Fashion Illustrations: Me and a Cup of Chocolate

Every now and then I come across a very inspiring and talented fashion illustrator on Etsy that I can't resist blogging about.

These are beautiful and stylistic fashion illustrations by Meo, who is located in Thailand.  I love the way she draws the different textures of hair with the use of colored pencil and watercolor. She also makes scarves from her prints and has a lovely blog.

Fashion Photographer: Sandra Freij

I've been admiring Sandra Freij's beautiful photography. I love the ghostly effects of the models that suggest motion in a single frame. There is a fluidity and lightness about her photos that could almost be described as cinematic.

Walking into Dreams, She Hit Pause

I found these prints on Etsy from the shop, She Hit Pause Studios. They evoke a dreamy, nostalgic feeling photographed by Mark Schwartz. His work is captured on Polaroids which are then transferred onto watercolor paper, allowing this grainy washed-out texture to surface.

These remind me of forgotten photographs or glimpses into someone's dream.

The Handcraft of Renata Morales

I've been a fan of Renata Morales ever since I moved to Montreal. She's a Mexican-born designer based in Montreal who beautifully manipulates fabrics into embellished dresses, draping explosions of pleated folds and detailed braiding. Her Spring/Summer 2011 collection is refreshingly soft and alluring.

Photo Shoot: Love at First Blush

So here it is! These are the final results from my hours of planning and my first time using studio lighting. The lovely models were my friends, Melanie, Laura, and Anushka. All the girls are from different cultural backgrounds that made the photos more interesting, allowing me to showcase the range of colors of my cuffs.

I found it challenging to meter on the different skin tones of each model. If I were to do this again, I would pre-set the camera to capture each skin tone, then combine the three layers in Photoshop. A lot of post-process work!

I definitely learned how to use my DSLR more comfortably, but I still have a lot to learn.
I hope you enjoy these.

Behind the Scenes: Photo Shoot

Sunday was the big photo shoot day and I was happy that all my models showed up!

I was counting on a sunny day for natural light, but unfortunately the weather prediction was cloudy and overcast. This meant I had to rent lighting which would add another layer of complexity. I rented a few items that would create a simple set up in my apartment; a strobe light, an umbrella, a reflector, and a stand.

We had a ton of shoes and clothes to pull outfits from as each of the models brought some of their own. The outfits were an array of cosmetic pale pinks, silky greys and dusty nudes.

Each model had a unique style and look to the shoot, but it worked together cohesively. 
I'm now busy editing the photos for my presentation on Wednesday. I can't wait to show you the final pictures.

Photo Shoot Planning

This week, I'm currently working on a photo shoot concept for my Photography class. I've worked on shoots before, but only as a stylist. This time, I'll be behind the lens taking the photos.

In any photo shoot, you will need some models.  I've asked some of my friends to participate and luckily they're part of the fashion crowd so they love to do this sort of stuff. You'll also need a makeup artist, props that will add to the concept, and of course, the clothing or accessories you will be shooting. (I'll be choosing some new accessories from my shop to photograph).

I've pulled together some ideas for posing and lighting, but most of the fun will be from the spontaneity of the shoot. The image I found here captures the feeling and mood I would like to emulate, but we'll see what we end up with!

DuJour Magazine Editorial, Alexandra Cameron

Things that give me Butterflies..

source unknown

via: WillowandFrank.com

Valentino Spring 2011

via: d-andelions.tumblr.com

Soft, ethereal imagery and pastels are starting to fill up on my desktop. I can always find inspiration from butterflies and the design genius of Valentino.

Feathered Frenzy

I've been quite busy the past few days. Along with just trying to keep up with the sudden supply and demand from my shop, I've been running around doing some photography assignments.

However, I've found another website to keep me procrastinating for hours. The site is called Pinterest and you can easily scroll through a mash up of inspirational images. My current obsessions and infatuations are feathers that come in all forms of wearable clothing and accessories.

via: pinterest/ tumblr