A Model Inspires a Shoot
God, I feel like I shot this so long ago, a whole history book of my life could’ve been written between the time today when I’m sitting down to write this post and the day I actually shot this editorial. But here goes! Thank God Tyler is in the other room retouching for me. He’s young….he can remember the details!
When Felice Fawn asked me to contribute to the Spring issue of MIRRIN Magazine, I already had a concept in mind that I wanted to shoot for it. About a month before she contacted me, I was casting for an advertising job where I needed a male model and a package came in with Tait’s portfolio. Tait wasn’t right for the job I was casting for but when I saw his portfolio I knew I HAD to shoot him in the near future. So when MIRRIN came along and Felice told me to shoot what I wanted, I knew I had my model. At least one of them. For this shoot, the model informed the story. Tait has this very androgynous look. He’s 16 years old, tall and thin with wispy, straight long blonde hair and this really gorgeous face. He’s very edgy, very beautiful. I wanted to do a semi-romantic theme….after all, it was for MIRRIN’s Spring Issue and the whole concept behind MIRRIN, as they so succinctly say, is to erase the line between elegant and dark. I didn’t want this to be a typical love story. I wanted it to have a disturbing, ambiguous feel to it. A darker edge with a light, Spring almost fairy tale feel. I knew Tait could pull off this look. Now I had to find his twisted partner. After scouring the model boards and having numerous submissions come in from the various modeling agencies, I chose Dani from Photogenics. She almost looks like she could be Tait’s sister. Long, sinewy body with long, goldilocks and an achingly beautiful face, she defies the conventional and the banal. She’s sexy, like Tait, without being overt and obvious. That’s exactly what I was looking for!
We shot the first part of the editorial at my house in the Hollywood Hills. I live in Fred Astaire’s old estate and the grounds have that mysterious garden feel. There’s lots of steps leading to dead end, ivy covered areas with bricked in walkways and lots of twisted trees and overhanging limbs. I rented a smoke machine to pump up that ominous look, like a misty forest for our enchanted couple to find themselves in. The second part of the day we moved over to Griffith Park where I hike when I actually decide to do something healthy for myself. When I’m on my hike I’m always distracted with the beauty there and I’m forming shot lists in my head to come back to and utilize on some shoot I might have coming up. I have to say, my crew was great for the MIRRIN shoot. Robert Medford did hair. Michelle Tabor did the make up. And Kelvin Seah, who I’ve worked more than a couple of times, did the styling. All artists are represented by AIM Artists here in LA and I would work with all three of them again! Great people! Of course, Kelvin was the first person I contacted about doing the job. I gave him my idea, I sent him ideas and the model’s online portfolios and him and I collaborated further on the looks I wanted for the shoot. I like working with Kelvin for a lot of reasons, but the two more important ones are that: 1. He gets me without me having to over-explain myself. 2. He’s got great taste. I can trust he’ll pull exceptional clothing and accessories. Because organizing a shoot is a big job with many components, the last thing I want to deal with is mis-communication between myself and my stylist.
The weather was fantastic the day of the shoot in late January. Even though it was the dead of winter (lol….there is no such thing as the “dead of winter” here in LA but I like to sound dramatic sometimes), the day was warm with a mild breeze, so we didn’t need to rent a wind machine. From Ralph Lauren’s tulle skirt to Rick Owens’ bias cut gown, we ran the gamut of modern luxury. And Dani and Tait were perfect as my lovely “couple”. Sorry, there’s not much lighting tech talk on this post. I used natural light with the exception of two shots where I used a SB800 for a little flash fill that Tyler, my first assistant hand held roughly about 10 feet away. It was turned down to 1/4 power with no diffusion or cute coffee filters made into soft boxes over the head. I used an old piece of foam core that had been sitting out in the rain and was completely warped as my reflector. No other reason than hey, it was still usable. Why not? I used my NIkon D2x, switching between my 24mm 2.8 lens and my 85mm 1.4 but I also used a Nikkor 50mm 1.8 for a lot of the shots. I wanted to throw out the backgrounds so I shot wide. I shot fast, too. Sometimes my shutter was at 1/2000th of a second because I wanted to freeze the action of the hair flying in the air but also because I wanted to shoot wide.
You can download the issue from Lulu here! It sells for US $47.10 but you can download the entire issue for US $7.85! Depending on your budget, either format is wonderful! There are some great photographers that contributed to this issue and it’s worth every penny to see the incredible design and lay out that Felice did! Also, for an extra treat we did a BTS video for my readers so you can see a little of what went on during the shoot. I absolutely detest being in front of the camera, I can’t help but smile and look away because I find the whole thing so….hmmmm…..I don’t know the right word. My dear John Waiblinger is patient with me. John is the man behind the video camera and he actually gets me to relax a little and forget that he’s even filming me half the time. A big thank you to John! So here you go….here’s the BTS video and like we used to say back in the day…..this one’s for YOU!!!
Watch the Video
More Images
(ALL IMAGES © MELISSA RODWELL PHOTOGRAPHY 2010)
These pictures are AMAZING!!!
Beautiful work Melissa!
The models, the light, the colours all work perfectly together!
It really does conjure up a Spring feel in a kind of ‘True Blood’ (but even better) way!
Cool to see the behind the scenes video and the whole set up of the shoot!
Harvey
Fabulously and hauntingly beautiful!! As always.
Perfect casting! Wow.
What an amazing shoot, seems like you are a magnet for perfect models
Great post, as usual! Thanks for the kind words – having the opportunity to be there and capture a bit of the flavor of you at work is something I always so look forward to. Watching you work is totally inspiring, and your focus is awesome (that’s when you really forget there’s a camera pointing at you!). I am always struck by how well you work with your crew, how easily you are able to get your models to do exactly the right thing and how comfortable they are with you. Each shoot I’ve been to always has a wonderful collaborative feel to it — a bunch of professionals, each doing their part to contribute to an amazing end product. In addition to your incredible eye and artistic vision, you have a powerful ability to pick the right people to work with and meld them into a team. And through all the hard work and focus, it still is totally fun (filled with irreverent moments and insane, funny banter) – and we all get to relax and breath. I think that is part of why people so enjoy working with you.
Well, there’s my 2 cents worth, and I so look forward to the next shoot.
WOW, simply incredible!
Brilliant Behind The Scenes Video!
It’s all good, no wonderful. If ever there was a shoot which matched Felice’s own style this is it and I wonder if you had that in mind? Both models are terrific but the girl for me is the star. I’m getting 1970s Pirelli Calendar without the naughty bits – was that an intention also?
This just goes to show that a professional team is the key to success as opposed to attempting a shoot like this solo (which is my normal situation).
When you come over to the UK you’ll realise that Cali is blessed weatherwise and our time window for this sort of shot is around four months of the year, that’s unless it’s raining of course.
A truly great result both in colour and mono – also the smoke was an inspired choice.
i love lazer!
Sumptuous work Melissa. Aspirational and inspirational.
Thanks to everyone for the sweet compliments!
@jon stars: i love lazer too!
Incredible as always!!
I love this shoot! Awesome video as well.
Exquisite! Inspiring! Authentic!
Aww thanks guys I love you too
LOVE LOVE LOVE! The beauty of the pics in this post moved me to tears. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your art with us.
I love the last few shots in the woods, I love how you captured the movement of the female model!
Fantastic Job as always…..Thank you for sharing your Work..A professional team is the key to success…..Great Images….Love Ferndell too!!
Beautiful photos Melissa!!! you and the team did an awesome work!!!
In this “you have to buy x gear to do great photos” state of the photo world now this blog entry comes as a great lesson!!! What matters is the person behind the camera and the team, not the gear.
Thanks for sharing!!!
Thank you for sharing this post … always look forward to them. Superb vision as always. I like to think of you as a chef, scouring the markets for the freshest produce, keeping an open mind for new ingredients and their possibilities, assembling the best team of assistants … keep on cookin’ girl!
They are just perfect. Love them.
The make up fit in so good. Thanks for sharing.
I love the unisex ones. So classic. The haircut are perfectly fit as well.
Lovely work Melissa, Ihave just downloaded the issue….only £5.00 in the UK.
Your blog posts are always excellent.
I always love what you do. Thanks for pretty things.
Hey what was the song playing in the background?
The song is Special Needs by the UK band, Placebo. Great band.
yes indeed! that’s the song! Sorry, should put that
We use them in almost all of our videos!
Hi!
I have a question and I’d be glad if you could help me with an answer. What kind of material is used on that big, large, white background? Is it a wall, a fabric like cotton, or paper? Here in my studio, we use paper and love it, but the space is much smaller. For a big studio, what materials are used for backgrounds?
You can answer me on my blog http://www.lancelloti.wordpress.com or by email carol@barkstudio.net
Thank you! I love your blog
This Post and the video has caused me more than an hour of reflection.
It is good to see how it is done when it is done RIGHT.
It is good to see how a really good model moves. I sense that the direction is minimal when the model is really good.
I would like to see a post(S) that really gets into direction and how you approach that. I have asked some good photographers about direction and gotten vague references. My guess is, you Melissa can explain the process better than most.
Thanks again for this work from your hearts.
Dan
Your work inspires me. Such talent,thank you for sharing.
Beautiful shoot Mel.
These are gorgeous shots!
Love it!
Hey thats my friend Tyler in the video!
great atmospheric shots, beautiful work..
Wow, Melisa I really think this shoot shows off some of your BEST work so far (haven’t seen your most recent). I really really love these pictures. Did you feel especially inspired this shoot? How do you feel about this shoot when you were in the middle of it?
Absolutely LOVE these! And thanks so much for the video, it really helps show the process more clearly!
great work ! … as you allways do
Great editorial Melissa. Always love the emotional feel you get your editorials. And i’m always amazed at what you do with natural lighting and a reflector. Very inspiring. Just wondering if most of your editorial or test location shoots are guerilla style, or are you pulling permits? Did you pull for Griffith park? I’m in LA too, so to me this seems to be a very hard town to do guerilla in, but you seem to manage it somehow. Any tips?
Hey! Fabulous male model. This shoot isn’t my favorite of yours though. It’s a little too all over the place. But I love the 6th image down. Beautiful!
Beautiful as always. I don’t think I’ve seen an editorial from you I haven’t loved
Thanks so much for including the video of the shoot, I know you don’t love being filmed but thanks so much for allowing us to see how you work, very helpful for us to see.
Love the look of both models…a little Tim Burton-ish.
How did you guys power the smoke machine outside?
One day when i am older…..I can only wish to be this good
I don’t know what else to say now. You blog always my favorite fashion photography. Those photos just amazing. I always wanna catch human’s face from beautiful angel just really hard to see someone’s soul
Thank you for this post, it’s always interesting to see how a shoot is put together and you do it beautifully.
I have to admit that it’s not my favourite shooting of yours tho: IMHO there are some beautiful images, but they’re not all at the same level and the weaker ones pull the others down, but I guess it’s just personal taste.
Both models are stunning, but I agree with Roger Mann on the female model being the star, you could see from the pictures and the video made it more obvious.
The guy is beautiful indeed, but he seems a bit stiff, I guess that he’s very young and probably less experienced.
Coming back to photography, I’m amazed by our use of natural light, it is superb and inspiring and I love the 6th picture!
Asemrowend… Breathtaking images! love the shadows from the leaves on her skin…
Hell yeah,
Love it. As always u r on the top
As always inspiring work. Great song selection for this video as well.
You have the one trait necessary for creativity that can’t be taught: vision. Tait was the perfect match for this shoot, and the images are outstanding. Kudos, kid. It’s a great series.
PS – It’s been a while since we jawed on about important topics. Let’s grab a glass of Chardonnay and have a long-distance confab, shall we?
Discovered your blog some time ago, and it’s THE BEST fashion photography blog out there!! Love your work, and great to see the behind the scenes vids. I’m a norwegian girl aiming to be a fashion photographer one day myself, and am in the process of building up my port. I work as a part time assistant now.
One tech wish: Could you please give some feedback about your focusing technique on the Nikon machines? What AF programs do you use (if any…) and what modes and settings etc? I work as an assistant, and regularly use the D3x, D3 and D700. My favourite lenses are the 85mm f/1.4, the 50mm f/1.4 and the 24-70mm f/2.8. I love working free and handheld, and like to follow and shoot my subjects like you do in this Mirrin shoot. Amazing machines as these Nikons are, I find the different focusing programs, modes and settings in the menu a bit confusing, and often end up with a little disappointing results (or out of focus pictures as it’s also called…). So how do you get your Nikons to keep those eyes sharp when shooting full figure/half figure and your subjects walk and move like they do in the Mirrin shoot? I could really need some help on what focus mode to use and what settings to have…… The photographer I assist rarely use autofocus, so no real help there… Thanks!
Stine
Beautiful work!
Regards from
Maria in Sweden
Very inspiring! The behind the scenes video was great!
Your shots are always something else. Well composed and snapped at the right moment.
Amazing work…like your black white collection.
Awesome!!! thanks for sharing!! the video is just incredible, it is always nice to see how everything is done
Congrats!!
This is beautiful work. You’re an inspiration.
This is one of my favourite shoot by Melissa! Absolutely adore the feeling you get looking at these pictures! Love it!
Great shots Melissa. Very inspirational, thank you for sharing them with us!
Best regards
I felt fashion on it! that was an amazing shot.
That male model is beautiful… absolutely stunning.
Great shots
♥
I want to make pictures like this!!
great photographs , whole set is beautiful.
Stunning Neo-Victorian punk surrealistic feel
stunning photo. black & white photos takes u back in old days. thumbs up
hi, im very big fan of you and this blog, im starting in fashion photography and u have really inspired me, i have a question , how did u manage to get the movement on the background but keeping thr models sharp?
Absolutely stunning… Very inspiring. What a talent!
Asemrowend… Breathtaking images! love the shadows from the leaves on her skin…
Fede Billeder!!
I agree with you Jerry
Fabulous shots! They’re so expressive! Amazingly beautiful girls!
Wow these are simply beautiful!!! Very inspired by your work
AMAZING!!!
Feeling so inspired!
And both models are simply wonderful!!!
Nice shoot! Hauntingly beautiful.