Escapism: This title is likely to change as I’d perhaps like to come up with a better word, however I do think it concisely summarises my concept and general theme. The fashion garments I will be using for my final major project will be knitwear collections made by fashion design graduates. The collections I have chosen are very different to each other but they are equally large, heavy, exciting fashion pieces which will juxtapose my desired locations and help express my idea.
Ever since I saw her photographs at the Paris Photo event Lillian Bassman’s photographic style has particularly influenced the technique I have been using for this project. Her aesthetic was created in the darkroom whereas my version has been created through digital post production. I am not sure if I have let myself down by shunning away from darkroom printing but I wanted to save costs as I am already shooting with film. The results will never be quite the same as they would be had I been printing in the darkroom, unlike Bassman whose work would have been experimental one off editions. I, on the other hand have been playing around with the high contrast, levels, and burning tools in Photoshop to render a similar style to my own taste. Bassman has inspired me to think about my presentation beyond a fashion photographer’s perspective. What intrigues me most about her work is that they often resemble a fashion illustration more so than a fashion photograph; through her smudgy, painterly effects she quite literally ‘blurs’ the lines between a fashion photograph and artwork piece.
For a while I struggled to come up with a concept, in fact it was only very very recently that I had an epiphany about centring my theme around ‘escapism’. Therefore, all my previous work including the pilot project are not true projections of my concept which has meant that consequently I am not truly satisfied with what I have to show.
I began this term by organising shoots without really having an idea of what exactly it was I wanted to capture and instead I focused on the technique too much. As soon as I discovered Lillian Bassman’s work I tried to follow an old fashioned theme and attempted to style my models in “classy”, sophisticated clothing but to suit them simultaneously, but I think it all looks confused and mundane. The last semester however has been an enormous learning curve for me. Although the pilot project dips into the idea around escapism it helped me come up with a plan for my final major project which is as follows: Shooting in the studio isn’t testing me enough and I need my major project to be a challenge so I have decided I would like to shoot my final major project on location instead. This will definitely get me out of my comfort zone and will require a lot of organising and time management which are skills alone I’d like to improve on.
Thanks to the pilot project I have a clearer vision of what I want my final major project to look like. The knitwear pieces are incredibly striking and it has been exciting to do a collaboration with a fashion graduate. The framed image is supposed to allude the viewer to think about what the subject resembles which is ideally something linked to the seaside. In this particular image the design of the garment reminded me of a shell or underwater creature such as a clam, which thus led me to think about the beach and why we go to the beach, and how I could involve it within my project. Shooting for the pilot project allowed me to piece together my idea for the editorial shoots based around the theme of escapism.
For the submission I have submitted a diptych which consists of one framed image and one different print without the frame. The framed photograph was printed A2 to fit the 50x50 frame with mount card so the print itself is 30x30 which in hindsight is too small. I have realised I would prefer bigger prints for the final.
Although my work will be focused around fashion I hope to please the eye of any viewer. I aim to combine elements of fine art by composing fairly abstract, sculptural fashion images and through my post production technique this should also achieve a painterly effect. As well as being thought provoking I hope my final major project will be compelling. I want to be recognised as an artist as well as a fashion photographer.
As I will have collaborated with at least two fashion design students and created my own editorial I hope that more people in that industry will show an interest in my work as well.
In terms of context, fashion photography has a close relationship with feelings of ‘escapism’ and ‘fantasy’. As I have discovered through my dissertation research, before photography had been pioneered, fashion designers and magazines would use illustrations to showcase garments. Interestingly, this particular quote has been significant to my findings: Alice Beard claimed in an essay found in the book ‘Fashion Theory: The Journal of Dress, Body & Culture’ that “The traditional use of illustration in girls’ and women’s magazines, usually to accompany fiction or short stories opens up the possibilities of imagination and fantasy.” (Beard, 2002, P35.) This statement suggests how fashion and fiction have been going hand in hand for decades which is one reason why fashion is associated to story telling, dreams and escapism which is what is a theory my project will focus on.
Production and Presentation
I have been using a medium format Hasselblad throughout the last semester and I will continue using it. I initially started using a digital camera because I rarely use my DSLR now but I cannot resist going back to the beloved analogue.
Regarding the presentation of my final major project I will frame each photograph at A2 or even A1. I am shooting medium format which is built to grab as much detail as possible so big prints are definitely an option, especially as they will be a fashion editorial and large framed prints will look professional in an exhibition space.
I particularly like paper with a slight texture, though it must still be able to manage the punchy blacks as my work will be high in contrast. Out of the papers I’ve tested with so far I liked the Hahnemuhle Photo Rag most because they produce a velvety texture and cope with the tonal range in a way I am happy with. This semester I will test out more of a variety to see if there are other textured papers which might be even more suited.
Visual References / Bibliography
I began my project by gathering several books from the library of the work by photographer’s I am fond of. I stumbled across a book with work by Viviane Sassen and enjoyed every single page I looked at. Each image literally pops out of the page, they are brought to life by the vibrant colours and movements. She combines fine art with fashion and has a distinctive style. Her work has inspired me to consider involving similar elements within my own practice.
Another visual reference who has influenced me in a more discrete way was taken from Prue Stent’s official website. Underneath the ‘Diary Section’ in ‘Collections’ I found three abstract photographs which felt nostalgic and reminded me of being underwater and scuba diving which in retrospect now is quite relevant to my upcoming project.
In addition, I most recently came across some work by fashion photographer James Hawkesworth. His majestic colours, places and subjects have been the latest to inspire me. It has triggered me to think about how I have a strong interest in travelling the world, and in some ways this could also relate to my project.
Finally, Lillian Bassman is another significant visual reference I must mention because her fashion work helped me develop my own style and technique which I aim to stick to.
Tulloch, C. (2002). Fashion Theory: The Journal of Dress, Body & Culture. Vol 6 Issue 1. P35. Oxford: Berg Publishers.
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