Have Pentax, Will Travel

Charles Beckwith

Post from April, 2007

Apr 28

Compositing is everything.

Saturday, 28. April 2007 21:58

I learned to value layering effects when I was into computer animation in the mid-90′s. The concepts of good compositing translate to fashion photography and many other art forms.

Complex things tend to look more special.

If it looks like it took a long time to do by hand, that’s less common now than it used to be, so there is value assumed. Add considered detail to make things look expensive. Just don’t over-do it.

Category:art direction, compositing, detail, photography, styling | Comment (0) | Author: charles

Apr 28

What is an editorial?

Saturday, 28. April 2007 21:56

This was my response to a photography forum post asking “what is an editorial?”

An editorial tells a story, argues a point, focuses on an issue. Like a written editorial, a photographic editorial expresses a position on an idea. It is an editorial comment, a note from the artist or editor or publisher. Someone is communicating an idea through the images.

Category:editorial, photography | Comment (0) | Author: charles

Apr 28

What is an exotic model?

Saturday, 28. April 2007 21:26

Someone asked a few weeks ago, on a photography forum I frequent, “what is an exotic model?” This was my response:

When you do a double take, thinking something about a model is makeup and it turns out to be their real face and it is beautiful, that is the “exotic” I look for.

Sofia Loren is exotic, Djaimon Honsu is exotic, Yvonne De Carlo was exotic.

They have sculpturaly breathtaking features that really would shock the kind of person who never leaves their hometown, but even people who get around are surprised when they first see these people.

Exotic must be elegant in form, and exotic must be breathtakingly rare. For me, that is.

Category:exotic, models | Comment (0) | Author: charles

News from modaCYCLE

Nicholas K – Hard Work Paying Off February 2, 2012
The brother and sister team of Chris and Nicole Kunz and their label Nicholas K may seem like a new brand on the U.S fashion scene due to their recently acquired hot label status, but they're far from freshmen. As they close in on a decade of design, it's important to notice that from the very first looks of their 2003 launch, their work already co […]
Pop Color Pop January 31, 2012
I was showing someone my photography portfolio recently, when I realized that it really lacks color. I often shoot in color, but very seldom are my subjects colorful. I usually pay more attention to lighting the shape of the subject than creating a mood in any other way. This editorial is an attempt to break into strange territory and intentionally play with […]
Bibhu Mohapatra, The Transparent Man January 26, 2012
New York-based designer Bibhu Mohapatra's creations are complete visual sentences. They clearly communicate an idea which always feels fully realized. His designs possess the rare quality of transparency in process. It is as if the individual history of each piece is on display within the garment. You can see the idea behind the piece that fascinated Mr […]
All Keyed Up – The End of Fashion Retail As We Know It January 24, 2012
Attention, attention, world of fashion commerce, you have 30 minutes to make up your mind about your future. That is all. It's no secret that a vast number of cultural and economic systems are at worst collapsing or at best mutating. Retail fashion is, of course, just as seemingly chaotic and unsettled as everything else right now, as hundreds of compan […]
Agatha Ruiz De La Prada – My God, It’s Full of Rainbows January 12, 2012
After our recent interview with Agatha Ruiz De La Prada, our photographer Adrianna Favero took some of the renowned Spanish designer's wildly colorful outfits into the studio. […]
Tadashi Shoji – Spring 2012 Bridal Review January 9, 2012
Tadashi Shoji's Spring 2012 bridal collection once again confirms that the veteran designer's calling card is his balanced touch with embroidery and other potentially garish or voluminous design elements. In short, the man knows when to stop and precisely what to do to create a compelling gown. […]