Thursday, December 30, 2010

International Photographer Watch: David LaChapelle - Pop Art Photography


Whilst researching for an article on underwater fashion photography I rediscovered American cult photographer David LaChapelle through his recent exhibition including photographs from his underwater series "Awakened".


His over the top style became famous during the rise of celebrity culture as his work reflected everything that the new dawn of celebrity represented; sex, drugs, money, greed, high-fashion and excess of all kinds.


Nowadays LaChapelle is one of the world's most in-demand photographers and directors for advertising and publishing. His imprint is everywhere - from Burger King ads to the music videos he directs for pop sensations like Christina Aguilera. He has photographed everyone from Marilyn Manson, Angelina Jolie, Madonna, Lady Gaga to David Bowie and Cher - "all telling - no hiding" celebrity portraits: bright, loud and dripping with irony.


"It (celebrity portraiture) ended for me with Paris Hilton. I loved the superficial emptiness, the blonde hair, the extensions, the contact lenses, the spray-on tan ... she's so perfect." David LaChapelle


CNBC documentary on David LaChapelle:





Coming back to underwater photography - well sort of, last year, LaChapelle exhibited a series of photographs of submerged people called the "Awakened". David explains that he had "been working so long with models who were quite conscious of the camera" leaving him desperate to figure out a way to keep his subjects from posing.

He got a large tank filled with warm water and basically dunk people inside, some of which did not even know how to swim. With the water being illuminated the subjects were forced to relax, all they could see was a big blur.




The "Awakened" was about rebirth exploring as LaChapelle puts it: "are they dying or are they being reborn or are they being enlightened".



Referring to his beginnings as a photographer LaChapelle remembers avoiding magazine work, he was creating art and art belonged in exhibitions in galleries. Meeting the editors of Interview Magazine at one of his early shows it was Andy Warhol who persuaded him to join the team as their key photographer. Agreeing to it, he quickly developed this idea in his head "that magazines were like a gallery and if you got your magazine page ripped out and someone stuck it on their refrigerator, then that was a museum - someone's private museum.
I have a huge museum in this case!



David LaChapelle:
"I’m hungry for art in general. I’ve studied and loved art. I don’t know if you call it studying, but since I was a child I’ve aspired to be an artist by whatever means possible: I wasn’t going to be any kind of businessman. It also gave me license not finish school, to not pay attention in classes, in mathematics, because I knew I was going to be an artist from a really young age. So I knew I was never going to need all the stuff they were teaching me in school. I loved art, so I read and studied everything I could. Even from the beginning I’ve always loved Michelangelo’s work, and have always been going back to it. I know that sounds strange because I was the one who was shooting Lil’ Kim and Pamela Andersen and Paris Hilton."


Asked about his style, LaChapelle explains that he "didn't really know about style. I didn't think about it: I did what I was interested in, what I was attracted to, what I was drawn to. I was drawn to color, and I was drawn to humor, and I was drawn to sexuality and spontaneity. It was all really intuitive. You just do what you love, and then the style happens later on."

Whatever you may call his style, what I love most about his work is his commitment to storytelling - sometimes weird, sometimes grotesque, sometimes shocking, sometimes ironic ... but always unique and fully committed.





photo credits:
inspirationlab.wordpress.com, respect-mag.com, imthejailmadness.wordpress.com, tab0o.blogspot.com, www.americansuburbx.com, mercedesbenzblogphotodb.wordpress.com, www.taringa.net, picasaweb.google.com, www.dustproject.com, imagesfrom.us, pennylifeinpics.blogspot.com; gayspirituality.typepad.com

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Latest Photoshoot: OK! Magazine's Boho Chic


I had been wanting to shoot a Bohemian Story for as long as I can think and was thrilled when my dear friend and photographer Billie Muller asked me to join in on a Hippie Shoot about 3 months ago. Our model was Rene B from Bareface, who I have worked with on numerous occasions and just can't get enough of ... I love her beautiful face ... and funny ways :)
















No Boho Story is complete without an amazing bunch of tini-tiny dried flowers. I got these from a nail art studio in Dubai, they are the most delicate and tiniest of flowers I have ever seen and are a great addition to any professional makeup kit ... and belong in that little bag filled with weirdly unique things waiting to be glued to a face one day :)



Who's That Girl?! - Rene Borisova


I met Rene B some years ago shooting my first ever editorial and she is still as gorgeous as ever. Her recent work includes editorials for Harper's Bazaar shot by Susanne Spiel and National's M Magazine shot by the endlessly talented and creative Tina Chang. Grab your copy of current Middle East's OK! Magazine and get a glimpse of the Boho Story we just shot with Rene.


You can book Rene via her agency Bareface.

This was my first ever editorial, shot with Rene
for Insider Magazine in 2008 by Mosh Lafuente



Photographer: Tina Patni

Photographer: Susanne Spiel

Photographer: Susanne Spiel


Photographer: Toufic Araman

Photographer: Mosh Lafuente


Sunday, November 28, 2010

Latest Photoshoot: Military Issue - Final Images


Photography: Callaghan Walsh
Styling: Natalie Trevis
Hair & Makeup: Toni Malt @ Bareface
Model: Oona @ Bareface










Tuesday, November 16, 2010

What I am up to next? - Mission Impossible 4



For the next three days starting on Thursday this week, I'll be working as a makeup artist on "Mission Impossible 4" starring Tom Cruise and currently being filmed here in Dubai.
We will be shooting a big crowd scene for which an additional 10 makeup artists have been hired (including myself), should be quite a challenge and really exciting!

Tom Cruise performing a stunt on Burj Khalifa - the worlds tallest building


photo credit: www.gulfnews.com

Latest TV Project: CNBCs "Squawk on the Street" with Erin Burnett filmed at Burj Khalifa




I love my job! I really really do!
Whether it's advertising, music videos, fashion editorials or TV ... I am always most positively surprised about the amazing people I get to meet and work with.


Yesterday, I worked with CNBC business news anchor Erin Burnett, who was producing her live-show "Squawk on the Street" from the bottom of the Burj Khalifa tower.


What a truly amazing experience. Erin is just great and so is her crew!
Watching her work during the show was just incredible. With ease she manages last minute info coming in on her blackberry, information from her director on set as well as from the crew in New York over her earpiece whilst interviewing guests with charm and full of wit.


Here is a short clip from the show yesterday ... (there is a short commercial upfront and then the clip from the show)





... as well as some behind the scenes photos.








Whilst we were filming the crowd of young men (Erin's fans) standing behind the fence steadily increased and many told me that they had been at home watching the show as usual only to then realize that Erin was actually at the Dubai Mall outside the Burj Khalifa building, which prompted them to rush down to see her in person and witness the filming of the show live. Who can blame them, she is just wonderful!




video credit: www.cnbc.com