I’m not going to lie here. I gave it my best shot to be all cool and slick – like one of the Mad Men ladies. Yes. That was the look I was going for. And then my shoe got caught in one of those NYC drains. Ok fine, it happened twice. Fail. Anyway, I love Brooklyn; it’s edgy. I love the quirky restaurants, delicious brunch eateries, and arty-farty shops. Myself & Wendy stumbled upon a street which looks similar to Chelsea in London I have a weird thing for spotting pretty doors. On our breezy wander, Wendy spotted a beautiful door. We looked at each other, at the same time and we just knew – that was the door. I’m dressed in one of my favourite outfits, the little silk strappy cami and statement trouser. It’s simple and makes me feel all womanly. It’s the perfect uniform for running around the shops, sitting through meetings, lunch and an afternoon of brainstorming like a true New York business lady. The cami & trousers are from Topshop. The sunglasses are from eBay. The heels are Jimmy Choos. I wore the gingham black & white trousers because they remind me of the NYC skyscrapers at night.
Ladies! (Sorry guys). What’s the perfect summer colour?
Yellow, of course.
‘But yellow doesn’t suit me!’, you may say.
As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing better than painting the town yellow. We’ve been lusting for the sun for most of the year.
Yellow suits everyone. You just have to find the right shade, sunshine.
A dark yellow (like my little Warehouse number) suits everyone. I’ve got your summer wardrobe covered; I’ve squeezed in a hint of my favourite pieces for my fellow zest lovers above.
You may be wondering why I’m waving a sash-on-a-stick like some crazed loon. Well. I’m fascinated with Rhythmic Gymnastics. I collected some inspiration from Pinterest and took it to the streets of New York. I won’t get carried away here and pretend to do it professionally. I was just flinging a ribbon in the air in comparison to the ladies who compete at the Olympics.
I love summer nights. I love summer nights even more in New York. At sunset, I floated around Brooklyn with Wendy, a local New Yorker and an amazing photographer. Like bees collecting nectar: myself & Wendy buzzed around Brooklyn while snapping up my zesty dress in the big apple, like a pair of lemons.
There’s something to be said for a little salt water therapy. This was a beautiful day and one I won’t forget. The sun was fearless.
I escaped the sirens of Manhattan to swap it for the sound of the ocean and the scent of the salty sea breeze.
In preparation for this shoot, I gave my Waterproof Mascara a whizz and headed to Coney Island: New York.
Sometimes you just need to get away. This Aqua post is for you to escape to, whether during a shitty day at work, between uni’ exams on a Monday or just basically if you’re bored and uninspired. See you in Paradise amigos.
Growing up, I didn’t feel confident on camera. I wore an oversized backpack (that made me look like a tortoise), goggle-glasses and elephant shoes. I appeared and was, super nerdy.
At the work-legal age of sixteen, I applied for part-time waitressing & bar jobs at temp agencies. I also joined a film extras agency, and alongside TV work, they sent me to photo shoots, and I somehow became a commercial model.
With the help of photographers, makeup artists and stylists, I want to pass on my fashion photography learnings that I’ve gathered from the experts — to you. From building your confidence, finding the right location, knowing the best lighting and developing your creative eye for imagery — I’ll try and cover as much as I can.
Organisation and location is key
If photography is integral to your business, then pre-planning goes a long way. There are three primary considerations in choosing a location. 1. How long it takes to get there. 2. Accessibility for changing outfits 3. The variety of sites to shoot. I don’t always have an itinerary; sometimes random photo shoots can make the best shots. However, having a clear objective of the shoot, the address of the location, estimated scheduled timings, planned outfits & makeup and having a backup plan helps with making the best out of the day.
Consider the light
Natural daylight is best for taking photos. For flat lays & product shots, experiment with table surfaces, wooden chopping boards and tile prints like marble. You’ll notice that you’ll take much better photos if you drag them by a window. For fashion shots, images taken at sunrise/sunset are much nicer. The photographers that I’ve worked with love playing around with images whereby the sun is behind the model.
Develop your creative eye
Believe it or not, high attention to detail and having a ‘creative eye’ in editorial imagery, requires development. This is why media publications hire creative directors with distinctive & artistic vision. It’s about being able to see what looks aesthetically appealing to your audience. The easiest way to learn how to improve your imagery is by analysis. Look at your imagery. Is it blurry or stained? How does it affect your mood? Do the people in the background change an image?.
Be selective
No one wants to see the same image over and over again. Choose your best photos and publish only those. This isn’t the same as consistency. Your theme should be consistent, and ideally, you should be posting content regularly.
Boost your confidence within
I talk about being the best version of yourself and self-esteem a lot. Confidence in yourself is the foundation for appearing assertive on camera. Hop over to this link for my personal confidence story (if you haven’t read it, let me know what you think!). Once you feel good about yourself, it will show in your images, and your audience will notice. It’s about feeling good on camera regardless of how you look. As with everything, practice makes perfect.
I hope this post has helped!
Bloggers, if you have any tips, please do share with myself and our blogging community.
