Haute Couture Design in Sydney

Dressing the Void by Cigdem A ydemir.

An interrogation of the space between body & dress.

“… a core structure with the use of boning, fibreglass and fabric.The form of these garments have also been heavily influenced by current ‘blobitecture’ – a response to rectilinear planes found in traditional architecture and a move towards computer generated design.”

“… ‘Dressing the Void’ is an attempt to create cocoon-like negative spaces that engulf the wearer and simultaneously evoke a sense of containment and refuge.”
Cigdem Aydemir.

With Sunny modelling, Kaori on Hair and Make-Up and the designer styling the shoot; we managed a full set of fashion documentation images for Cigdem’s graduation exhibition.



Although we only shot two garments there was considerable time and effort in the ‘dressing’ of the model on set as well as the time spent on two changes of hair and make-up. I took inspiration from Russian Constructivism in my approach to dressing the set using large foundry technical drawings pinned to the white background. As constructivism was concerned with the formal qualities of architectural space it seemed like a good match with Cigdem’s architecturally inspired Haute Couture.



This was perhaps Sunny’s most demanding modelling job with me so far as she had to spend quite a lot of time being fitted to the garments on set. Seven hours latter we had a great set of images including some lovely high key head shots detailing the garments free form collar. A great days shooting and everyone has been very pleased with the results.



You can see the garments at the COFA Annual 07
Thursday 29 November to Friday 7 December 2007
College of Fine Arts , UNSW
Cnr Oxford St & Greens Rd
Paddington, Sydney , Australia .

Portraits and Headshots

What is the difference between a Portrait and a Headshot? Who gets a headshot and who gets a portrait? Is it just actors and models who get headshots? Should the shot be in classic black and white; colour; studio or location?

“If I want to look like a model or an actor can I get a headshot instead of a portrait too?”

Of course you can! A headshot is still a portrait but it’s usually a portrait photograph taken for a very specific purpose. For an model, actor or performer it’s a selling tool for their agent, just like actors models have composite, or ‘comp cards’ too. The comp card shows what someone looks like in a well lit and often in a fairly natural way. Actors may only have one shot on their card while models will have quite a few. The models comp will have their main headshot on the front and a collection of different shots on the back highlighting their different looks.



Of course Models are beautiful and Actors are handsome (or something like that); a good headshot or portrait should bring out your beauty or your handsomeness too. I have found very few subjects who did not look great in a well executed portrait or headshot. It seems to be all about making sure you are relaxed in front of the camera. As a photographer it seems I am lucky enough to possess the skills required to get most people quite relaxed and happy about being photographed most of the time.




Its quite exciting and rewarding when having done a portrait the sitter is presented with an image that matches their inner vision of themselves. Its not about turning someone into someone else its all about bring out their best. People photography is far more than camera technique it is also about how you work with people, the psychology of the shoot! In our myspace facebook world everyone wants to know what you look like so why not look as glamorous as a Model an Actor or even a little Rock and Roll. Why not look like a Star in shots that truly bring out your best.