Paris idea and Photography Project based on D&G Fall/Winter 2009-2010 Ad Campaign

D&G Ad Campaign for Fall/Winter 2009-2010

The following is a repost of a note that I wrote on Facebook. I thought I would share on this blog. This is one of my favorite ad campaigns that I have seen lately.

As the new semester began, I decided along with the many other things that I manage to put on my plate to take yet an other photography class at the University of South Florida. This semester I am taking a special topics class involving lighting and large format film. It should be a very exciting class and the opportunity to learn and work large format is to me all too exciting. So as usual and as in every college class, one gets the syllabus for the semester. As with any photo project, advance planning can do much to improve the success of your final result. So here I am planning and thinking about the projects I will be working on for the semester. On Sunday while at the lighting studio at the University of South Florida working on my first project assignment, I came across a Detail magazine being used as a prop for one of the photos. Going through the magazine I came across a D&G advertisement for their Fall/Winter 2009-2010 fashion line. Bam! I got an idea.

D&G Ad Campaign for Fall/Winter 2009-2010

For D&G Fall/Winter 2009-2010 season, the brand put together a classic photoshoot inspired by traditional French aesthetics. However, they incorporated a unique urban twist within the context of the French aesthetics. After researching their campaign, I thought to myself -- Self! Fine Art photography is and so often stands at opposition to fashion photography. So, why don't I merge the two in one sense but firmly in the school of fine art photography, create a project that makes a commentary on both fine art photography and fashion photography. Further, why not use the new D&G campaign as a starting point to build from. So here I am wanting to put together a photo shot based on this campaign. Therefore, I need models. However, not like D&G, I am not looking for the model but the person - a real person. There is the twist. Next I will have to find or see if I can get D&G to donate such outfits... lol... probably will not hold my breath on that part of the idea.

D&G Ad Campaign for Fall/Winter 2009-2010

Following are additional images from the D&G ad campaign for their Fall/Winter 2009-2010 line:

D&G Ad Campaign for Fall/Winter 2009-2010

D&G Ad Campaign for Fall/Winter 2009-2010

If you would like to continue to follow up on this project, contribute, or even model, please contact me. lol.

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Presidents Past, Present and Future - The Rhetoric of a Photograph

There is Rhetoric in image production. Symbolism and iconography play a role in communicating messages. What is important is being able to identify the symbols that are key in interpreting an image. These can be a marker of some sort that act like a "key" that guides the image to its underlining message. Is it is important to note that the way one comes to an image is built upon his or her lived experiences and enculturation. Therefore, there is inherent with interpretation a built in bias from both the producer and the on-looker of the image. But with that said, the following are images found in the New York Times and several other publications of the living presidents of the United States coming together in the Oval Office. I use these pictures as an example of what I am talking about. Notice the ties and the color of the ties and who is wearing what color and how they are choreographed in the picture.

You know that old saying "A picture is worth a thousand words." On or about January 7, 2009, the New York times published a couple of photographs of the five living presidents coming together for a "Caucus" in the Oval Office of the White House. The series of pictures are very interesting and I wonder what is the underlining message of these photographs.

Photographic composition and framing does a lot to tell a story. The way a picture is choreographed helps to create a message that speaks to the on-looker or in some cases a very specific intended audience. Symbolism and relationship of symbols in a picture are key to the interpretation of an image. Individuals wearing the same color tie standing together as compared to other individuals in a photograph wearing different color ties standing next to each other in contrast to the others in the picture (blue vs. red ties) may actually be very symbolic and their relationship in composition and frame cannot be ignored. So a picture is worth a thousand words. Then what do these pictures tell us:

The above pictures are remarkably different in composition as compared to the last time the five living presidents met together as seen in the following pictures:

These are definitely telling of a different message.

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