Photo Shoot Visual Research

Ideas and inspiration for the photo shoot for my article (models, mannequins and body image):

 

Giuseppe Mastromatteo Part of the ‘Indepensense’ 2009

Giuseppe Mastromatteo Giuseppe Mastromatteo 2

This is a really clever and interesting surreal style of photography. It’s inspired me with ideas for the photos in my magazine article… I could have women holding up images of the ‘ideal’ body or a mannequin’s torso and ripping it to show rebellion against the media’s perception of the perfect figure.

Source: Giuseppe Mastromatteo

 

Disguise by Ilse Noordhof

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Again here’s someone holding up images over and inline with her face. I quite like the idea of the photo being held up being in black and white and the actual photo being in colour to create contrast. Also this could work conceptually, as the idea of holding up an image of what you’d rather look like is quite negative, as it’s showing people not being happy with their own body/appearance.

Source: http://500px.com/photo/55427062

 

JOHN STEZAKER surrealist collage

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Presenting a distorted person split down the middle into two faces. Could be used to represent before and after photoshop. Showing the same person but how they look naturally and how they look after altering their face, whether digitally or in real life. Interesting angle too, inline with surreal theme and kind of geometric. It’s also showing some of face, rather than covering all, showing contrast.

Source: http://10collective.wordpress.com/2010/11/22/john-stezaker-collages/

 

Mannequin by Brian Bowen Smith Contemporary Artist

 

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This image is of two different bodies, could be hiding your own body behind the body you want, but physically/literally rather than with just a photo.

Source: http://www.artspace.com/brian_bowen_smith

 

Dagmar Keller and Martin Wittwer – Thought-Provoking Photos of Fashion Ads Superimposed Over Real Bodies

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Another example of a photo covering the face, but this time the scale doesn’t fit the actual head, but perhaps this adds to the distortion and could be considered in my photos.

Source:  http://flavorwire.com/321432/thought-provoking-photos-of-fashion-ads-superimposed-over-real-bodies/3/

 

By Georges Antoni

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I quite like the idea here of images being held over the persons body by other people and almost tugging at the skin, as if to say they are telling him what’s wrong or right about his body and he feels he’s being told how to look to conform and meet up with societies standards…

Source: http://www.maricazottino.com/blog/georges-antoni/ 

 

Pierre Beteille

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The forced perspective works well in this image, just another example of a photography covering the face/body. Perhaps could be more interesting using black and white photo? Something to try…

Source: http://www.pierrebeteille.com/photos/self/

Research for article

For our magazine design brief I am writing an article on mannequins and models and their effect body image. I have looked at the following websites for research into the topic and might quote some of the articles too.

Below I have summarised each source, to show how it has informed me in writing my article:

 

Depleting Body Image: The effects of female magazine models on the self-esteem and body image of college-age women.

This article was a study on women at a University in America, ages 18-24 and the effects models in magazines have on their view of their own bodies, with facts and figures to show findings. Many women wanted to look the magazine models but knew that to have bodies like theirs would be unhealthy and that these women rarely portrayed an unrealistic body image for women.

Authors: Mary-Signe Chojnacki, Christina Grant, Kathryn Maguire, Katie Regan

Source:  http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/~jpiliavi/357/body-image.htm

 

 

Fashion industry has forced unrealistic image on women, says leading designer

This article shares how designer, Giles Deacon criticised the fashion industry’s obsession with skinny models and believes they portray an unrealistic view of women. He shared that characteristic should be more important, in his opinion.

By Kate Finnigan and Patrick Sawer – 12 Feb 2011

Source: The Telegraph 

 

It’s an ad, but Dove’s Real Beauty campaign is a gamechanger

Dove’s campaign for real beauty challenged women’s perceptions of themselves, to stop being their own worst enemies and start loving their bodies/see the positives. The article shares how there is a lack of “real women” advertising clothes etc and this campaign was a good example of using ‘real’ women in adverts, encouraging women not to conform to an idealised beauty and enjoy life.

By Lianna Brinded – Sunday 21 April 2013

Source: The Independent

 

Will an Agency for “Normal Sizes” Models Actually Work?

Few women see themselves reflected in adverts, we see skinny models and plus size models, this article asks, what about the women in between?

by Cheryl Wischhover – January 30th, 2012

Source: Fashionista

 

The fall and rise of mannequins that look like real women

This BBC article about mannequins and their history is very interesting background reading and shares how Debenhams are beginning to use size 16 mannequins, a more realistic female body shape? We want to see models and mannequins that look more like themselves, because that sends a more positive message about body image.

By Lucy Wallis – 22 January 2014

Source: BBC news

 

These disabled mannequins will make you rethink beauty

A video was created to show mannequins of disabled models to see how people reacted.  This was very interesting in seeing how we respond to being faced with mannequins/models that don’t adhere to the standards we’re used to.  It also challenged people that is mannequins and models show the ‘ideal’ bodies, then are these people the wrong body shape? Or are we just very superficial?

By Joe Shute – 09 Dec 2013

Source: The Telegraph 

 

‘Disabled’ Mannequins Remind Us That Beautiful Doesn’t Mean ‘Perfect’

Following on form the last article, this one asks why can’t mannequins be based on real people, as it raises awareness of people with disabilities, especially in this industry. It’s a very thought provoking campaign.

By Ellie Krupnick & Rebecca Adams – 12/03/2013

Source: Huffington Post 

 

Why Mannequins must reflect us

This article shares how we are sold unattainable beauty and that most women don’t fit the narrow ideal body shape of the models and mannequins we are surrounded by. It includes the outcome of a study that showed women react better to mannequins that look more like themselves, which they can identify with, concluding that mannequin size affects consumers and their purchasing intentions.

by Sharon Haywood – 2011

Source: Horizons (Women’s news and feminist views)

 

Fashion vs. Unrealistic Body Images

This blog begins stating that models today weigh much less than the average woman, than they did twenty years ago. The fashion industry bombards us with the message that we’re not the right size and need to be thinner. We judge ourselves by the beauty industry’s standards, who show the female body as an objects that needs to be perfected. Beauty becomes an artificially created impossible standard used to sell products to women who feel insecure about the way they look.

By: Montana Sclavos

Source: Fashion vs Unrealistic Body Images 

 

Victoria’s Secret model feels guilty for promoting unattainable body ideal:

Cameron Russel is a Victoria Secret Model who realises that in her job, she promotes a beauty standard that most of us fail to attain and that young girls shouldn’t hope to be models, but smart and accomplished.

By Samantha Chang – March 29, 2013

Source: The Examiner

 

Looks aren’t everything. Believe me, I’m a model:

Cameron Russel’s Ted Talk, which is what the above article was taken from, shared how pictures of her on photo shoots are not ‘of her’, but constructions created by professionals. She also commented that models are the most physically insecure women, because they have to think about their bodies and looks constantly.

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Cameron Russell – Jan 2013

Source: Ted Talks

 

Body Gossip puts spotlight on models and body image

A campaign group are challenging retailers to use a wider range of models and trying to get the government to support young women with this. They don’t point blame on the models, but those making the decisions to use very skinny models that are everywhere we go and it effects how young women (especially) look at themselves. The article includes a quote from ‘Body Gossip’ co-ordinator, Natasha Devon, that they want to see models of all body types, not just skinny and plus-size.

By Jane Martinson – Friday 11 October

Source: The Guardian 

 

Plus-Size Model Editorial Says Runway Models ‘Meet the Physical Criteria for Anorexia’

by Cheryl Wischhover – January 10th, 2012

In 2012 ‘Plus Model Magazine’s January issue controversially showed images of a small and plus-sizes model embracing, naked. This was to challenge how we think about models and body image and came off the back of much recent discussion on model’s size, age and gender.

Source: Fashionista 

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Images/spreads from: issuu

 

Healthy is the New Skinny

Katie Halchishick, a plus-sized model and founder of ‘Natural Model Management’ was on ABC news promoting her campaign to build a better body image. That we should alter our mentality to focus on being healthy, rather than wanting to be skinny and like the models we see. She believes that a way to alter this mentality is through using models that are a variety of sizes, helping women to be happier with the body size they are.

Katie Halchischick – 01/19/2012

Source: ABC news

 

Models vs. Real Women: Growing Body Gap

A news report on ABC exploited the fact that standard fashion models today are getting thinner and thinner and that 80s supermodels wouldn’t meet the standards these models have to meet. It seems crazy that as the average American woman gets bigger, fashion models get smaller and the fashion industry is perhaps to blame.

01/12/2012

Source: ABC news 

 

WHY SHOP MANNEQUINS DON’T REPRESENT AVERAGE WOMEN

A cosmetic company’s blog asked women if it  frustrates them when clothes fit mannequins so well, but don’t look as appealing on themselves. Although they use this to promote their products, they raise a good point that we can’t even try to compete with shop dummies in size and shape, as we are various sizes and some things we can’t change.

19 November 2013

Source: Liberate Cosmetic Surgery 

 

Is fashion FINALLY getting realistic-looking models? Meet the beauties signed to the first agency that doesn’t distinguish between sizes

JAG, A new modelling agency in New York in 2013 made a policy to not distinguish between sizes and represents women who are larger than the standard model size. One of their models was used in a H&M swimwear campaign showing positive changes in modelling when it comes to ‘the right size’. Why do we even have ‘plus-size’ models and not just ‘models’? JAG know that women want to see ‘real’ and more ‘normal’ models, sending a message of confidence instead of insecurity.

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By Margot Peppers – 20 August 2013

Source: Daily Mail

 

The WOW Factor:

‘Kate Upton – down-home girl, Youtube sensation, bombshell – is taking on the world of high fashion. Prepare to be amazed, says Sarah Harris. Photographs by Alasdair McLellan.’

Inside Vogue UK’s January 2013 issue contained an article on model Kate Upton, who stands out from conventional fashion models for her size and height. She became an ambassador for a healthier model look, promoting a healthier approach to body image in the fashion industry. For these reasons it was quite exciting to also see her face (and body) on the cover of this issue also.

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Source: Vogue: January 2013 issue

Art Direction

The Art Directors Handbook of Professional Magazine Design is a great book on how to do magazine design, with many great examples. It’s helped me think deeper about how I go about designing magazines, which I hope to apply to my design and art directing.

Sketching:

  • It’s important to sketch ides and layouts, but it helps to read the text your designing for and have a precise concept too.
  • Things to think about when using photography: which pictures should you put first, is there a logical order, will they be grouped and how, do the colours go together, is the sequence too repetitive, does it add something new???

Layout variations:

  • The choice of opening picture sets the mood for the rest, and the typography has a decisive influence on this mood. (Important to remember!)

Grid systems:

  • The number and width of columns influence the character of a magazine.
  • The right layout of columns is immensely important for the structure of a magazine page.
  • Lines should have roughly sixty characters = better readability.
  • The content should also influence what layout you chose.
  • Here are examples of how different magazines have used grid systems well in various ways (page 19):

Scan 84

 

Source: ‘The Art Directors Handbook of Professional Magazine Design: Classic Techniques and Inspirational Approaches’ – Horst Moser (Thames and Hudson, London)

‘Everybody is Beautiful’

 

 

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I came across this photo on a blog and loved the idea for my photo shoot. In an article about body image, it could look good to have photos of women holding  up words perhaps saying things like ‘confidence’ etc, things that are more important than a skinny waist, also by holding it over their bodies this is reiterated. Simple idea but could look good if done effectively…

Source: End of the line.. The Waist line

 

Deeper Magazine

‘A mock publication design for a Luxury fashion magazine.’ by Aakansha Kukreja

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this publication is very minimal yet bold and quite surreal too.  I really like the composition and the art direction, with clear use of the grid throughout. There is a clear overall style and design ethos, which is coherant throughout, including use of space, type faces and images. The cover has great use of white space and is quite inviting. Although I like the minimal style and want to use it, I don’t want it to be this plain, using brighter colours and more interesting images too.

Source: Aakansha Kukreja 

Photography & Surrealism

The magazine brief’s aim is to contradict the conventional woman’s magazine in favour for a more clean cut, surrealist/ geometric style to reflect the nature of the content… so I’m looking at Surrealist style photography/photo editing for inspiration…

 

surrealist photography

This is part of a fashion spread by Hamish Duda. I like how the photography has been cut and cropped, making it look less conventional.

Source: Hamish Duda

 

geometric photo

 

I love this geometrically manipulated photo and how it has been edited to mess with your mind a bit.

Source: Tumblr…

 

geometric photo 2

Another example of geographic manipulation, this time using more than one image, to create an interesting and quite surreal composition.

Source: Tumblr… 

 

 

Luciana Urtiga

Luciana Urtiga is a photographer who’s work has a very surrealist style to it. (Here are a selection of her photographs)

Luciana Urtiga Luciana Urtiga 2 Luciana Urtiga 3 Luciana Urtiga 4 Luciana Urtiga 5

Many of Luciana Urtiga’s photos use Surrealist ideas and styles, including juxtaposition and dream/unconscious elements. all these photographs include images of the body, most in abnormal way, this style could be used to provoke people’s thinking in how they see the body and could alsobe used to narrate and display ideas of body image, beauty and how we perceive ourselves and others.

Source: Luciana Urtiga

 

Monster Children Magazine

Monster Children Magazine is a quarterly lifestyle publication with a focus on surfing, skating, art, music, photography, and more…

Monster children magazine Monster children magazine 2 Monster children magazine 3Monster children magazine 4

Although the covers are varied issue to issue, within each issue is the style is coherent. Something different about this magazine is that they sometimes play with the orientation of type and image. Also the magazine is landscape, which works well with the images used. The type is often experimental, which lifts the spreads from quite ordinary to visually engaging.

Also the two designs with women on provoke potential thoughts & ideas linking with the chosen theme of the magazine.

Sources: Image 1 & 2 – issue #41 & #40 covers, Image 3 – issue #35, Image 4 – spread.

Pilot Magazine

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These images are taken from Issue 6 of Pilot Magazine.

Pilot magazine uses a lot of overlapping in its design. This is done very well and adds to the aesthetics of the design. It’s quite simple with use of colour and in its style, but this works very well and accompanied by black and white photographcs, the colours are bold and engaging. As the deisgn is simple, the bold, decorative typeface (used for titles in the spreads) doesn’t clutter or over shadow the rest, but work in harmony with it.

Source: Blogspot…

Anthony Neil Dart

Anthony Neil Dart is a designer who’s designed many magazines. I’ve looked at some of his designs that interest me and inspire ideas of our magazine design project.

Anthony Neil Dart - Metode 2 Anthony Neil Dart - Metode

Metode

These designs are both for Metode magazine and use contrasting black and white photography with brightly coloured shapes to create intriguing cover designs, accompanied by a few lines of text. I like the composition of these designs and the contrast is engaging. I would like to try these attention grabbing techniques and contemporary ideas with my project.

 

 

Anthony Neil Dart - Barcelona Anthony Neil Dart - Barcelona 2

Barcelona – Show us your type  Exhibit 2010

These two designs again use bold colours with black and white photography. The bright yellow and turquoise colours really stand out against the black and white and the type hierarchy is done very well. There is also a bit of a surreal look to these covers, which I think works quite well.

Source: Anthony Neil Dart on Behance

Magazine Spread design

Some examples of magazine spread design I like:

 

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Design of seasonal lookbooks for Springfield by Luis B Hernandez.

I love the minimalistic, clean-cut style in these spreads. they are very readable and eye-grabbingly simple. Also, the page numbering is done very differently to conventional magazines, in quite a contemporary, yet aesthetically pleasing way. This style may be considered for the magazine.

Source: Luis B Hernandez

 

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Loeffler Randall by Ro and Co

These spreads are not for a magazine, but part of a branding and packaging brief. The design again is quite contemporary and minimal. I like this style as it’s not too cluttered and attention grabbing, as it’s unlike the ‘in your face’ covers magazines often have. The contents uses collage and handwritten type, looking more authentic and friendly, and contrasts the clean cut cover.

Source: Ro and Co Studio

 

Magazine covers using the same Masthead design

For the group magazine project, all 6 of us must produce a front cover using the same Masthead design. So I have looked at some examples of

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magazines that use the same masthead design, yet keep each cover exciting and different to the last…

 

Blend magazine (Dutch, established 2004, alternative lifestyle media)

Blend magazine have an obvious cover style as their magazine has developed, helping readers to recognise them instantly. It’s quite a contemporary and modern themed cover, using bright colours with black and white photographs of women to attract their audience.

Source: http://cadenceandclementine.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/blend.html

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GIA magazine 

Gia magazine has various themes/titles, yet keep to the same layout and style theme on the cover of each issue. Bold colours behind photographs of posed women is clearly a consistent cover theme.

Source: http://art8amby.wordpress.com/tag/gia-magazine/