I’ve recently taken an interest in the work of London fashion photographer, Miles Aldridge, particularly his portraits regarding the Virgin Mary. My reason for this is because I’m basing my studio portraiture project on The Annunciation by Dante Gabriel Rossetti so Christian iconography, particularly the Madonna is relevant to my research.
This series of portraits is entitled Immaculée and was originally featured in international fashion magazine, Numéro in 2007. The photos feature model, Alana Zimmer, portraying a concept of “combining of a sexual ecstasy and religious ecstasy” (Aldridge, 2013, Interview Magazine). The outfits take from Jean Paul Gautier’s Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2007 collection, a respected designer whom Aldridge has worked closely with many times.
Like the models walking in Gautier’s Madonna inspired fashion show, Zimmer’s face in the portraits is painted much like a shiny, porcelain statue to reinforce this sense of sacredness and theme of Christian iconography. This makeup technique combined with dramatic studio lighting techniques such as butterfly lighting which creates shadow in flattering places and creating a highlight on the face could be dangerous as it could come across as lifeless and vapid in my opinion. However, Zimmer’s expressions counteract this worry in by conveying sheer ecstasy and emotion.
Aldridge …show more content…
The overall theme that runs through his work is “the experience of modern life” as he brings “concentrated attention to the banal in real life: bathrooms, kitchens supermarkets, etc.” (Aldridge, 2014, Christie’s The Art People). I find that the fact he uses mundane settings like a bathroom or kitchen contrasted with saturated colour and beautiful woman creates a surreal, unique quality to his
This series of portraits is entitled Immaculée and was originally featured in international fashion magazine, Numéro in 2007. The photos feature model, Alana Zimmer, portraying a concept of “combining of a sexual ecstasy and religious ecstasy” (Aldridge, 2013, Interview Magazine). The outfits take from Jean Paul Gautier’s Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2007 collection, a respected designer whom Aldridge has worked closely with many times.
Like the models walking in Gautier’s Madonna inspired fashion show, Zimmer’s face in the portraits is painted much like a shiny, porcelain statue to reinforce this sense of sacredness and theme of Christian iconography. This makeup technique combined with dramatic studio lighting techniques such as butterfly lighting which creates shadow in flattering places and creating a highlight on the face could be dangerous as it could come across as lifeless and vapid in my opinion. However, Zimmer’s expressions counteract this worry in by conveying sheer ecstasy and emotion.
Aldridge …show more content…
The overall theme that runs through his work is “the experience of modern life” as he brings “concentrated attention to the banal in real life: bathrooms, kitchens supermarkets, etc.” (Aldridge, 2014, Christie’s The Art People). I find that the fact he uses mundane settings like a bathroom or kitchen contrasted with saturated colour and beautiful woman creates a surreal, unique quality to his