Finding the shot

[Melanie van Buren]

I've been using these two pictures as artistic inspiration. The end
result of what I take will almost certainly be very different due to a
lot of factors whether it's the basic idea, the whims and fancies of the
model (i.e. me) and the arrangement of the scene.

http://media.vogue.com/r/pass/2016/06/30/0-holding-bathroom-update.jpg

https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2006/2062355002_fb1f4e226d_b.jpg

I'm also drawing on other influences including New Wave Cinema, and a
range of other influences over the years. I also have my own blindspots.
I don't know what I don't know and learning my way through this is a
subjective and none linear process.

Some pictures are simply not possible due to the pandemic or the fact
that something as simple as a newspaper isn't as readily available as
they used to be, or the fact other props have to be sourced and can be
expensive. In that respect other photographs within the general theme
are products of their culture and time or because of artefacts in the
original photographs would simply be retro. Old style desk phones and
CRT televisions are just one example. I've also binned other items which
would have made useful props like champagne bottles.

The basics are lights, camera, action. What really catches my eye apart
from the overall costume and posing and background design is the light.
Newton worked with either bright midday light, or inside scenes with
found light or when he used lights often only one light avoiding
anything as powerful as 500w. His favourite lenses were 40 or 50mm. It's
interesting looking at example scenes and seeing how he used them close
up or from a distance and the effect this had on his composition.

Moving to a different room these kinds of pictures are doable:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TFKz24YMCNw/T41EASe7jEI/AAAAAAAALfk/izQVySJgqwA/s1600/tumblr_ls93toQd4i1qh7jlwo1_1280.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/zDHhb9d.jpg

https://www.1854.photography/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Catherine-Deneuve-Esquire-Paris-1976-C-Helmut-Newton-Estate.jpg

https://www.wykop.pl/cdn/c3201142/comment_11kqHbxoCTzM58tYgl0Mrhdxf2MM1J33.jpg

Some relatively easy to doable general examples:

https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2017/CKS/2017_CKS_14225_0045_000(helmut_newton_shoe_monte_carlo_1983).jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_HyUt-YhV5M/TmpisBi2AVI/AAAAAAAAAeo/2xQ7_CzlAss/s1600/helmut_newton.jpg

https://d16kd6gzalkogb.cloudfront.net/auction_artwork_images/43590555.jpg

http://www.doodoo.ru/uploads/posts/2008-10/helmut-newton-19.jpg

https://media.vanityfair.com/photos/5f970fd7faf1b82d3425a833/3:2/w_1998,h_1332,c_limit/tout-9_Helmut-Newton_Claudia-Schiffer,-Vanity-Fair_Menton-1992_copyright-Helmut-Newton-Estate.jpg

http://www.lebook.com/sites/default/files/styles/showcase_image_large/public/creative/elle_brazil9.jpg?itok=zzuYZpmI

https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/3/men-are-looking-helmut-newton-sexy-photography-demode-fm.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jk_eweUswXw/UGNv2gWy7DI/AAAAAAAASK4/dsPSfWm43hU/s1600/helmut-newton-nadja-auermann-blumarine02.jpg

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Melanie van Buren