Men in Skirts

I was in the studio recently with Rosie Bertuello. The styling and concept is completely down to this girl.  This was just a test shoot but - I already love it! I can see it's going to progress and she is really on to something. 

Rosie approached me and asked me to photograph this for her. For part of my FMP I am exploring off-screen space within photography. So I took this opportunity to experiment with this. She wanted crops anyway to portray her concept and I wanted to see if offscreen space can compare in the studio with location. Now these are not edit so bare with me (Rosie wanted black and white so thats why they are currently):

Off-screen space is world that is existing or occurring beyond the frame (public view of knowledge). It is the space that is imagined and not seen by the audience which can relate to areas behind the camera, outside the edges of the frame or noises. These evoke curiosity in man as we automatically want to know what is in the extended scene and often try to create our own narrative. 

This was just a little experiment for myself to see how it works in the studio without the help of scenery. I love the shots and concept alongside and I do feel like I want to know the extension of the scene. However, I feel this idea of the extended scene works better on location with a surrounding that completely changes the fashion story.

While in the studio with my beautiful model in front of me, I took the opportunity to take some portraits: 

All my recent test shoots for Body London have been black and white, and with Rosie wanting black and white I just sort of followed suit and everything I am dong lately has followed too. However I do really love the odd colour edits I have achieved like the one above and the one shot in this post. I definitely need to push myself towards colour more, I'm getting too comfortable in a monochrome scene.

Model: Edvin @ SUPA

Styling: Rosie Bertuello

Photography: Jessica Gates

Old Work

Here are a selection of a few I got earlier on in the year...

Styling: Rosie Buertello & Emily Grimes

Photography: Jessica Gates

More Moths

Following on from my previous post experimenting with the Swallowtail Moth, I've been playing around with a different species. This time I chose the Elephant Hawk Moth (again this is what I got from google, so correct me if I'm wrong).  

Starting off with a few more from the previous moth:

And continuing with newer experiments, I made a different kaleidoscope pattern using a different moth. By copying, reflecting and layering the same image repeatedly I created this pattern; and then played around with layering further and photo manipulation:

Using the pattern above and the black and white pattern from my previous post I combined the two, to  create these further variations: 

All Imagery: Jessica Gates

More Testing

If you've passed by my recently you would have seen several posts on what I have been up to... I've been keeping myself very busy with model test shoots, here is an update with my latest:

Photograhy: Jessica Gates
Hair/Makeup: Chhimmi  Gurung
Styling: Emily Grimes

Test Shoots

If you have ever seen my instagram you would have more than likely noticed all the previews of studio work I have been posting lately. I am (and openly admit) a major instagram flooder #instaflooder! I just love instagram. Anyway... babble over, here are some more model test shots following on from a previous post:

I had set out to do these model portfolio shots in black and white... but while retouching them, which was ever so slight as the models were flawless, (darn to naturally beautiful!); I found myself keeping a few in colour.

Procrastination...

As you may or may not know, I am in my third year at university. We all know what third year means.... the dreaded dissertation!!! Right now I can't even pick up a book! I literally sit for hours doing other (more fun) work with them sat beside me and they don't get a look in. At least I am procrastinating with other work - I guess!

I should have read three books by tomorrow, and haven't started - God help me! Instead I've been retouching some shots from yesterday. I have even gone to the effort of locking my external hard drive (with the images on), my graphics tablet and mood boards in my office so I don't get distracted whilst 'reading'. 

But... as soon as I turn my laptop on, I find photoshop left open with a shot from yesterdays shoot! And I fell into a retouching coma. After I came out of this coma I realised the day was slowly but surely passing me by. 

Just thought I would share this shot (apparently I am liking the hand on the opposite arm pose) and after lunch (food - another delicious distraction!) I will read these blasted books!!!!

MUA: Hannah Spencer
Model: Joanna
Photography/Styling: Jessica Gates 

Today was spent...

...in the studio test shooting Joanna and Derrick from Body London. For this the agency wanted really clean images to show of the models and I wanted something raw and natural - being on the same wave length was a great start! 

Having done very little shooting for months; I got completely lost in it, my finger got extremely trigger happy and I took hundreds of photographs. This abundance of shots therefore results in a mega amount of retouching (making more work for myself as usual). The lights did their fair share too - we soon realised it was time for a break as a cloud of smoke emerged from the main light. 

I manages to get a few quick edits in whilst finishing up in the studio, stay tuned for more...

MUA: Hannah Spencer

Model: Joanna

Photography/Styling: Jessica Gates

Photography: Jessica Gates

Due to a studio workshop getting cancelled at the last moment this morning, myself and Emily (pictured) took advantage of the empty space and ventured to the studio to spend the morning experimenting with lighting - for experimental research and upcoming model test shoots . 

This is a little something that I achieved today. I love clear, raw photography; pores, hairs and texture create the clarity that I admire - and this kind of portraiture is what I set out to achieve.

Photography: Jessica Gates