4.17.2012

A WAY OF DOING, A WAY OF BEING DONE.

This past week i had the privilege of styling two different shoots photographed by an extremely talented international photographer (and friend) Caitlin Bellah. One of the things i find so unique about working with her is that she has a style that can not be helped, a true "signature". As a stylist I've worked really hard for my "signature" to exist via it's non-existence. From shoot to shoot i usually work with a different team, draw inspiration from different eras, and explore different subjects. For a long time Ive felt working in this manner was not only really important to me developing as a stylist, but a necessary evil as this "non-style" would hopefully allow me to appeal to many different clients, publications etc.

Of course i am proud of all of my work, but there is no doubt that some of my most successful styling has a certain aesthetic nod to anything either Mid-evil, Victorian or "Vintage" (click here for an example). Though these styles of dress came about at totally different times and existed through totally different definitions of what a woman was to society, what they all have in common is a certain accentuation of femininity - sometimes to an exaggerated even decadent extent. Though Bellah's fairly young, her point of reference lies far into the past and taps deep into that same decadent femininity i seem to so naturally expand on. This combination makes working with her a really special, almost centering experience. Of course each project Caitlin works on wears a different costume but they all share a certain sense of cinema, if you will. The images she creates do not directly tell you a story, they leave that to mystery and draw you closer by making it clear they come from a place somewhere between history and feminine fantasy. Both going through my own creative process and being part of Caitlin's has left me feeling recharged and ready to do more work that plays to what seems to be my natural "style". Below are a number of images that not only inspire me but echo many of the themes portrayed in Caitlin Bella's work - enjoy!














1 comment:

  1. Hey Love,

    Amazing! I would definitely see more of that from you....I like that you chose this route....hopefully you'll be shooting with Tim Walker in a few years.

    xx

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