Initial Ideas: Studio Shoot with Jane Haze

After meeting with Jessica, a musician, for the first time, I decided to do the first photo shoot in the studio in order to reduce the number of variables to consider while gauging her ideal outcome for her publicity images.

During this meeting, I learned about her music genre, which has haunting and ethereal tones similar to artists such as Daughter, Florence Welch, and Aurora. We discussed the style of images she wants me to produce, which she described as warm gothic images with an amalgamation of a witch and fairy aesthetic. I suggested using publicity images from the band Evanescence as an example, but she did not like them as she considered them too cold. Instead, she suggested using Florence Welch’s images for inspiration. She provided links to a visual mood board on Pinterest and a sonic mood board on Spotify. Fortunately, I listened to many of the songs on this playlist, which helped me pinpoint her ideal outcome.

I have included two examples of Florence Welch’s images below, which I sent to Jessica as inspiration for her studio images:

To create a more vivid colour palette in Jessica’s images, I’ll use purple gels over the studio Broncolour lights. Not only will this add depth and dimension to the images, but it will also make them more visually appealing. To further enhance the overall look and feel of the shoot, I will bring a water bottle that can be held up to the light to create a shimmering, underwater effect. Adding this effect will give the images a dreamy and enchanting quality, perfectly aligning with Jessica’s initial vision for the final product. By incorporating these techniques, we can take Jessica’s publicity images to the next level and create a truly stunning series.

To fully execute my vision, I plan on using slow sync flash for this shoot. Incorporating this technique will produce a haunting and otherworldly vibe that will beautifully complement the model’s stage name, Jane Haze, and the desired atmosphere we aim to create. However, I am not completely satisfied with the current colour palette that is being used for the backdrop. The harsh turquoise background seems to clash with the model’s dress and detracts from the overall effect that I am trying to achieve.

That being said, I have a few different colour palette options in mind for this shoot. One option is to use a black background with the model’s purple and grey dress. By creating a stark and dramatic contrast between the model and the backdrop, each frame of her will stand out to the viewer. Alternatively, I am also considering using a white backdrop with her black dress. To enhance the model’s prominence while giving a dreamy and romantic feel to the entire image, opting for a softer and subtle contrast could be ideal.

After carefully examining the screenshots provided by Jessica, I was able to identify some images that closely aligned with her preferences. Even though not all of the images aligned perfectly with her brand and aesthetic, they still had some important qualities that made them worth considering. Some of the images had bold and vibrant colours that I think would match Jessica’s preference as she mentioned in our first meeting that she wanted vibrant shades of purple in her images. On the other hand, there were some photos that had a subtle and delicate charm with blurred focus and a subdued colour scheme, evoking a sense of soft femininity. I think these visuals can serve as a solid foundation for Jessica’s creative vision and brand development.

Below is a clip from the British comedy-drama series Flowers. It visually represents the warm, gothic folk atmosphere that Jessica described to me during our first meeting. She said this was the main aesthetic she wanted to achieve.

The show follows the lives of the eccentric Flowers family, with Olivia Colman and Julian Barratt playing the lead roles. The vocals in the clip sound very similar to Jessica’s voice, but with more uplifting emotion, which is perfect for the vibe I want to create in the upcoming photoshoot.

Jessica provided me with two outfit options: a black sheer gothic dress and a purple-grey dress. I requested that she bring both options along with her makeup. To complement the dramatic gothic style of the black dress, I suggested a more intense eye makeup look with heavy black eyeshadow and thick false eyelashes. For the grey dress, we aimed for a natural grunge eye look to capture the eerie mood that Jessica had described as part of her music. This look will be accentuated by her bleached eyebrows, grey hair, and dark eyes.

I have included images that the client provided from a previous photographer. She believes these images perfectly represent her look and personal branding, which I used as a starting point when ideating the concept for her images. These photos were taken at the botanical gardens, so I will not consider this location for future shoots in order to provide more diverse options for her publicity images.

References:

‘Pinterest – Musican Moodboard’. n.d. Pinterest. Accessed 28 April 2023. https://www.pinterest.co.uk/business/hub/.

‘Portrait Photography | United States | Tyler Twins Photography’. n.d. Tyler Twins Photo. Accessed 28 April 2023. https://www.tylertwins.com.

Royal Deer, dir. 2021. Flowers – Amy’s Concert. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTAzJWodNNI.

‘Wes and Alex Photography’. n.d. WES AND ALEX. Accessed 28 April 2023. https://www.wesandalex.com.