Gloss Posse Feature//
I'm currently a photographer focusing in the areas of fashion, beauty & portraiture, but at the end of this year I hope to also add visual communication designer, illustrator & artist to that list! 2. What is it about fashion that you want to portray as a photographer? What makes your work unique?
I aim to never shoot without narrative - my work always needs to have a story behind it or I am not satisfied. I want to make work that speaks to people. I aim to always approach clients and projects with the utmost integrity, regardless of whether it will lose me a job or money; I will not do anything ethically wrong, and I do my best to look after those I work with.
What I am to achieve is to have enough influence - to be sufficiently well known - that I can use the medium of fashion to change paradigms, to change minds... for change of all kinds. The battle is one of the mind - the people behind the media are the ones that drive what we want, we think, we desire, we dislike.... I think fashion is really an untapped resource in that nobody really expects anything other than the superficial; so when fashion has something to say it really has great impact!
3. Your photography is very artistic and really tells a story. How do you go about creating these stories and scenes?
Well I always map out at the very least what I want to say/what the client wants to say, but more often we map out a specific story we want to tell. Sometimes it's as in depth as, 'There's this character who lives in this house and she does this,' and we find locations for each scene or we make up scenes for each location; sometimes it's as simple as, 'The character is this, this and this.' Having said that, I let the shoot evolve on the day to be what it will be. Rather than over directing my models, I prefer to let them/help them fall into character, really feel what's going on with who they are in that moment and adjust as necessary, which is I think why my work feels largely less forced and more natural.
Also I did minors in Art photography and in nude/experimental/portrait photography while I was studying, which brings a slightly different perspective into my work.
4. Who/what is inspiring you at the moment?
I am always inspired. To begin with, Georges Antoni (always,) Baldovino Barani, Steven Chee, Richard Bailey, Bec Parsons, Benny Horne, Greg Kadel... The list is endless, I could go into those inspiring me for illustration (to start with Kat MacLeod & Ortolan studio, Catherine Campbell) and design, specifically type but I'd be writing forever. Mostly I just link them down the side of my blog you'll see what I mean when you see how many are there.
I do think it's important to make sure that you find the balance between immersing yourself in the wealth of visual culture we have access to, but retaining your own voice and vision. And remember that whether we realise it or not, we all learn by imitation to some degree!
5. What advice would you give to women pursuing fashion photography as a career?
Be prepared to do a lot of work for free, but know when you can afford to do that no longer & stand your ground. Keep testing & doing free work throughout your career but be really selective about it.
Be prepared for a long hard road to get to where you can function professionally and not be living on 2 minute noodles just to survive. Long days and sore eyes will be your constant companions. Remember that (this sounds corny but it's so true) that in taking the long road to get where you want to be, you learn things that people who take the short route just don't have the opportunity to learn, so you're actually more likely to last the distance!
Take every opportunity you get that will actually assist your career, don't do stuff that's just a waste of time. Get out there and make contacts; expose your work to as many people as possible - make a blog, get a website, use sites like carbon made, behance, deviantart, the loop...
Remember why you do what you do, and LOVE it.
Thanks for sharing your experiences with Gloss Posse Shaelah! We look forward to seeing more of your work and keep us up to date with where your art work takes you. You can contact Shaelah by email, read her blog and see her website.
Checkout Shaelah's online portfolios at:
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