Birds of a feather

There's been an interesting blog story circulating recently, written from the perspective of a wedding photographer. The blog entry discusses the issue of wedding blogs (and yes, I'm aware of how terribly navel gazing this is!). It's actually quite an interesting piece.

Today, I've been reading that, plus other blogs, tweets, and Facebook comments of people responding. It's had quite a mixed reaction, but almost everyone has had a reaction.

http://hindsightbride.com/2011/10/10/open-letter-wedding-bloggers/#axzz1aYNhxLX1

The blog entry addresses some issues which have, to be fair, been addressed by wedding bloggers previously. The main issue, is that wedding blogs, in their quest for quirky, unusual weddings, have effectively become a caricature but also perhaps exclusive from the majority of weddings, brides and grooms. While they go out hunting the peculiar and amazing and off-the-beaten-track, they leave behind them in their wake a tide of brides who either don't have the time, or inclination towards those styles. The focus becomes heavier on the detail, and less about the actual people involved, and if you don't "fit" into that style, then it can feel like a rejection. All of a sudden, you're not going to be part of the new Cool Bride Gang. You're simply too ordinary.

From the photographers perspective, this can be frustrating. The wedding you photograph might not be a bloggers paradise, but as long as it's special to the couple, then that's important. I think we can all agree that blogs aren't as important as the special commitment two people make, in front of all their loved ones. For photographers, blogs are important to us though too - they're fast taking over from wedding magazines as a means of reaching out to potential new couples and a great way of showcasing our work. What's interesting to me, is the reactions. There's been quite a bit of discussion about "who" the target market is, and that it's not actually photographers. There's a truth there, but we want to work with bloggers, wherever possible, sponsor posts, run competitions, you name it, we're in there. We use blogs too, for our inspiration with our work. We recommend your blogs on our Facebooks and websites and our blogs to our couples.

But here's the thing. Who writes blogs? Brides to be, married women, wedding planners, photographers, stationers... we've all got blogs. Most of the blogs though, in fairness, are about looking at "look at this thing I found" "this is a new thing". It's very... magaziney, with lots of people becoming what I'd call experts in the field of weddings, or at least enthusiasts with a lot of useful wedding knowledge and fingers on the pulse. The people who allegedly dictate - the readers, the brides to be - the majority of them don't have blogs. Most brides-to-be have enough other things on their plate, with work, personal life, and wedding planning, to sit down and write an online blog about their experience. There are some, as I've said, but there aren't that many. At a guess, I'd put the number of brides-to-be-bloggers in the tens, rather than the thousands of actual brides-to-be out there. Blogs aren't as ubiquitous as Facebook accounts. So how do they get through to the wedding bloggers what they want? Do they have to sit there, write a response to each post? Should they vote with their mouses and switch off? How do they convey that information? Should they email wedding bloggers and say "look, I'd really like to see more imaginative ways of turning a hotel function suite into a gorgeous dinner reception than look at a cornfield with wrought iron tables and deckchairs and paper lanterns, please"?

The thing that was interesting about that particular blog article, was that as it's written by a photographer, perhaps we're the ones who are actually more in touch with couples on a day-to-day level. We speak to them, they hire us, we are their photographers, we build up a special bond with them, and when you read photographers saying that couples lament that their wedding isn't "blog-worthy enough", maybe we're the ones out there hearing it. They might not be tweeting or writing their own blogs about it, but it doesn't mean they aren't feeling and reacting and saying these things. People say things out loud that they might not feel they can commit to writing. And how do bloggers respond to those brides and grooms if they say "could you write more about X, please?". What are your responses? Sorry, no, it's not my style? Do you turn them away? do you point them in the direction of the "blog description" and suggest they find something more appropriate to their style? Do you take what they say on board? Would you? I understand that each blog has it's own style, and style and taste are a very individual thing. You're bloggers, after all. You're not being run by a publishing company with directors and shareholders. You don't have a sales team pushing to get X thousand sales each month. You weather the dips, and ride the peaks of your readership statistics. It comes completely from within, I understand that. You're creatives, effectively; social media written creatives, self-employed, and you need to stay true to who you are. There are countless bridal magazines out there, with very polished, traditional and contemporary styles of wedding photography, venues, cars, details. You're doing something different because there isn't a "Quirky Bride Magazine" published and sold every quarter from WHSmith, but there is enough for you to have a regular readership every day/week/month. But if you're a blogger claiming that the true compass is the reader, I'm curious to how you're engaging with them, how you're monitoring that, and how much they can and do and are able to choose the direction.

I have to admit, I have read blogs who have addressed this previously. It's not new. This isn't some under-current that's just popped up. Of course it's about the bride and groom's big day. It's not a competition for who can have the most peacock-swan-feathered, birdcage, teacups and posies, chantilly lace tableclothed, blackboard, fake mustached, gingham, candelabra, save-the-date-gold-leaf-toilet-paper, cupcaked wedding in the land. I know bloggers know that, and I know there are those that have addressed this issue, and they're lovely about it, and supportive of brides regardless of their personal wedding. But that blog entry on Hindsight Bride did point out a few things that are true. It's stirred debate; it's resulted in some quite polarised reactions, and I think it's one of the few times that's actually happened, to that scale, from my perspective. That's why I'm writing about it.

But personally, I'd be really curious to see a blog post about how to customise a hotel function suite and make it amazing. I'd love to see what a blogger could do with that subject matter. I feel, if I had to, I could turn even a small garden into an incredibly exclusive quirky reception venue pretty easily. I feel rather confident in that, and I've never been married or been involved in planning a wedding. That I could do.

The real challenge would lie in making something that's used every day as a wedding venue unique to the couple. Honestly, if there's a wedding blogger reading this who fancies it I'd love to see what you can produce. Now that, I think, would be a truly unique creative challenge.

Knickerbocker Glorious!

So today, I thought I'd blog about a shoot I did in Largs with Alison Tinlin from Plans and Presents, hair stylist Gail Rankin, Make up artist Sophie Edwards, with accessories provided by Wedding and Baby.

We went to Largs with the intention of doing a slightly kitschy, vintage seaside photoshoot. I wanted something that was a proper traditional seaside resort without the tackiness. Largs was a great location. From a photographic perspective, its a neat town, with very little litter or graffiti, not too many people, and plenty of wide open space to get the sky in and lots of details from it. We sought permission from Nardinis to use their interior as a backdrop for some of the photos (and they were very lovely about it all).

I've done plenty of location shoots before involving gorgeous dresses (including the bridesmaid shoot I did with Flossy and Dossy a few months ago), but I wanted something slightly different here. This shoot was less about being a fashion parade, and more about the individual - in this case, Alison. It was actually easier than some of the shoots I've done previously, as there weren't lots of outfit changes to incorporate into the timing.

I think the hardest thing I find is defining what I think my "voice" is. I have a particular style to my photographs, but sometimes when I'm up so close to the photos, I can't quite put my finger on what exactly it is. I know I like to have photos that have an element of pop - I want people to come out of the picture, to get an essence of their personality just jumping out of the image.

I wanted to get more of that from Alison. It's easy a lot of the time for people to shrink in the photographs, and a lot of people do. Camera comes out and people become shy and like wallflowers. Or, alternatively, they start throwing very awkward poses that they've seen in magazines and "think" I want from them.

What I really want, is to have fun photographs. I want fun, I want natural, candid, but most of all, playful. I don't want a fixed grin.

I think sometimes it's a bit like having a conversation with someone for the first time. I want to get beyond the small talk, the "what do you do/ where are you from" stuff, and right into the bit where there's a connection, the bit where the conversation just rolls and people start really revealing themselves. Years ago, a friend of mine referred to it almost as being like layers, numbering each layer. So small talk was layer one, then the bit where you start digging out information from the small talk is layer two, and then the really good stuff, the core, that's layer three. He'd smile when we got into a deeper level of conversation, the bit where we started to forget where we were and just got completely lost in our own world, and he'd remark "now we're here, this is the third layer". It's not necessarily about baring your soul and getting the skeletons out of the closet (or wherever else you keep them), it's just about figuring out who the person in front of the camera is, getting rid of your labels (mother, wife, girlfriend, husband, father, brother, son, daughter, work colleague...) and being all the wonderful bits of you.

So yes, that's what I want from these sorts of photoshoots. And I'll pretty much do anything I can to get people to that point. I'm not looking for the secrets, the dark stuff, I'm just looking for the playfulness, the humour, the light hearted, happy, lovely side, the bits that attract people to you as friends or romantic interests, the bits that make people care, and the bits that should make you realise how truly wonderful you are.

So, here for your delectation, the photos from the shoot.

Sophie prepares Alison's make up

Inside Nardinis

Knickerbocker Glorious!

Flying the flag

at the piano

bouquet courtesy of Wedding and Baby

Our generous host

Kicking it up in Largs

the most wayward balloons!

Alison and Largs

Bouquet

over to Cumbrae

The Wonderful Nardinis

shoes!

The team:
Shoot Organisation/Model - Alison Tinlin - http://www.plansandpresents.co.uk
Photographer - Kristin Mitchell - http://struvephotography.co.uk/
Hair - Gail Rankin - http://www.gailhardie.co.uk/
Make - Up - http://www.sophieedwardsmakeup.com/
Hairpieces/Jewellery - http://www.weddingandbaby.co.uk/
Gown/Shoes - courtesy of - http://angelfins.co.uk
Venue (inside shots) - http://nardinis.co.uk/

Websites I love...

So in my last blog entry, I briefly touched on a website I used to gather resources together called Pinterest.

Pinterest is basically an online pin board. You're browsing the internet, find a picture you like, and you want to show it/share it/ make a note of it for later. Basically with Pinterest, you create an account, then drag and drop the "Pin It" tool to your bookmarks on your internet browser, and every time you see a photo or image you like, you click the "pin it" tool, and it pins the image (with a link to the original source) to your pin board. Think of it like your favourites list on Flickr, only you can favourite anything on the internet.

I find the Pinterest tool very useful for sharing images with people, especially creative teams collaborating on photo shoots. I think of it as being a virtual scrapbook I can access with an internet connection. Using it as a tool with my creative teams during my period photo shoots, I was able to make notes and instructions about what I was looking for, especially in relation to make up, hair, costume, poses, and so on. Make up artists usually create mood boards, and Pinterest is the sort of resource that would let you do that. Plus, you can create as many different pin boards as you like, you can follow and comment and re-pin from friends pin boards too.

As a resource, I think this has endless possibilities for anyone doing research on the web. Still stuck for things you could do? Here's some of my suggestions:


1. Mood Boost Board
Monday morning, sitting at work, feeling a bit fed up that the weekend has gone so quickly? Why not create a mood board that will help boost your mood? Collect pictures of loved friends and family scattered across the internet; pictures of exotic beaches you fancy visiting someday; your dream home/car; or just fill it with collected pictures of your favourite actor/singer to make everyone else wonder what's brought such a smile to your face so early in the day.

2. Healthy Board
It might not be scientifically proven (I'm basing this on personal experience here!) but if you're trying to improve your health, why not gather pictures to inspire you? A dress you want to buy (and fit into!), or photos of appetising and healthy food to tempt you away from the chocolate eclairs. Or photos of people exercising, or doing outdoor activities, or lush green parks, people at spas - anything that makes you want to get fit and healthy. If standing by the supermarket queue and seeing sweets tempts you to buy and tuck into something chocolatey, perhaps a healthy board will tempt you towards something a little better for you!


3. Hair Cuts
Read the beauty pages of any magazine, and they usually suggest that you take pictures of hair styles to show your hairdresser. If you're anything like me, you usually remember this when its a bit late - the day of the appointment! So save some time, and start a haircut pin board; so if you want the back of one cut with the fringe from another picture, or a particular shade then why not create a pin board of haircuts you like, and build a collection of pictures to help you get the hairstyle you want!


4. Interiors
We'd all like to have a home built up of collected and selected objects, but how many of us actually end up with a mismatched clutter instead? Why not make up a mood board to help you create your dream interior designs? Think of it as a means of drawing all your ideas together into a more organised selection, you could use it to find sofas, lights, book shelves, paint or wallpaper or curtains that would all work together into your ideal room.


5. Gardens
Same ideas as the interiors - use the boards to help organise your thought processes over your dream garden. Build up pictures of plants, shrubs, and features that could work in your garden, rather than arriving at the garden centre with a blank mind and a shopping basket filled with plants that you hope will work when you get home. 


6. Holidays
Get inspired for dream holidays and places you'd like to visit. You could also use it as a board to cheer you up when you need a daydream or two of a gorgeous beach when its raining outside. You might be surprised what you find landing on your pin board - you might be tempted to explore a new country or location that you've yet to visit; or swap your usual hotel by the beach in the Med for a holiday exploring the Far East.

7. Photos
This is my favourite one, and perhaps I'm a little biased. One of my previous brides decided to send me links to wedding photos she'd seen on the internet, to ask if I could do photos in the style she'd found. It was a great thing to do - we both then had a clear idea exactly of what she wanted and a starting point for talking about her wedding photography. Much like showing your hairdresser pictures of styles you like, this sort of board could help you get the photos you want, and helps make sure everyone is clear as to what you're after and what can be created for you!

8. Clothes
Ever see a photo of a dress, or shoes or a top you like in a magazine then completely forget about it or where you've seen it? Why not create a visual shopping list for yourself using the Pinterest boards? You could do this especially for getting a holiday wardrobe together before you go away, or maybe some new clothes for a personal make-over.


9. Events
Preparing for a wedding? why not make your own research boards of things you like. So wedding cakes, chair decorations, bridesmaid dresses, bouquets, table centre pieces; or maybe you're planning a birthday bash and want to make sure you get the right location and themes for the day? You could add design, decoration, even just a mood through a picture.

10. Things to do
Think of this as DIY and how-tos. The internet is awash with useful examples of how to make things, how to do things yourself. Sure, we all bookmark the most useful things (if we remember); at worst, we trawl through links we've posted on Facebook/Twitter, or maybe even type in a few words to a search engine. Well, what about tagging the photos of things you want to make, create, do, become, improve? the "after" photo, so you can see how its done? One of the useful things about pinterest, is that it takes you back to the source of the original image, so you can find it there. Alternatively, the how-to in question might take the form of an image, so you could link to that. Or you might want to simply make a collection of things you plan to make in the future (which as someone who enjoys knitting, usually includes "make a scarf like this"). Your things to do might not be quite so creatively minded, but more places you want to visit, local coffee shops, or days out. Make something to jog your memory, keep it fresh, and ensure you actually do the things you're planning, make it a to-do-list you actually feel inspired to tick off.

Bridesmaid Revisited

I thought that today I'd share with you the images from the photoshoot I did last Thursday.

The shoot took place at the Hub, in Edinburgh (right next to Edinburgh Castle). One thing about the Hub is that its spire is actually the highest point in all of Edinburgh. 

My dressmaker for this was Wendy from Flossy and Dossy. We'd been talking about doing a bridesmaid wear shoot since October last year, following my previous shoot with her dresses at Viewpark Gardens.

We got together with Sonia from Gioia Mia who supplied the jewellery and fantastic head pieces; one of my favourite make up artists, Kathryn Hughes, and two models Sophie and Esther who looked absolutely gorgeous and radiated the demure glamour we needed. Both Wendy and Sonia provided bespoke, individual pieces for this shoot, which I think look gorgeous. Wendy even supplied the shoes, which she hand-painted to work with the dresses. You can see more about how she did that here:

http://flossyanddossy.blogspot.com/2011/03/new-shoes.html

To be honest, this was a dream shoot to work on. Everyone gave complete commitment and worked hard; the venue, The Hub, were fantastic at giving us the space to shoot; and the whole day couldn't have run more smoothly. 

Dresses: Flossy and Dossy www.flossyanddossy.co.uk
Jewellery and accessories: Gioia Mia www.gioiamia.net
Make up and hair: Kathryn Hughes
Models: Sophie Robertson and Esther Kungu www.estherkungu.com/
Photography: Kristin Mitchell www.kristinmitchell.co.uk
Location: The Hub, Edinburgh www.thehub-edinburgh.com/

Vintage darlings: Fifties Wedding

As part of my exploration into vintage, I am extremely pleased to present this week’s featured guest, Charlie, who co-writes the blog at http://fiftieswedding.com/.

Charlie‘s blog is very much a mother-daughter collaboration, with her mum Selma writing a regular post every week. Their website features lots of beautiful vintage ideas and inspiration, most noteably paying homeage to Charlie’s icon, Audrey Hepburn.

Their Fifties Wedding blog is a lot more than articles about vintage. Selma and Charlie offer brides (and anyone involved in weddings) lots of useful tips, how-tos, practical ideas and inspiring images, including dedicated inspiration galleries of wedding dresses and wedding shoes. Personally I think it’s a great resource that ought to be bookmarked by any vintage inspired bride in the process of planning her wedding.

Charlie and Selma began writing Fifties Wedding in October 2010, and in the short space of time it’s become very popular, no doubt as a result of Charlie and Selma’s evident passion for vintage and breadth of ideas. I asked Charlie how she finds having such a popular blog since October. Charlie explains “I have met so many lovely people through doing it. I am completely shocked at how popular the blog has become in such a short space of time – I really never thought there were so many 50s inspired brides out there! It’s obviously a great feeling to know that people are interested and reading the blog though! I couldn’t be happier – hopefully it will just keep growing!”

Charlie was initially inspired to start the blog after finding difficulty in sourcing what she wanted for your own wedding. She particularly had problems finding a dress, bird cage veil and shoes, all within her budget. Like many people, although she could have spent hours on Google, what she really wanted was a single website with tips on everything. Charlie explains, “In the end I made my own birdcage veil for example, because I just didn’t know where else to get it! Since doing the blog of course I have found that there are hundreds and hundreds of fabulous small suppliers & designers out there. Indeed many of them I wish I had known about when planning my wedding!”

I asked Charlie about what vintage she incorporated into her own wedding. Charlie replies, “It was a mixture of 50s, vintage, summer & country all wrapped up in one. My dress was 50s inspired – tea length with a petticoat to give it that 50s shape. I wore my mum’s vintage pearls too, and had 50s inspired peep toe shoes with bows on. We hired an old-fashioned style ice cream trike, made lots of bunting to hang round the garden, and put flowers in vintage vases and jugs”.

I wanted to know a little more about what attracted Charlie specifically towards 50s vintage. She says “I love the fashion and style of the era and the glamorous movie star icons (Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn). Those full dresses, the red lipstick, the bows, the polka dots…just some of the things I love!”

So why does Charlie think there’s been such an increased interest in vintage inspired weddings? Charlie responds “I think there has been a general acceptance over the years that your wedding doesn’t have to be traditional if you don’t want it to be. The eras of the 20s, 30s, 40s & 50s particularly evoke nostalgia and romance that I think people are drawn to – the black & white movies, the art deco posters, the wartime fashions, the Hollywood actors of the 30s etc. All of these times reflect our history. I also think that there has been a growing interest towards vintage-inspired weddings just as much as there has been a growing interest towards DIY weddings, hippy weddings, weddings in unusual locations and all sorts of other sorts of weddings. With more and more wedding websites and blogs, and more articles in magazines about ‘alternative’ weddings, brides-to-be are encouraged to make their big day personal to them – whatever that may be.”

Of course, not everyone wants their wedding to be completely vintage inspired, and some brides might want to incorporate a few elements that can achieve a vintage feel. I asked Charlie what tips she had for anyone looking for some subtle vintage details. Charlie suggests “Well it’s all about the wedding you want that reflects you. For a touch of 50s glamour it could be anything such as little pearl earrings & gloves, or perhaps an Audrey Hepburn updo. I think flowers in vintage vases and tea cups are a great idea too. I think a 50s style dress of course is very important!”

Since I started this exploration of vintage weddings, one thing that has been apparent is how flattering vintage clothing is on different figures. I asked Charlie if she thought this was part of the appeal of vintage wedding glamour. Charlie answers “I definitely think that plays a part – with 50s styles anyway! That’s why I love the 50s style dresses. Wearing vintage clothing is like wearing a little bit of fashion history too, and if you’re wearing you mum’s cardigan from the 1960s you can be pretty sure no one else will be wearing the same thing! It’s fun to be different!”

And does Charlie have any tips to achieving the right look? She says, “There is no right or wrong – that’s the beauty of it! You can incorporate as little or as much vintage as you like.”

Finally, I asked Charlie if she had anything she’d like to add?

Charlie replies “Only that if you’re getting married, have the wedding your way!”.

With thanks to Charlie for her fantastic answers – her blog is definitely a must-read for any bride to be, or anyone interested in vintage. I'm personally eyeing up the brooches featured in their article 1950s Inspired Thank You Gifts for Bridesmaids & Mums - I reckon they could make a nice mothers day gift!


Follow Fifties Wedding on Twitter @fiftieswedding
 Fifties Wedding Facebook page
Fifties Wedding website

Vintage darlings: Flossy and Dossy

all images courtesy of Flossy and Dossy

As part of my on-going exploration into vintage themes at weddings, I'm extremely pleased today to present talented Glasgow based dressmaker Wendy from Flossy and Dossy. I first met Wendy in September 2010 when we collaborated on a photoshoot. I was instantly drawn to Wendy's beautiful vintage inspired clothes - cute little summer dresses and ladylike floral print tops that wouldn't look out of place at a vintage tea party. What struck me most was the beautiful attention to detail and care towards vintage design.

Wendy started dressmaking and knitting initially as a hobby, making her own unique vintage inspired clothes. She started receiving compliments from friends as well as from strangers on her stunning creations and the requests started to come in from friends wanting her to make clothes for them. Wendy's confidence in her ability began to grow steadily along with her understanding of garment construction, however she knew she was onto something a little more special when her sister asked her to design and make a wedding dress.

Wendy began Flossy and Dossy in 2008. So where did the name Flossy and Dossy come from? Wendy explains "I wanted to pick a name that was fun, a little twee and playful, and after considering a few ideas I liked how it reflected my design concepts. It's also something that seems to stick in people's minds". Wendy was mindful of the importance of a good name and carefully selected a name which suited the market and brand of her business.

Wendy discusses how her business began, "I started off small, taking stalls at handmade vintage fairs such as those run by Made in the Shade, and dipping my toes in online selling, and it's all taken off from there. I also discovered early on how important it is to get good photographs, to show off my clothes in their best possible light."

I asked Wendy about where she gets her inspiration, and the personal appeal for her of vintage. Wendy says "Ever since I was little I've adored old movies, and I've always been fascinated by the how almost every actress carries herself with such poise and sophistication.

If it wasn't for Audrey Hepburn I doubt that Flossy would exist; I've always adored her impeccable, individual style. Hers is the playful sophistication that inspires all of my clothes, from the ballet pump/ full skirt look of Roman Holiday, to the glamour of Breakfast at Tiffany's. 


Behind all of Flossy's designs is a great deal of research; not only on the technical aspects of, for example, frock design, but also how a certain look is constructed. I ask myself what makes a Hitchcock Blonde so distinctive? Therefore one of my greatest influences is Edith Head, who designed wonderful gowns for Hollywood films for over forty years. She was nominated for the Oscar for Costume Design an astonishing 35 times, and the list of actresses who wore her designs is a who's-who of cinema.

When I'm designing frocks I'm mainly influenced by the 50s. I love how full-skirted designs flatter every figure and make the wearer feel feminine. When I'm working on my knitwear I'm mainly influenced by the 40s. I love the nipped-in waist and wide shoulders of knitwear from this time."

We move on to the topic of vintage at weddings. I asked Wendy why she thinks vintage has had such an allure at weddings. Wendy responds "I think that the main reason interest has been growing in vintage-inspired weddings is that people want something that's a bit more personal, and that the flavour of the whole day, from the bridal and bridesmaid frocks right down to the invitations and favours, can be elegantly themed. At a recent wedding I attended, the table decorations were handmade by the bride's mother and involved lovely little floral sprays set into vintage teacups - touches like that are wonderful.

There's also an increasing amount of inspiration on the web, from Offbeat Bride to the Etsy Wedding Blog. These websites have great style tips, and have examples of things you can make yourself which look better than the generic wedding stationery or table decorations."

Of course, vintage can go wrong. So what advice does she have to avoid the pitfalls, and how to get the look right?

Wendy replies "I think the main thing to remember is that finding vintage accessories can take time especially if you're on a tight budget. It's also sometimes difficult to blend vintage and modern and you might have to bear this in mind when picking the venue. I've seen a lot of lovely vintage style weddings which are slightly let down by the hotel decor (especially in Scotland with the trend for tartan carpets!) To get round this I'd make sure you pick out a main colour and carry it through the whole wedding; if the hotel has a blue tartan carpet make sure you pick up the blue in the groomsmen's ties, the buttonholes or a sash on the bridesmaids dress that helps tie the whole look together."

I asked Wendy if she has any advice for anyone looking to take the plunge into slipping into something a little more vintage, how to find something that works for them. Wendy explains "Vintage style clothing can flatter all shapes and sizes, Its all about picking the right accessories and being confident about what you wear. Lots of my customers have been reluctant to wear the full 50s skirt as they think its going to make them look larger than they really are, but once they've tried it on they realise the shape actually shrinks the waist it will give you an hourglass silhouette whether your slim and boyish or large and curvy. Every woman should own one."

Finally, does Wendy have any predictions for what vintage inspired clothing is going to be popular in the near future? Wendy replies "I think full skirted 50s dresses and skirts will always be popular but I do think there's going to be a rise in 40s style dresses from cotton tea dresses to glamorous evening wear. There's been a big increase in 1940s styling on the internet with lots of video tutorials showing you how to style your hair in victory rolls or how to do pin curls."

Many thanks to Wendy for sharing her insight into vintage clothing and her beautiful designs from Flossy and Dossy. Time to get practicing on those victory curls!

Follow Flossy and Dossy on Twitter: @flossyanddossy
Flossy and Dossy website
Flossy and Dossy blog
Flossy and Dossy Facebook Page

A story behind every photo...

This is a photograph from a recent photo shoot I did for a make up artist. I liked this photograph most of all so thought I'd post it to my blog. 

The story behind this shoot, was that the make up artist (Joanna) runs an online retro-vintage clothes store. All of the pieces she sells are unique one-off items, and she had a few which needed photographing for her site. This particular item was a pussy-cat bow blouse. 

We decided to theme the shoot. I like to make little stories about photo shoots, I've always been interested in stories since I was a kid. Before I got into photography, I used to spend a lot of my spare time writing, so I'm driven by plots, narrative, and characters and that's something I try to bring into my photographs. 


The theme of this shoot was to create four different personas for each of the outfits. We decided that we'd go with different card suits for this. The pussycat bow was teamed with a pair of killer heels and a black leather pencil skirt. This was the Queen of Spades look. Our Diamond queen wore leopard print leggings, a shiny quilted clutch bag, and a black bodysuit. Our Jack (or Jill) of Clubs went for a clubber look (of course!), with a MC Hammer pink t-shirt, black leggings, and a wild sequins boyfriend blazer. Finally, the Queen of Hearts was dolled up to look like a 50's pin-up girl.

The thing I enjoy about these sorts of shoots, is that I have this chance to get quite experimental. It's hard work - but half the hard work really comes through the non-camera based work. 


Before I started really getting into photography, studying it, when I was taking photos for pleasure and starting out, I didn't really consider the volume of work involved behind the picture. However, when I started to take photography more seriously, I noticed how things changed. If I'm honest, I probably took less photos the more seriously I took photography. 


A shoot like this involves a lot of ground work before the button is pressed. Researching the idea, buying a background (B&Q, if you're interested), looking at what had been done before, and deciding to model the cards on 1970s style novelty playing cards, agreeing on how the photographs ought to look, what we'd do, what we wanted and didn't want. I even made a mock-up to see what I'd need to consider before I took a photograph. And that's not even the whole story as it only covers my involvement. 


After the shoot, I got to work on editing the photos. 


Although I don't take a machine-gun approach to my photography, I do make sure I take as many as I can. My approach is about getting the set up right first - so there are always test shots for exposure, particularly when the model changes clothes as different fabrics might need different lighting adjustments to make the photo work. Then we get into the actual shoot itself. 


We worked on different poses - what suited the model (Romy) best, what angles showed the clothes off to their best advantage, and what portrayed the character we were trying to create. Romy was great in this shoot - she really embraced the different characters and what we were trying to do, offering poses and suggestions and being pro-active in front of the camera, which was really important for me. 


I'll be honest, I'm a bit of a liar when it comes to a shoot. I usually say "just one or two more", and will fire off more than just the one or two I request. I can't help it: if something's working well, I take full advantage while I can.


Editing always takes time. I'll compare images carefully, and narrow down my selection. I divide my photographs into groups. I've got a pretty good idea of exactly what I'm looking for in a photograph, but I like to give my clients options, selecting the top cuts from each group. I also try to be aware if the client made any special requests as to shots they specifically wanted. In this case, Joanna wanted  a close up photograph of Romy's face to showcase her make up artistry - the photograph shown at the start of this entry. 

I suppose editing might seem like the easy bit, or that things can be automatically fixed by Photoshop. Photoshop has many wonderful features, but it can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. 

The idea through research and planning, is to help make sure that as much goes right before taking the photograph. There's no substitute for getting the photograph right in camera. Editing afterwards should be about enhancing what is there and removing what couldn't be avoided, for example pylons surrounding a location where there's otherwise a beautiful vista.

Sitting in front of a computer for hours, painstakingly editing photographs is hard work. Its a bit like sitting writing a business report, or analysing statistics in a spreadsheet for hours on end. You end up poring over details, cross-checking to see whether you've kept things consistent. I'm doing the same thing as I would in a darkroom. Admittedly, I'm not getting a sore back from standing over an enlarger in a darkroom, my eyesight trying to focus on something that's dimly lit and negative, my clothes stinking of chemicals from fixer and developer agents. However, much like staring at numbers on a spreadsheet, after a while, I do get cramps in my hand and need to get out my chair and stretch (it's usually around then that someone might call and ask "have you finished yet?"). I have to admit however that I enjoy editing photographs - if the hard work involved was demotivating and soul-destroying, I don't think I could continue in this line of work.


When I'm booked by a client, it's not just my ability to hold a camera that they're paying for. There's a lot of work that goes into each of those photographs before I've pressed a button, and after I've put my camera away. You've probably heard of the Pareto principle, and I suppose in this case the physical act of photographing only accounts for 20% of the work involved - the remaining 80% is image research and editing. 

Every photograph has a story to tell, including its own story of how that photograph was created from start to finish.

In the gardens

It's been a while since my last blog post, on the basis I've actually been very busy lately! In the past fortnight, I've had three separate shoots, which means three lots of editing of photographs afterwards. 

This particular post is about a personal project I've recently completed. The reason I'm writing about these photographs is basically because I really like them, and also because I like to keep working on all sorts of photographic projects whenever I can. Sometimes the influences from a shoot like this can end up being used for a bridal or portraiture shoot. I like to keep working at my photography, whether someone else plans the shoot, or its one I create myself. At any rate, personal projects keep me out of mischief. 

This photoshoot has been on the cards for a while now - it's something I've wanted to do, and as with all my most successful shoots, took a fair amount of organising, planning, and researching before I could even click the button and take the first photograph. I must admit, I was hugely nervous about this shoot. Why? Because of all the people involved, the planning, and organising, and even the weather, absolutely everything had gone perfectly right. When everything else goes right it does leave me to get on with the photographic side, and I always reserve a little nervousness for something going wrong during the shoot. I think it's simply because I care about what I do - I want to get it right, I want to exceed my own expectations, and I want to deliver success back to everyone else involved in the shoot.

 Outdoor photoshoots in Scotland can be hit or miss, in terms of the weather. Autumnal photoshoots are never a certain thing, and I spent the best part of ten days leading up to the shoot watching the weather forecast online, much like watching the lottery to see if your numbers appear. As it happened, we were exceptionately lucky. The entire week was blighted by bad weather on and off, but our shoot happened on the one day in weeks when we had unusually good weather. Being in Scotland, I do have to come prepared for a shoot. So I had some lovely colourful brollies in the event of a shower, and some nice fleecy blankets to keep the girls snug between shots.

The dresses and all the clothes used in the photoshoot were provided by Wendy from Flossy and Dossy. I was keen to work with Wendy when I saw her clothes, as I had a particular shot in mind that I wanted to create. I thought that they would be perfect in this setting.

As with any shoot I work on, I usually end up with more props than I end up using - but mostly tools and props that I can and do end up using again.

I was working with Kathryn Hughes the make up artist. I've worked with Kathryn quite a few times previously. I must admit, when I find a great make up artist, I make a point of working with them again. Kathryn and I started by comparing ideas and research as to the look we wanted for the shoot. I'm inclined to leave more of it in her hands, mostly because I know she delivers a good quality service and I trust her. But also perhaps because I occasionally have a tendency to see every idea and think "yeah! lets do that!", and if we actually went with every idea, the girls' faces would end up looking like they'd been dragged through a make-up counter backwards. 

My assistant for the day was Laura Hughes (no relation to Kathryn), who I know from my student days as a fellow photographer. Working with other photographers enables me to have someone to bounce ideas off, and someone who understands how the kit works, and can see the things I'm trying to create. 

The lovely models are Lainey Virginia Brown, and Melanie Long. Although this was my first time working with them, they were both very professional in their work, despite the long day! 

Without a committed team, I don't think the shoot would have gone as well as it did. I felt afterwards that the photographs produced met exactly to the original plan, and if I'm honest, I feel they've exceeded my own expectations. 

These photographs are currently featured (alongside more photographs) on my commercial photography website: 

http://www.kristinmitchell.co.uk in the fashion section.

Viewpark Gardens was a fantastic venue for this shoot - although now closed to the public for the winter, it's still available for bridal parties throughout the year. I think it makes a wonderful wedding photography backdrop particularly where the budget might not match the cost of a country mansion with beautiful grounds to wander round in.