I recently got the opportunity to play stylist, this time with photographer and fellow student Kyle Springate. Kyle studies photography at our school of fine arts, Michaelis and thought it would be interesting to bring me on board for one of his photo shoots. Interesting, used specifically here to denote the vast difference in our artistic styles and tendencies – Kyle likes simplicity while I enjoy drama. So for the sake of the shoot I limited my overboard creative energy and streamlined it into minimalistic stylish ideas for the mermaid-human themed shoot.
I really appreciated being limited, not just because I had to be resourceful in other ways, but also because it made me realize that a theme can be carried through in many visual ways other than with clothing. Speaking of which, ahem, there was little of. Kyle wanted his photography to shine in its own light without any hoopla and too much drama, understandable since after all he too is trying to break into a precarious industry. So as I came to understand the shoot was to be inspired by mermaids and not actually replicate them. My touches were thus quite small, but in light of the scantily clad bodies, they were somewhat noticeable. Oh, and the models were a breeze to work with, despite freezing in the early Saturday morning rain and being forced to shoot in the pool. I initially felt sorry for them but then I had a Jay Alexander moment realizing that I have watched way to many episodes of Americas Next Top Model not to know that a model needs to push through, pose and smize like their life depends on that one shot. My favourite moments were definitely the off-the-cuff incidents that I am beginning to notice every photo shoot has. The blue eye-shadow that became lipstick; the African beads that created a narrative; and the satin ribbon that was used as a bra-esque cover-up are the kinds of things I live for!
See more of xKx photography here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/XKX-Photography/281085918622902
A special thanks goes out to the following peeps:
Iman Allie– Co-stylist
Chloe Brockman – Assistant
Angus MacKinnon – Location
Lisa-Marie Swaine – MUA
Matthew Miller – Ice Models
Candice Kitching, Sydney Bailey and Victor– 20 Model Management
Tameez Vayej – Moda Models