Melias Lost in the Light Colour Presets
Colour images with The Melias Lost in the Light presets. I really love these presets and the analogue film grain tones they give.
I recently changed to editing images on the Surface pro from my old laptop. The bright colour images were edited in July, the difference in a good screen is way more than I thought.
Melias Homework
My first attempt at The Melias Lost in the Light week 4 homework. I chose a very simple subject and used the black and white presets in lightroom.
I took better photos of these long flowers but these fit the six different ways to compose an image and create a story. I need to keep this list in my head when shooting so that it becomes instinctive.
Straight on, straight on floor level, close up, overhead, just the tops, rule of thirds and through something.
Cosmos in community garden, Wells
Cosmos in a community garden project, Wells Somerset.
These Cosmos (as I was informed by gardeners) look spectacular in real life. Not dark and moody like my photograph but bright and light in a wave of flower heads.
The day I photographed these I was walking past a flat we used to live in on St Thomas Street, Wells. The cut through path that ran along the property had previously just been two baron strips of grass either side of the path owned by the council. Then one day a rose appeared on the opposite side, then a hydrangea and then on our side more roses.
Our landlord called a 'landgrab' and shockingly dug up the rose, dumped it on the other side whilst ripping up a square of turf to replace his 'stolen' patch! We left the flat.
Then whilst walking to work, I cut through the path to be overwhelmed by the sight of these stunning flower beds brimming with flowers, this cosmos, the now established roses, lavender and even a dwarf apple tree. The gardeners had created this little space of beauty in their own time and expense for the community.
I am thankful there are people like this in the world who just get on make things lovely without fuss or waiting for permission.
Neon Tulle Light Experimenting
I was working in the studio making these delicate tulle straps for a dress I'm working on and simply rolled it up to see what it would look like in photograph as a sculptural shape.
This was in the back corner of a well lit room, not bright light and the surface is a rough painted metallic silver. Not shiny.
I photograph most things dark, reading light off the brightest part of the subject. These were taken with a 50mm Canon Lens, f/10 1/50 shutter iso 800 and darkend by -12/3
I then upped the blacks in lightroom but it was already glowing in the original. Its a pretty effective way to make neon light if I can do it again.
Finding Colour - Alpine Green
I was listening to the Candid Frame as I do every day and on Episode 464 Sam Abel or 463 Sarah Terry they mentioned picking a colour and then looking for that colour in your street photography to build a pallet or theme. It may have been something learnt from Jay Maisel but anyway I thought I would give it a go on my walk back to the car.
I definitely learn from very simple explanations of how to do something. The right sentence can unlock my brain and help me understand how to do something immediately. For years I struggled with pattern cutting until a sewing machine salesman walked into our uni studio and said, 'its just a 3D puzzle where each piece has to fit together' from that moment on I could visualize the garment and how to cut the pattern.
Building a colour theme in my photography is as simple as just looking for that particular colour everywhere you go and photographing it. It completely opened my eyes on the walk home. I spotted bright reds, dark reds, teal blues, dark greens, etc. Its made me a little less afraid of colour.
I need to take some workshops and tutoring in photography as there are some real basics I need to learn.
Mannequin
Silk Dress
For the first time I've been using the front room of my studio to work in. Why haven't I done this sooner. This is a silk dress I've been working on for a new project.
I rented my studio so I had an 'impressive' space for customers and the front room was reserved for them whist I worked in the back with terrible light. So much of my confidence in my work was bound up in having a suitably luxurious space for brides and customers. I was so worried about what they would think that I dropped the prices of my dresses inline with my confidence.
After years of having various studios, a shop and now the dream studio I realize that my work is about the dresses I create not impressing customers with whats expected in the bridal industry. I used to stress about whether my teaspoons were fancy enough!
I once heard a story about Alexander McQueen turning up with his dresses in a bin bag. He created some of the most beautiful garments I have ever seen up close.
As a designer maker I'm not here to fluff customers with bubbly and a sales performance, I'm here to make beautiful things.
Tulle
I am feeling more inspired at the moment by photography than the dresses. They are almost becoming a vehicle for the photography. I tend to find new inspiration a distraction from what I am working on when it gets to the hard part of finishing the piece. Ideas are very easy but seeing it through to a finished body of work which may never pay the bills is hard.
At the moment I need to see things through till the end of the year, maybe in 5 years time I could become a photographer if I put the work in.
I am trying to produce an image a day of my fashion work to make days books which may help me engage more with this side of my work. I am so incredibly lucky and privileged to be able to work for myself creatively every day. Its silly that I would sometimes be happier washing up with less worries and cash at the end of the week.
Above is the tulle on my machine table being made into an underskirt.
Pink Peony Dress Remnant Photographs
Pink Peony Dress on the Street
Veiled Roses
I am obsessed with photographing flowers, they are pretty easy which is why. They just sit still and look beautiful for me.
I am starting an English Rose project in my other work, unpacking a little of what that means and my identity. This was playing with some tulle and roses in the garden. Enjoying the romance of it.
Melias Homework
Photographing Velvet Jones
I was in awe of Sophia aka Velvet Jones who modeled with such elegance. I'd love to work with Sophia again with a ballet aesthetic.
I'm finding it really difficult to explain what I call beauty and why I choose my aesthetic. Its subjective, its definitely in the eye of the beholder and everyone is individually beautiful. I've met lots of beautiful women but a natural confidence and intelligence always come through.
Below the colour images I tried to get the koda-chrome red look. The green and yellow were happy accidents but I loved the mid century style.
Black Lives Matter Bristol June 7th
Today I marched because black lives matter. I was here for my Mum and all the people of colour who have had to carry the pain of racism for hundreds of years.
As a white person I must take responsibility and use my privilege to stand in the way of racism.
We can't change history but we can change our future. Children of colour are entitled to grow up with opportunities, with confidence and pride in themselves. With absolute equality.
How would I feel if I had been photographed, I probably was as there were lots of photographers all getting their shots. I suppose I would be fine as long as I looked ok! My face is out there in public anyway and I hope I am a kind photographer.
