Went to do a test shoot in Phoenix to try out some ideas that wanted out. I worked Jodi Carey (Makeup), Shannon Campbell (Wardrobe) and Daniela Lazar (Model from Ford). We shoot at a great location in Glendale called An Art Affair which was designed by Will Bruder, its one of those locations that for some strange reason hasnt been discovered and shot to death. Many thanks to B Love for letting up use the location all day.
So I just finished watching a BBC show called “Seven Photographs that Changed Fashion”. The show takes us through British fashion photography Rankin recreation of seven of his favourite fashion images. He first does it with the technology of the day and then with the equipment he is currently using when he shoots. Everything from Cecil Beaton’s 1934 “Hat Box” with Sophie Ellis-Bextor, as the model, I’m so in love with Sophie, to more modern images such as Herb Ritt’s “Fred with Tires”.
The behind the scenes stuff is very funny especially he’s banter with David Bailey, Rankin is a fantastic photography but without a doubt you can tell he was just a tad intimidated by David Bailey as we all would be I think. You can see the individual recreations here at the Daily Telegraphs site. If you have access to it I’d highly recommend catching the show, its a nice break from all the fashion reality shows that I deny I watch. Really I dont watch any of them. 
So this month I’m spotlighting fashion photographer along with Francis Hills, Gray have been the most amazing photographers I have meet in the industry. Gray is work is unbelievable, he is a true groundbreaking. He’ll hate me for saying that but the mannequin look at you see other photographers shooting now days, that’s Gray’s creation. He brought that to us and everyone else has just blatantly ripped it off. He’s work is so distinct that you don’t even need to see the byline you know who’s work it is. Gray would describe himself as an artist and he truly is. Which you’ll see from the film shorts he’s directed.
He is one of the few photographers that has inspired me more than any other. Dont get me wrong I love the work of Cecil Beaton, David Bailey, Herb Ritz, David LaChapelle etc but Gray was one of the first photographers that I found accessible. That wasn’t too important to answer probably some really lame questions I shot him in an email and I’d always appreciate that. I traded back a forth fifteen or so emails and he always replied prompted and answer any question I had of him.
Well I hope everyone had a great christmas, I went home to London to be with my family and friends. It was a great refresher, I purposely did not take my camera with me so I couldn’t shot. Of course that didn’t stop be being inspired by everything around me. I think it by the third day of me pointing out great shoot locations everyone was ready to kill me. Funny how you dont notice the things under your nose sometimes, nothing like spending twenty years some not to notice anything around you.