Wow, so this entry is so totally a couple months late, but what can I say?  I've just been so busy(trapped) working(loathing) at my day job(prison) that I just haven't had much time(energy) to think when I get home.  This has got to change, I know.

So anyway, the experience of completely producing my own photoshoot was a crazy whirlwind of a ride and I learned so much on the fly.  The last shoot I put together I'm not counting because I was lucky enough to engage friends and family-to-be, so that was my practice run.  This one was straight up legit with a completely new team of professionals whom I didn't know prior. 

I think one of the hardest things to do in this business is find a venue on a budget of roughly...um, let's say zero dollars, which is approximately what I had.  In the summer, it's a little bit easier because you can steal shots in public, outdoor spaces, and use natural lighting, and you don't have to risk your model freezing, or staining your borrowed shoes with salt and snow.  And you could even get away with wardrobe changes while hiding behind buildings or running into Starbucks.  But in the winter, it's a lot harder.

My shoot was the first week of March - a bit too cold to ask the team to work outside for no pay, so I had to find a venue that was indoors, but not outrageously priced since this was just a test shoot, and all parties were virtually working for free.  And I found myself combing every resource I could possibly attempt to dig out from the graves of Christmases past - which kind of sucks because I felt a lot of times like I was "using" people by even asking.  But to be completely honest, this business is all about trade, so if you can offer someone something in return - extra publicity, potential for a credit in a tearsheet, a mention in a website - SOMETHING - then there's always a way.  Finding the route that is mutually beneficial for all parties involved is key.

In finding a photographer, I ran into some sketchy, shady, pompous-ass, entitled mofos.  But I learned one very VERY important lesson that I will carry with me in my heart (no, my gut) forever, FOREVEREVER....and that is:  Trust Your Instincts.  Amen.

I'll leave it at that.

I ended up working with a really amazing team, and we had a great time shooting and working together.  My amazing friend, "assistant" and silent right-hand partner Kiki was INTEGRAL in this process.

(p.s. Check out Not Alone, a great new web series, featuring Kiki Leon)

Some behind the scenes pics for fun below, and final photos here:  My WIP Portfolio














Photographer:  Cecil Gilliard
Hair Stylist:  Walton Nunez
Make-Up Artist:  Sally Biondo
Model:  Doris Avram
Fashion Stylist:  Me! Cindy Hwang
Furs provided by Ritz Furs

Although I'm new to this styling thing, I am quickly beginning to realize that resourcefulness is key to success in this job.  Stylists are often hired solely for their access to designer showrooms and for their connections in the industry.  It is a well known fact that stylists are forced to buy buy buy, return return return, and stores are not happy about it.

For someone like myself who is just starting out, it's extremely scary to be constantly charge charge charging on my mastercard, even though I know I have 30 days to return.  To offset some of these transactions, I tried to "repurpose" existing materials.   We're all about optimization and efficiency in these economically tough times, so especially now, I'm finding the ability to be creative and resourceful on the fly to be a real asset.

That said, a few people have asked me about some of the accessories and props I used on the set for The Narrative Shoot that I blogged about below, so I thought I'd share some little secrets.

Originally, I had wanted to put a zebra rug on the floor or draped on the couch at an angle to contrast some of the super saturated orange, but it didn't arrive in time for the shoot, so I had to improvise.  The throw pillows were actually yellow and orange, so I covered them with two dresses that I had brought with me as possible wardrobe options.

 

See?


And once composed, the final (unretouched) shot:


One other way I was able to create a unique style element without spending exorbitant amounts of money was by making this hairpiece.  If you follow this blog at all, it's no surprise that I love hair accessories, but they get really expensive to keep buying and you usually can not buy and return accessories. 

So what I did here is take a vintage-inspired brooch that I bought for $6.99 and put a hair barrette through the pin clasp behind it.  Once I secured it in her hair, I realized that I wanted a little splash of color to play off the background so I grabbed a pair of red hoop earrings that I had in my kit, tested a few different positions to see what worked best and finally secured them temporarily in her hair with bobby pins.  Et voila!  A one-of-a-kind cocktail hairpiece.



When you're styling for a photograph, a lot of things can be faked.  It just has to work in the moment and in the frame, so use your resources and think outside the box! 

xo-c.

Yowza!  I have been such a blog slacker these days.  So sorry.  But really, I've been so crazy swamped! 

I'm preparing for my very first photoshoot with the frontrunners of an awesome band called The Narrative.  You should check them out on myspace - they have a great sound.  www.myspace.com/thenarrative

I'm art directing this project, doing wardrobe, hair and makeup.  Luckily I have a great photographer who will be lighting and capturing the images because God knows I couldn't do it all myself.

Here's one image to give a little taste of where I'm headed.  Wish me luck!  If the final photos end up how I imagined, I'll post them later. 



On the calendar for February...

It's almost time for New York Fashion Week - Fall 2009 Preview.  I got the opportunity to dress for Diane Von Furstenburg, a People's Revolution group show with Mara Hoffman, Nicholas K and Sergio Davila, and a live QVC broadcast, so I'm really excited to get the experience.  I won't be able to blog about them in detail due to some confidentiality issues, but hopefully I can give a few helpful tidbits in terms of styling and tools and what to be prepared for when dressing a show.

Stay tuned!

xo-c.