trends in contemporary fashion photography
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Trends in Contemporary Fashion PhotographyTRANSCRIPT
Trends in Contemporary Fashion Photography
Doina Tatu
Milan, 2012
Tattoo Culture
If back in the ’90s the God like physiques could assure the place for a model in the fashion
industry, nowadays the most important is the criteria that make him or her unique. Tattoos are
one of the characteristics that can separate a successful model from an average one. Models
like Rick Genest (known also as Zombie Boy) or Dario Tozzi that have their whole body
(including their faces) covered in ink are really wanted for edgier photo shootings right now.
Mariano Vivanco, Ryan McGinley, John Agcaoili, Aline & Jacqueline Tappia, Mary
Kuzmenkova,Hedi Slimane, Easton Schirra and Chelsea Vance are just a few names of the
photographers that are deeping in the “tattoo culture” trend.
If in the past tattoos were mainly a badge of belonging and were generally the preserve of
armed forces personnel, bikers and tribes, after shows like “Miami Ink” and “LA ink” people
started to indulge more in the getting inked trend, so you can see more and more people on
the streets with tattoos. Even though there are still some taboos surrounding tattooing, the art
is increasing its popularity in many parts of the World. Of course the obsession went into
magazines as well. People nowadays want to see originality, they are not attracted to
normality anymore. The crazier – the better! Uniqueness sells a lot and tattoos can guarantee
that this is delivered. Tattoos have left the underground and became mainstream and a easy
way to make a fashion statement.
Aline & Jacqueline Tappia Mary Kuzmenkova
Ryan McGinley
Mariano Vivanco
Easton Schirra and Chelsea Vance
John Agcaoili
HediSlimane
Ryan McGinley
Mariano Vivanco
Eating Habits
Fashion was always linked to anorexia given the skinny look of the models from the catwalks.
After entering the era of eating habits disorders, many blamed on the image of the perfect women
which is really thin created by the fashion industry, the public started a war against this perfect
dimensions-ill looking figure. The big names in fashion realized that is good for them to get on
the people’s side, so plus size models and photo shootings in which the models are eating high
calories foods started to appear.
Photographers like Terry Richardson, Juergen Teller, Sally Parker, Amber Gray, Jean-Baptiste
Fort, Shannon Skloss and Steven Klein (among others) adopted this trend.
In the pictures resulted after filtered on the “eating habits” trend you can actually see the
satisfaction on the models’ faces while they are eating foods like spaghetti, ham, steak, pizza and
other fattening dishes.
Terry Richardson
Steven Klein
Jean-Baptiste Fort
Amber Gray
Sally Parker
Terry Richardson
Shannon Skloss
Juergen Teller
Dark Fairytale
Giving that all of us grew up reading fairytales and dreaming of a fairytale-like life, the desire of
“happily ever after” was translated in the fashion language into lavish gowns and captivating
jewelry. When mixed with the edgier approach of some photographers like Annie Leibowitz,
Amber Gray, Mario Sorrenti, Larissa Kulik, Irina Istratova, Eugenio Recuenco, Mario
Parsotto, Mert & Marcus, Natalie Shau , Bruno Vilela and Anna Dobos, the fairytales become
dark.
The colors are dark but powerful calling you in this mysterious world. The feelings that this
images express are very strong, transposing you into a world of a fairytale full of evil
characters. The expressions on the models’ faces make them seem malefic. The location is
usually an open space, most likely forests that intensify the shadowy look of the story. The use
of blood is also a key element sometimes.
Annie Leibovitz
Amber Gray
Mario Sorrenti
Larissa Kulik
Irina Istratova
Eugenio Recuenco
Mario Parsotto
Mert & Marcus
Natalie Shau Anna Dobos
Bruno Vilela
Bad Boy Attitude
The rebellious look was always captivating, in real life and in fashion also. The “bad” attitude all the time held an attractiveness to people.
The “bad boy attitude” is achieved by mixing the biker look with leather, tattoos and metal accessories.
The models are typically worked up boys with God-like looks, revealing the upper part of their bodies.
Contemporary fashion photographers that approached the “bad boy attitude” trend are Steven Klein, Nick Knight, Dan Martensen, Mariano Vivanco, Michal Kar & Maciej Piorko, Zed
Daemen, Zachary Handley-Garben and Matthias Vriens-McGrath.
Nick Knight
Dan Martensen
Steven Klein
MATTHIAS VRIENS-MCGRATH Mariano Vivanco
Steven Klein
Michal Kar and Maciej Piorko Matthias V. McGrath
Michal Kar and Maciej Piorko Zed Daemen
Zachary Handley-Garben