This 4 part photoshoot I did with Kim is an example of what booking ‘The Whole Shebang’ package can look like.
‘The Whole Shebang’ package includes three different looks plus your choice of either a wildcard look or a nude portion of the photoshoot. A wildcard look is just that- a surprise. I create a look as if you weren’t a client and instead a model that I could just have complete creative freedom to style however I want. (More on that in Part 4.)
For this first look we wanted something bold and strong, with a nod to the classic simplicity yet slightly daring styling of a Vanity Fair cover.
I knew that I would be using a black backdrop in order to create a closer, dramatic intimacy in the images.
I also knew that I was probably going to want to edit a lot of these in black and white, so whatever I chose outfit-wise had to look good both ways. I wanted something that toed the line between off-beat and timelessness.
There was this high-low black floral skirt traveling with me just begging to be used so I started with that as a base garment. I immediately thought to put it around the shoulders because…that’s just how my brain works. The dramatic silhouette with the texture in the pleating was perfect. I originally had this paired with a long, black antique cotton skirt but a few days before the shoot I switched everything up by swapping to black pants. By this point we had fleshed out all of the other concepts and looks and it was bothering me that Kim was only in long skirts and dresses. I wanted to give a bit more variety to her collection of images. Hence the pants. It just looked cooler than the skirt did. I added a striped top underneath for an interesting juxtaposition between garments. And of course, it needed a hat. I picked this one up on tour at an antique store, one of those rare examples of when you go looking for a specific item and happen to actually find it. Lastly, heels for drama. Oh and a spool of tulle for fucking around and finding out purposes.
For hair and makeup Elle at Pine Grove Co was hired because, well, she’s the best. If there’s hair or makeup you like in my portfolio, chances are she was the artist behind it. I believe my direction to her was that I wanted a ‘bold lip, bold yet classic look and not too dark…but definitely a smoky eye.’ She understood the confusing assignment, per usual. She just gets what I want and builds on it with her own art form- hair and makeup.
As for the set, well it’s a garage. Doors closed, window taped up and two lights and a black backdrop. It’s not glamorous, and it doesn’t have to be. You don’t need fancy stuff to create art, you just need to have vision and a can-do attitude. These images turned out just as good if not better background-wise than the studio I rented last year with a black background.
And the rest is just in-the-moment magic, as you can see from the video. Kim was gently directed every step of the way, making sure that everything was just perfect. For this type of photoshoot we wanted a very posed, stylized look so it was more about nailing poses versus spontaneous moments and movement.
Oh yeah, Kim is also 62. Photography is not just a gift for the young. Photography is about discovering and celebrating facets of your self, your soul. Reveling in what it means to be alive and in a body and all the complexities that entails. Age has nothing to do with it, except that documenting yourself at every age is supremely important.
