Existential White

Excerpt from Daft Punk's movie Electroma

Exploring their own brand of humanity, the enigmatic Daft Punk boys created a full-length film journeying through their robot bodies as they attempt to transform themselves into humans. The excerpt here shows the robot characters enter a space-age looking facility to undergo their transformation - the camera techniques used in this scene is where it is interesting. The high-contrast, ultra white silhouettes work really well and is a technique that stays with you visually for its strong graphic quality. This video is a bit long, it's 10 minutes, but the main thing to take away from it is the cinematography, shot by one of the duo Thomas Bangalter, who apparently taught himself about film production in order to make this.

www.electroma.org
www.daftpunk.com

The Ephemera of White

This week is about white!

I came across the work of London based stylist Fred Butler a little while ago - it's often zany and colourful, a bit futuristic and there is a love of craft and unique handmade items. Her skills as a prop maker and her wonderful imagination go beyond. While on her website, i found a film called House of Organza, made for an art event in London in 2009, that really spoke to me of the beauty and transient nature of white.The soft ruffles of the fabric unfold and enclose in a way that is fragile and sensual at the same time and makes for a very beautiful film. The detail of the clothing is really done justice as well, giving the visual closeup while conveying the feel of the light, layered texture of the organza.

I wasn't able to find a video of the whole film to put on the blog, so posted here is a teaser of it, however you can view the actual film (which i recommend) on Fred Butler's website or here at DazedDigital.

Photos and video teaser shot by Mari Sarai
Styled by Kim Howells

images from coutequecoute

"HOUSE OF ORGANZA"' - Extended Video Teaser from PRICKIMAGE on Vimeo.

Heavenly Light

Soft projector light lends a surreal, filmic quality to this editorial featuring Kate Moss. It adds another layer to the clothing, reiterating the tulle and angelic hair and yet is also juxtaposed by the hard edge found in elements like the cigarette and graffiti style projections. Some photos show the projection of a film still - referencing beauty and the beast. Almost like the projection of inner thoughts and feelings, ephemera, and a gauzy veil imprinting on the body.

source: http://community.livejournal.com/ru_glamour/2716512.html?style=mine

Vogue Paris Dec-Jan 2005

Photographer: Craig McDean

Stylist: Carine Roitfeld

Lights, Camera, Lasers!

 

RE-BEL - Film by SHOWStudio

 Shot by Pierre Debusschere and styled by Rasharn Agyemang

Neon and futuristic, this is another exploration into light and a frenetic, expressive journey into a high-tech world. Suggestive of techno textiles, robots and new modes of existence, it is interesting for the atmosphere the work invokes. Shot as a precursor to a new magazine of the same name, the possible applications for film are so far reaching..

more neon eye candy

I just came across this pic on a website called Bleach Black - UV light from the tanning bed and a great photo. A bit more low-tech than the Herring & Herring images but equally as interesting.

www.bleachblack.com

Radioactive Light

A great photographic collaboration exists between Dimitri Scheblanov and Jesper Carlsen, who founded Herring & Herring in 2008. Radioactive uses the one technique to amazing effect, and the neon, glowing garments literally jump out of the image like very cool kids stepping out from the nuclear reactor - or another planet. Styled by Katie Collins, published in Surface Nov 2009. For more of their work go here.

Let There Be Light

UV light, laser light, glow sticks, flare guns, fairy lights, halogen lights, neon lights, projector light, torchlight, candlelight, strobe light, black light, night vision, infrared.....

LIGHT

So many different possibilities and effects. So many ways to affect perception and experience. Light can be emotional, it can cause anxiety, it can wash something out so that only a brief impression remains. Light often means life while a lack of light is dangerous and threatening. Light can also be heavenly and suggest another plane, or it can be futuristic and technology-driven.

LED Spraycan by aïssa logerot

Dazed and Confused, styled by Nicola Formichetti, photographed by Pierre Debusschere

Dazed and Confused, styled by Nicola Formichetti, photographed by Pierre Debusschere

The artwork of Olafur Eliasson is so arresting in his experiential projects with light. His dutch/icelandic heritage conveys a fascination with the human condition and its environments, and his installations immerse the viewer within them. This attests to how significantly light impacts on us, and having been to one of his exhibitions i can say that his work truly resonates for a long time after the experience - hugely inspirational. www.olafureliasson.net

The weather project (2003)

Your atmospheric colour atlas (2009)

Beauty (1993)

Room for one colour (1997)

Stylists no. 4 - Nicola Formichetti

Nicola Formichetti has been amazing me with his work lately. Having established himself through his position as creative director at Dazed and Confused, he also fills the boots of fashion editor at Vogue Hommes Japan, V mag, Another magazine and Another Man. I am in awe of his styling work with men's fashion in particular - it really goes beyond the typical representation of male fashion and toward a less gender-stereotyped sensibility. His creative style is quite diverse but the use of props, accessories and makeup often play a large part, combined with photographic effects or location to make a complete and engaging story. I'm very much drawn to colourful things at the moment, especially in fashion photography, however his black and white work is also beautiful.
Here's a taste of some editorials, a whole lot more on his website www.nicolaformichetti.com

Stylists no. 3 - Michelle jank

ACNE Spring/Summer 2010 presentation - by Michelle Jank and Richard Brandon Cox
featuring art by Katerina Jebb at the Barbican Curve Gallery, London, music by Jonny Seymour and Paul Mac.

Originally from Perth, Michelle Jank now flits between Paris and Sydney, her work encompassing styling, her own jewellery and fashion designing, and now some video work. Making the clear link between art and fashion, this film for ACNE's 2010 summer range is set in a gallery and conveys a rather ethereal quality. I've also included a recent shoot she has styled with photographer Harold David, which is just beautiful for the monochromatic colour blocking (nude colours are so hot right now!) and the florally constructed eye mask. Dry australian bush meets mademoiselle.

 

 

http://linleeloves.blogspot.com/2010/02/when-michelle-jank-met-harold-david.html

Stylists no. 2 - Giovanna Battaglia

Image from Garance Doré

Giovanna Battaglia holds the post as Fashion Director of Vogue Gioiello and Vogue Pelle (the italian jewellery and fur-centric issues of Vogue). She favours theatrical compositions, with a definite influence from the cinema, particularly in her editorial styling for L'Uomo Vogue - you get a real sense of vintage italian films being invoked. I think her work in black and white is particularly good. Here are a few shots from various editorials:

Images from http://www.art-dept.com/styling/battaglia/index.html