurring, maybe due to the model I have sketched on!

I hope to be able to showcase the costumes aswell but for me personally, my focus is on the photographs and the impact they will have when all the factors come together.

Day 95: Research Tremough

As I am using friends as models, in my past experience I have had to give them alot of direction as to what pose or what mood I want in the photos. This can become an issue as I want to keep the photos as high end fashion and I am restricted in my knowledge of modelling. To overcome this problem I have found Vogue Book of Fashion Photography by Polly Devlin not only helps with inspiration for the models but also for compositions within shooting.

To continue my experimentation I took photographs of a plastic Barbie in an interesting way. By removing the colour from two photographs changes the mood of the picture, it takes away from the barbie and is represented in a different light. The colour on the other hand expresses the vibrant blonde, tanned skin and bright blue eyes of Barbie. Relating this to a photoshoot is subjective, depending on the location, the costume and the model, I have found once I have taken the photographs I will need to allow for a long editing stage as I manipulate each photograph individually. Whilst they are a series of photographs which are all linked, I do not plan on editing all the same way.

As a further experimentation I decided to edit my face onto the body of a barbie. This was to highlight the lack of realism withing the figure, joints and pose of the doll. It has sparked an idea into how alot of girls wanted to be barbie and wished she could try on barbies clothes. I would love for viewers at the exhibition to live the dream and try on the costumes I made but that is unrealistic due to worry of damaging the costume. It is an idea to further explore.

Day 94: Photography Taster Week

Contact Sheets

 Below are the developed contact sheets from the film camera the other day. I find the raw quality of the photos beautiful because when using a digital I usually sort them straight away and start editing instead of really looking at them as a set of work. From the contact sheets you can not only tell the right amount of exposure but also which pictures u later want to develop. The negatives I found were just the length of the process it takes to develop. If i could change anything I would use a colour film due to the fact that I believe using black and white is an easy and quick way of making photographs look 'artistic'. Each photo should be considered individually and manipulated to what fits the picture best, whether it be colour or black and white.

Above is the initial test to work out how long to expose the light sensitive paper.