The Seven Photographs That Changed Fashion

The documentary looks at fashion photography in different decades and how techniques have changed due to advances in technology. It also explores how the ideals of beauty have changed and what different photographers aim to achieve in their work. The documentary gives you one individual’s insight into how fashion photography has changed over time and the images that he thinks represent these changes the most.

Then in the documentary the seven photographs are recreated to show that with a few small changes they look in keeping with modern day styles of photography. This shows how skilled and ground breaking the photographers were in their time as the compositions of their pieces still work and look good several decades later. The techniques that were used at the time the photographers were taken were used in many of the recreated photographs but just using more advanced equipment and I find it interesting that these older techniques can still be used to produces stunning photographs.

The documentary starts by looking at the work of Cecil Beaton a photographer and artist known for his work in films such as My Fair Lady and he is also renowned for being a preferred photographer for many royals including Queen Elizabeth II. The photo that was chosen was a piece for Vogue in 1934 which became known as the White Panama Hat. in the modern day photograph Sophie Ellis-Bexter was used as the model.

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Queen Elizabeth II Portrait

Queen Elizabeth II

by Cecil Beaton
bromide print, November 1955

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This is a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II who is the Queen of England and has been since her father King George VI died from lung cancer on February 6th 1952. This portrait was commissioned in 1955 before the Queen visited Nigeria on a three week royal visit.

The photographer Cecil Beaton has done commissions for the royal family for many years and is known as one of Queen Elizabeth's favourite photographers.

The first thing I noticed in this portrait was the Queens eyes which stand out as they are in the middle of the portrait and they are looking towards the camera when the rest of the Queens body is facing to the side. This makes the Queen look very striking and powerful as her position is strong and ridged and not relaxed, making her look very formal and serious. The second thing I noticed in this portrait was the crown the Queen wears which represents her power and shows that she is a monarch. Also it is heavily decorated in jewels and pearls which represent wealth and nobility. The crown links to the rest of the jewellery the Queen is wearing with the  large jewels around her neck and on her earrings which show her wealth as they are so expensive and also show her sense of style. Her dress further shows this sense of style as it is embellished with a detailed pattern of flowers. In the background are objects which have detailed carvings  showing again that The Queen can afford expensive items.

The photograph looks real as you can see the light from the camera flash reflecting in the queens eyes and you can also see shadows and light falling across the Queens’ face. Although a lot of portraits especially of royals do not have strong shadows across the face and body I think it works in this portrait to add depth to the photograph and gives it a more natural look. This is needed I feel to stop the photograph looking too un natural as the position the Queen is in usually is only used in portraits and not in daily life.

The photograph has been taken with the camera being at the same height as the Queen, focusing directly at her face to show she is the most important thing in the portrait. I think the photographer was trying to show the Queens power, style, elegance and beauty and I think he has captured this successfully in this portrait.

I chose this portrait as it makes the Queen look very striking and elegant which are ideals I have tried to convey myself in previous work and also if I was having a portrait taken of myself  I would like to look how the Queen does in this portrait. Also I like the composition of the portrait as it reminds me of  the compositions used in photographs of old Hollywood actresses and modern day actresses headshots. I like these compositions as they make the models look as striking as possible and they are the focus of the photographs they are often in black and white as well like the portrait of Queen Elizabeth is.

I have designed a portrait of myself  using the theme of where I would like to be in five years time. I have used using ideas from Elizabethan portraits such as having objects in the portrait to represent different things that i hope will be present in my life.

In this photograph of myself I am leaning on a make-up box, palette and brushes as I hope a career in hair and make-up will support me in the future, this is also the reason for the purse being next to them. I am holding on to photographs of my friends with the other hand as I want to still have those friendships in the future. I am sat on my bed to represent that I hope to be happy and comfortable in my surroundings. I am wearing black because although I want their to be exciting things in my life I hope that I will be able to stay calm and centred in my surroundings. I am looking directly at the camera as I want to focus on the present and remember as much of it as possible, but my legs are pointing slightly in front as I will be still going forward into the next stages of my life.

Colour Theory

Colour Theory

Colour is present when as object produces or reflects light and different colours are produced by the different ways the light reflects off objects and how it is interpreted by our brain once the light has entered through our eyes. In art for example make-up colour is used to create visual experiences and sensations for the viewer in order to show the designers thoughts and creativity. In psychology colour is often seen to act as a stimuli as people react differently and feel differently when they see different colours. However this concept is also used in make-up as designers aim to create reactions to their work by the audience who are viewing their creations.

Colour theory is guidance on the mixing of colours and the effects that different colours have in relation to each other. It also states the general opinions of how people view different colour combinations and the visual effects they create. The colour wheel was first developed by Isaac Newton in 1666 to show the different colours and help to explain how they relate to one another. There are a few factors that can be used to describe colours:

Lightness of colour: How pale or dark a colour is.

Saturation: How intense or dull a colour is.

Hue: The name of the colour e.g. Red, blue, orange.

Primary colours: In art the primary colours are red, blue and yellow. All the others colours that we have can be made from these three colours. Red, blue and yellow cannot be made by mixing any of the other colours.

Secondary colours: These are green, orange and purple and are created by mixing two of the primary colours together.

Tertiary colours: These are created by mixing a primary and a secondary colour together. They are red/purple, red/orange, blue/purple, blue/green, yellow/orange and yellow/green.

All of the primary, secondary and tertiary colours are shown on the colour wheel.

The colours on the colour wheel can be used together to create Colour Harmony. This is when the combinations of the colours work well together because of their position on the colour wheel in order to create colour schemes that are visually pleasing. The colour scheme is the range of colours a designer chooses to use in their work.

Analogous colours are any colour from the colour wheel and the two colours either side of it.

Complimentary colours are any colour and the colour directly opposite it on the colour wheel. These two colours contrast from one another in a way that is visually pleasing.

Monochromatic colours are all the shades of one chosen colour.

The Chromatic colour is the colour that was actually chosen.

Cool colours are usually blues and greens and warm colours are reds and oranges however all colours can have cooler and warmer shades.

Neutrals colours are shades of beiges, greys, browns and creams. They are shades that do not appear on the colour wheel and they are sometimes described as having no true colour however they are normally tones that have undertones of the colour wheel colours in them.

Achromatic colours are black, white and grey. Black and white are tones and this is why they do not appear on the colour wheel. They are usually described as having no colour because black absorbs all light and light needs to reflect off an object in order for it to have colour. Also white reflects all light and some light needs to be absorbed by an object in order for it to have colour. Therefore grey is often described as a colour as it reflects some but not all light however it is created by mixing black and white and not colours.

Analogous

Contouring: Kryolan Supracolor- White 070, Blue 10 and Lila, Illamasqua Translucent Powder.

Eyes: Kryolan Supracolor Lila, White 070, Illamasqua Translucent Powder, Maybelline Great Lash Mascara- Blackest Black, Kryolan Viva Eyeshadow- Lavender and Sage Blossom

Lips- Kryolan Supracolor- Lila, Mua Matte Shine- Persian Plum

Achromatic

Contouring: Kryolan Supracolor-White 070, Mac Paintstick Pure White, Illamasqua Translucent Powder, Kryolan Viva Eyeshadow-  Caraway and White Pepper

Eyes: Kryolan Viva eyeshadow- Caraway and White Pepper, Barry M Liquid Eyeliner- Black, Rimmel Scandaleyes 001 Black, Maybelline Great Lash Mascara- Blackest Black.

Lips: Kryolan Supracolor- 071

In this look I wanted to also practice extreme contouring which I have written about in another post. I have improved since the last time I did extreme contouring as the colours are blended in a lot more and the lines are not too harsh.

Interaction of Color, 50th Anniversary Edition by Josef Albers.
I bought this book as colour theory is something that interests me as I love using lots of different colours in my work. As this book was originally published 50 years ago I was unsure whether the ideas in it would still be relevant today. Obviously colours havn't changed but I wondered whether  the way we perceive different colours and their interaction with each other had. I have not yet read the full book but after reading certain parts its obvious that Albers ideals and way of thinking are still as relevant today as they were when the book was first published. At first I found it difficult to adapt to the writing style and some parts I had to read twice to fully understand the type of language that was used, however when you understand what is being said it makes you reconsider how colour has a big impact on how we see things and different colours effect each other in so many different ways. I would recommend the book to anyone who wants to learn more about colours and the way we see them or to anyone who just loves colour.

The book I bought.

Contouring and Extreme Contouring

Contouring

You will need:

Primer

Foundation

Concealer

Translucent powder

Highlighter- you can also use blusher, eyeshadow and other similar products for highlighting and shading, usually matte products are best for shading, some shimmer can be used for highlighting as shimmer makes the area more eye catching and it stands out.

Shader

Powder brushes

Method:

-Complete the primer, foundation and concealer as you would normally following the previous notes however do not powder if you are going to be using grease based products for contouring. If you are only using powder based products for contouring then you can powder after the foundation and concealer. Remember you can only use grease products on top of grease products and powder products on top of powder products. You can use both grease and powder products for contouring just make sure you powder before using the powder products.

-Clean your hands and then touch the clients face gently to help you to feel and work out where the natural contours of their face are and therefore which areas you are going to be contouring. When contouring you normally use brushes however if your fingers are very clean they can be used to help you apply some of the products if you find this easier and then blend in with the brushes.

-Start shading using the palest colour you are planning on using for shading and then gradually use darker shades as it is a lot easier to make the colour darker than lighter.

-You can use a variety of brushes for shading depending on the shape you want to achieve and how large the area is that you are shading. Generally normal blusher brushes or angled blusher brushes work well for most contouring on areas such as the cheeks and smaller round brushes work well on smaller areas such as the sides of the nose.

-Shade under the cheek bones not on top to create a more natural look and to exaggerate the natural cheekbone definition. Ask the model to suck in their cheeks if this helps you to create a good shape and it should make it easier for you to see their natural cheekbones.

-Shade up to the hairline and curve the shading line slightly when you do this so it follows the natural shape of the face. Also shade down towards the mouth but do not take shading all the way to the mouth as it will look too harsh.

-You can build up the colours of the cheek contouring gradually getting darker until you have reached your desired look or you can do light shading on all the areas of the face you wish to shade and then build the colours up gradually over all the shaded areas.

-Then using a smaller brush shade along the sides of the nose if needed to make the nose appear thinner.

-Put darker shading on the end of the nose if you want it to appear shorter.

-If the forehead is very wide you can shade on the temples to make it look narrower.

-Shade under the chin to define the chin line and to make the chin look thinner.

-Then use highlighter on the areas you wish to look more illuminated. White powder highlighter works well or a white eyeshadow. If you have used grease products for shading make sure you powder using soft rolling motions being careful not to affect your contouring.  Use plenty of powder so that if you gently touched the skin with your hand no grease product would go onto your hands.

-Highlight down the centre of the face i.e. the middle of the forehead, down the centre of the nose and the middle of the chin under the lips. Also highlight on top of the cheek bones and under the cheek bones if you want to and highlight under the eyes. Do not highlight on blemishes as they will look more obvious because highlighting makes an area more eye catching and illuminates the area, instead make sure you concealer blemishes well when applying the foundation and concealer.

-If the skin looks a little too pale then light bronzer can be used over contouring to add warmth, bronzer over highlight works well to achieve a warmer complexion. Also blusher can be used on the apples of the cheeks to add warmth, ask your model to smile so that you can see exactly where to put the blusher.

Extreme Contouring

Extreme contouring is used to exaggerate the convex and concave areas of the skin or to create the illusion that other areas are convex or concave. Convex is when something stands out from the surface and concave is when something is hollow against the surface. Extreme contouring should not be used for daytime looks as it doesn’t look natural however it works well for photo shots and character makeup to make the models look striking and dramatic as it works well under studio lights but not in natural daylight. In natural light more subtle contouring should be used as heavy contouring and heavy products can start to appear greasy or crack after they have been worn for several hours. Also care should be taken to make sure that any other skin on show matches the colour of the face to bring the look together and so that the whole body has the same skin tone. When applying make-up don’t stand too close to the client so that you can clearly see what you are doing, how it’s working with the surrounding make-up and so the client doesn’t feel intimidated or uncomfortable.

Demonstration:

-Apply primer using a foundation brush all over the area of skin that you are going to apply make-up to.

-Use a white cream or grease foundation and apply to the convex areas of the face or the area you want to appear more convex using a buffer brush. Super Color White 070 is good for highlighting as it looks good under lights and creates a flattering cool coloured surface to the face.

-Blend the highlighter into the skin with a buffer brush using circular motions. Blend onto the ears, neck and any other skin that will be on show.

-If you are using powder based products for shading then powder the skin with translucent or coloured powder depending on your chosen look using a large flat sided brush. Always use the side of the brush to pat the powder into the skin so that you are not forcing power directly into the pores. However if you are using cream or grease products for shading the skin then powder afterwards.

- Shading can be done using many different products including eyeshadows, blushers and bronzers. Start by using the lighter shades as it is easier to make the colour darker than to make it lighter. Shade under the cheekbones, under the jaw mainly at the sides towards the ears, side of the nose, near the corner of the eyes, across the eyelid focusing on the socket line and under the lip. Shading can be used on other areas if needed to create a specific look you have designed.

- Shimmering products can be used on highlighted areas to create an illuminatus look if required and if you haven’t already powder the skin after you have finished applying grease based products.

I enjoyed learning how to do extreme contouring and I would like to use it in the future for character make-up and also I think it would be good to experiment with different colours. I need to blend the contouring in a bit more so that it flows smoothly into the rest of the make-up as the lines are a bit harsh at the moment.

Kim Kardashion West is someone known for her love of contouring and many people have tried to emulate her look, just as many people in Elizabethan times tried to look like Queen Elizabeth.
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Queen Elizabeth Films

Queen Elizabeth Films and Television Series

Fire Over England 1937, Flora Robson

 Contouring is used a lot throughout the film to define the facial features which was needed as the film was in black and white colour could not be shown. This is possibly why the cheek bones and eyes especially are defined more than Queen Elizabeth would have done herself, as it was needed to prevent the facial features from being lost on camera. The eyebrows however are still blocked out and pencilled in faintly to keep true to how Queen Elizabeth had her eyebrows.

Private lives of Elizabeth and Essex, 1939, Bette Davis

The make-up designer for this film was Perc Westmore. Bette Davis had her hair line and eyebrows shaved for this role as Elizabethan women used to do this in order to make their forehead seem longer which was a sign of nobility. Davis also had wrinkles created under her eyes to reflect Queen Elizabeth's age and white make-up was used so that she looked like Elizabeth did in many of her portraits especially  the ones created later on in her life. 

ElizabethR, 1971, Glenda Jackson

Dawn Alcock was the make-up artist in this mini series. Glenda Jackson had a high hairline and pale skin with either pale lips or red lips which usually depended on whether her character was in public or in private in the different scenes. This reflects how Queen Elizabeth made herself look a certain way in front of people to create a particular look that her people admired. In portrait of Queen Elizabeth the check are either not defined or defined slightly using red however Dawn Alcock made the check bones very defined which reflects when the programme was made as high defined check bones were popular in the 1970’s.

Elizabeth 1997, Cate Blanchett

Jenny Shircore was awarded an Oscar for the make-up and hair she designed on this film. Anita Burger was Cate Blanchett’s make-up artist. The make-up is very subtle and stays true to the looks Queen Elizabeth had in many of her portraits with pale skin, coloured in eyebrows and the illusion that little other make-up is being worn. The lips and checks are also very pale and look washed out where as in many of Queen Elizabeth’s portraits she had more redness to her cheeks and lips. This may be partly due to more natural coloured lips being popular at the time when the film was made. Alternatively it could have been used to represent purity as Elizabeth was seen as a symbol of purity to her people. It also means that Cate Blanchett's acting is not distracted from by the use of dramatic make-up.

Shakespeare in Love, 1998,Judi Dench

Lisa Westcott was the make-up designer and Veronica Brebrer was the make-up artist for this film.  The make-up is subtle and makes the complexion look very pale and cold which makes the character look tired and almost weak. This could have been done to show the struggles Elizabeth faced during her reign ad very vulnerability as an unmarried monarch.

The Virgin Queen, Anne Marie Duff, 2005

Karen Hartley was the make-up designer and Laura Schiavo was the make-up artist for Anne Marie Duff in this mini series. Prosthetics were used to show the Queen ageing and also her hair line became higher and eyebrows made fainter to reflect the Queens’ style changes in her later life.

Elizabeth 1st, 2005, Helen Mirren

Fae Hammond was the make-up artist in this mini series. The hair line in quite high however the hair comes on to the forehead slightly unlike a lot of Queen Elizabeth’s portraits. This gives her a slightly softer look and frames the face which would appeal more to modern day audiences. The make-up however has been done very similar to Queen Elizabeths’ portraits with pale skin, fait eyebrows and a brown/red colour on the lips. This is a more accurate colour than is used in many films, as often the lips are a lot paler or redder than in Elizabeth’s portraits which sometimes reflects the fashions at the times when the films were made.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age, 2007, Cate Blanchett

Jenny Shircore was the make-up designer for this film as she was for the film Elizabeth in which Cate Blanchett had previously stared as the Queen. This time the make-up was whiter with cool grey tones making the character look almost ill and very serious.