Black, White and Grain.

One of my favorite Christmas gifts is a book my Dad picked out for me while I was in college studying fashion merchandising and experimenting avidly in photography.  "Appearances: Fashion Photography Since 1945" is an incredible book documenting exactly what it titles and it is beautiful.  I periodically flip through it and wistfully dream of recreating the excitement and glamour of cutting edge fashion and the (often gritty) urban locations.

Needless to say, I love black and white fashion photography and it's grainy magazine photos have inspired many collages of mine.

This was finished recently and is relatively simple in design but strong with the contrast between bold color and the grainy, monochromatic model in an angular pose.  I've been wanting to use her for some time but didn't have quite the right background to equal her in strength compositionally.

The following collage is an older one which draws from black and white photography as well, though exudes a much different tone.  It could be titled, "Spaghetti Romance", taken from the label on the small VHS tape in the lower corner.  Taking into account the revolver (cap gun?) images and the man peering from behind the doorway the  title could be rather appropriate.

Finally, one more for this series that I made during a short time when I was using rubber cement as an adhesive, which in hindsight was a poor choice;  I was not aware of it's poor aging characteristics and at the same time did not consider my work as "real art" and wasn't concerned about how it held up over time.  But I do love the color tones and the intimacy of the photograph.

There is certainly more inspiration to be found with black and white fashion photography and you can be certain I will share it here in whatever form it takes.


(A networked printer/copier/scanner is a beautiful and convenient tool.
Once it is properly set up and installed.)