Academy Photoshoot | Audrey

Atelier Emmanuel runs an Academy for our apprentices, a sort of post-graduate training in the Old World style. Before we took a Summer break, we decided it would be fun to organize a photoshoot for them. The apprentices were given little guidance, other than that the shoot would be indoors with a basic backdrop. We supplied the photographer. They came up with the concept, model, wardrobe, makeup and, most importantly, the hairstyle.

                               

Audrey: For this shoot, I intended to create a dreamy state of mythical power — both the beauty and strength of feminine nature.

The original inspiration was a handful of fennel I picked on a walk. As it dried, it retained it's beautiful lace-like shape and I decided to spray paint it gold and use it as a necklace. It also became the inspiration for this photo shoot. I went and gathered more fennel and some other plants with interesting textures. 


I asked Nehara, a fellow dancer, to be my model because her hair is a mass of lace-like tiny curls that created the textural foundation and voluminous form that I wanted for my backdrop. I used a tiger eye necklace for structure to bring in round shapes and a warm tone.

I thoroughly enjoyed the process of arranging this photoshoot. The salon transformed into a performance arena with the buzz of creativity I live for. 

The most challenging, fun, and difficult part of shooting for me is the amount of details that need to be seen and dealt with all at the same time — is the hair working, is the makeup in place? Is the dress making the right shape, does the lighting produce the feel I intended? Is the model moving in a way that conveys the right story? Is she coming up with a better story? Sometimes the pressure cooker of a shoot creates something better than expected, sometimes not so much. 



In the shot to the left, Nahara has a great posture, in-between vulnerable inquisitiveness and primal ferocity. Though it's harder to see the details in the hair, the overall story is great. You can see how this shoot would have fit well in an outdoor setting.

Because five of us were shooting that day, there wasn't enough time to do an outfit change.  I would also have liked to put up the hair that was on her neck to create an alternate look. And, originally, she had a flare of dry fennel along the top of the dress covering her décolletage; depending on the angle and her position, it served as a sort of screen from behind which she looked at the camera. Unfortunately in practice it didn't work, so we removed it. 

You start a photoshoot with an idea, and then you have to let it be molded by the actual circumstances...

And, you have to remember that there will be other photoshoots!


In that spirit, here are few ideas I look forward to shooting:

Using the story of the red shoes that dance a person to death.
A model with red hair and a blue velvet dress contrasted with a low color urban setting.
Shooting in Union Square when the iceskating rink is there.

Hair and Makeup: Audrey Kral

Photography: Tara Arrowood

Model: Nahara Kelev

Audrey Kral joined us in Spring of 2012, coming from the Cinta Aveda Institute training program. "What people always ask me is how I ended up in hair from a background in dance, interior design and oil painting. To me, they all work with the same elements: structure, form and transformation. Like dance and interior design, I get to work in collaboration. Like oil painting, we play with color and texture. In this case, the transformation happens in one sitting. A nice change of pace for me!"