Some of my favorite dresses from StyleBop

Stylebop is a designer fashion online retailer. The store features designers such as Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana, Donna Karan, Hugo Boss, Tom Ford, Victoria Beckham, Derek Lam, Juicy Couture, Loewe. Ossie Clarke, Valentino, Woolrich, and many more!

While looking through Stylebop, I found some of my favorites. What do you think?

Here are some of my favorite dresses:


Above: This is an Alberta Ferretti embroidered silk dress. Although it is expensive, I cannot help but add it to my favorites. It is an amazing dress. I love the color, the embroidery around the neckline and chest, as well as the beautiful design. I think that this would be a great dress for wearing to a formal event!


Above: Blumarine Amber Ruffles And Jewelry Detailing Dress. I love this dress because it is form-fitting, which means that it will give you a nice, slim feminine silhouette. Also, I love the way the Swarovski brooch adds an element of interest and focus to the dress. It leads the eye to the waist, and would definitely look great on women who have an hourglass figure.


Above: Paule Ka Indigo 3/4 Sleeve Jersey Dress. I love this dress because it is very classy, elegant, and well-designed. I like how it accentuates the waist, and is loose on the bottom. It looks great and it is not too “dressy”


Above: Jitrois Black Leather Stretch Dress. Personally, I like the colour black. It goes with pretty much everything. The thing that I like most about this dress is that it is slimming, gorgeous, elegant and sexy. It would look great with ankle boots and a black handbag.


Above: Michael Stars Royal Dolman Jersey Dress. I like it because it is fairly inexpensive for a designer dress and this type of blue is definitely my favorite colour. You can wear it with leggings or skinny jeans, as well as accessorize for that very stylish look.

Aviva 🙂

****Images are from the Stylebop website***

Markus Klinko & Indrani Ace Daphne Guinness Shoot for The London Sunday Times

Earlier this month, I interviewed New York photographer Markus Klinko. In his interview, Markus stated that he and Indrani (his creative partner) shot Daphne Guinness for The London Sunday Times.

Daphne Guinnes is a beautiful fashionista/couture collector from London. She is the heiress of the Guinness Beer fortune. She is well known for her couture clothing collection, and for being a prominent fashion icon.

When Markus told me about the collaboration with Daphne Guinness, I knew right away that they were going to come up with something great. Markus & Indrani are well-known for their iconic celebrity images and spectacular photo spreads in the world’s biggest magazines. (You can read more about Markus & Indrani on their WEBSITE)


Why do I love the image above? First, the image is perfectly composed with Daphne’s face right at the point of interest (rule of thirds). Second, the subtleness of the Gothic architecture makes this such a great choice of location, that it’s very hard not to keep staring at the photo. I definitely love the choice of wardrobe, which is incredible, especially because of the way it leads the viewer to the main point of interest in the shot. The lighting is perfect and even throughout the whole image.


Why do I love the image above? First off, the concept is cool and very interesting. Although I am not a big fan of snakes, I think that the snake adds an element of uniqueness in the shot. As usual, the image is perfectly composed and evenly lit. I love her outfit in this shot as well.

Above: Directed by Indrani is a short, ~one minute film, called A Tribute to the Spirit of Alexander McQueen starring Daphne Guinness. It features fashions of Alexander McQueen, Genghis Khan, Gareth Pugh, Philip Treacy, New York Vintage, Bess and Fred Leighton.

You can also visit Markus & Indrani’s Facebook Page, Indrani’s Twitter, and Markus’ Twitter

(**Images courtesy of Markus & Indrani and have been posted here with permission**)

Prom/Grad Dresses From Promgirl

Are you graduating hight school this year? Do you have a special occasion coming up?
Looking for ideas of what to wear?

A few years ago, when I was graduating high school, I bought my grad dress at PromGirl.comThe dress arrived looking exactly like it looked in the photo and it took a few weeks to get here (which is normal).

Here are a couple of photos of me wearing that same dress that I wore to my graduation.

In addition to gorgeous dresses, PromGirl.com carries shoes, accessories, cosmetics, handbags, and much more! I also think that the prices are PromGirl.com are not expensive. There are definitely some dresses that will cost more than $700, but there is no reason why you can’t spend less and still look great.

Interview with Celebrity Make-up Artist/Hairstylist Anthony Gordon

Anthony Gordon is an amazingly talented celebrity, fashion, commercial, editorial, TV, film, and beauty make-up artist based in Los Angeles, California.

Above: Fashion Week Ad 2010

Anthony has done make-up for countless print ads, TV/films, commercials and lookbooks. In addition, his work has been in Cosmo U.K., Bullet, Moda FG, Rolling Stone, Lucky, O.K., Fight Sport, Angeleno, Elsevier,Flaunt, Jimon, The New Cinema, Nylon, 160g, WNWN, The Advocate, and California Fashion Apperal news.

With his talent beyond measure, it is not surprising that he has worked with notables such as Ashlee Simpson, Aubrey Dollar, Balthazar Getty, Biz Stone, Cameron Richardson, Casey Affleck, Dan Ackroyd, Dan Butler, David Lee Roth, David La Chapelle, Ed Begley Jr., Eduardo Cruz, Flava Flav, Floyd Mayweather, Frank Gorshen, Gene Simmons, Grant Show, Julia Stiles, Henry Rollins, Hugh Heffner, Kirt Russel, Jessica Lowndes, Jodie Foster, Jo Frost, Kathy Ireland, Kevin Sorbo, Larry King, Lori Loughlin, Laura San Giacomo, Lee Majors, Leslie Ann Warren, Luke Wilson, Melani B ( Scary Spice ), Michelle Lee, Michelle Phillips, Mischa Barton, Nanette Fabre, Richard Burgi, Sally Kirkland, Susan Walters, Taraji Henson, and Tony Hawk.

This year, he did make-up for 5 Superbowl Commercials, although he pretty much always did one.

I feel very honoured that Anthony has given me some time to ask him a few questions about his career.

AVIVA: How long have you been doing make-up?
ANTHONY GORDON:
I’ve been in the business since 1980.

AVIVA:Have you always wanted to be a make-up artist, or did you want to do something else when you were younger?
AG:
When I was younger, I wanted to be an actor , dancer , or singer, but it wasn’t till the late 70’s , during the change from disco to nu wave, that I realized I had an ability to transform people through hair, makeup, and styling. I never looked back from there.

AVIVA: What is your favorite part of your job?
AG:
My favorite part of my job is working with others, I’m a huge people person. I love being able to create looks for actors, models, bands, working with directors creating the looks for their projects, and I love re-branding people, giving them a new vision on how they can better represent themselves through their look. It’s an amazing, rewarding gift.

Image courtesy of Anthony Gordon (hair/make-up), copyright Michelle Ricks

AVIVA: What do you believe are your greatest accomplishments in the beauty industry (publications, magazines, etc)?
AG
: I can’t say I have a single greatest accomplishment in this industry, I’m really proud of so many things I have had the privilege to be a part of in this industry, having the opportunity to work with some of our age’s great artists like, John Landis, David La Chapelle, Peter Arnel, and being called back to work repeatedly for them, I think that is one of the most satisfying aspects of what we do, being called again and again to work, I think to my partial credit I have worked on many Golden Lion award winning campaigns. I’m very proud that when I have set goals in this industry I have been lucky enough or have had to opportunity to make them happen.
A few recent goals I had set for myself last year was to get my work in a major publications and now I’m working with David Leslie Anthony creating fashion stories for Cosmo UK, another goal I had that came true this last year was to become the first call for Director Bryan Buckley, no commercial director works harder or more and after 3 years of “checking in”. I made his first call list and we have rocked out a ton of great ad campaigns, also I had really wanted to work with branding greats and my agency Next artists hooked me up with Peter Arnell, we just launched the GNC campaign, and he is calling me back for more. That makes me very proud.

AVIVA: What are the names of some artists that inspire you?
AG:
Some of the artists that inspire me , ugggggg! there are too many to list. But, first I would have to mention Andy Warhol. Why? Because Andy broke the rules, made us question: What is art?, Why is this important, or valid? I like artists that make us think: is this beautiful, interesting. I love seeing what choices artists make and what was their inspiration.
I love Artists like Kabuki, Pat Mcgrath, I love Billy B, not only for his work but for his humility and being just such a great unassuming guy (he was my neighbor for years before we both knew we were makeup artists, one day we were having breakfast and by chance it came out, “so ,,,, what do you do for a living?” Needless to say, I was a bit shocked when I found out my neighbor Billy, was in fact Billy B, ha ha ha !
Others that inspire me are artists like Roshar simply because of their style of work and I have to mention Jordan Liberty, for his drive and followthrough, there are so many qualities I admire in different artists.

AVIVA: What would you do if you won the lottery?
AG:
If I won the lottery, first I’d make my husband retire. I’d buy a place in NYC so I could easily work on both coasts (I’m not ready to retire ), buy a place in Hawaii, because that’s the other place I like to call home and I lived in Hawaii for almost a decade and I’m really into surfing when not working. And probably buy a place in San Sebastian, Spain, my other home and where my family is from. I love travel and there are so many amazing places to live and spend time.
And, of course, buy lots of makeup!!!!

AVIVA: Do you have any favorite skin care products that you use and would recommend to others?
AG:
My favorite skin care product right now is Lily B, all around, it is the best thing I’ve used that works amazingly well across the board, super simple, super clean and pure, I’m a huge fan!! You go Liz Bishop ( creator of Lily B )

AVIVA: Do you have any additional comments?
AG:
I once read a quote that has stuck with me and I find true for anything you want to achieve in life , it goes ……..
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; un-rewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

I would like to thank Anthony for the interview and the insight into his life. He has a lot going for him, and I am always excited to see what he will do next.
You can see more of his stunning work on his website by clicking HERE.

I wish Anthony all the best! He would be a dream to work with!

Aviva

Interview with New York Celebrity Photographer Markus Klinko

Markus Klinko is a very talented, extremely innovative celebrity photographer based in New York. He is creative partners with Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri. Together, they have created unique, iconic images that have great impact on the viewer.

In addition to photographic perfection, Markus Klinko and Indrani, along with fashion stylist GK Reid, are now the stars of Double Exposure, a syndicated TV docu-series which follows their work with celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Lindsay Lohan, Kim Kardashian, Dita Von Teese, stars of 90210 and Gossip Girl, supermodels Naomi Campbell, Mark Vanderloo, and Esquire’s “2010 Sexiest Woman Alive”, Sports’ Illustrated cover model Brooklyn Decker, as well as well-known fashion designers, magazine editors, and other high-profile members of the fashion/show business industry. Although Double Exposure was initially produced by Bravo in the United States, it has been picked up literally all around the world.

Check out this clip!

The duo have been featured in E News! Access Hollywood, Extra, Inside Edition, Larry King Live, In Style, People, MTV, USA Today, New York Magazine, New York Post, Huffington Post, Winnipeg Free Press, Washington Post, OK! Life and Style, In Touch, Perez Hilton, Just Jared, OUT, Cosmopolitan, American Photo, Harper’s Bazaar, Slate, LA Times and many more.

Some of their celebrity subjects include Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Mary J Blige, Kate Winslet, Katie Holmes, Eva Mendes, Anne Hathaway, Will Smith, Elijah Wood, Alicia Keys, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera, Keanu Reeves, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Val Kilmer, Serena Williams, Jay-Z, and Kanye West. Their commercial clients include Hugo Boss, Shiseido, L’Oreal Paris, Elizabeth Arden, Pepsi, Nike, Puma, Pantene, Baume-et-Mercier, Anna Sui, and De Beers.

Markus was born in Switzerland and had a great career as one of the world’s top classical harp soloists. He traveled the world as a musician and released award-winning albums for EMI Classic. For his amazing musical talent, he received “Grand Prix du Disque”, which is the European equivalent of a Grammy.

I have been a huge fan of Markus’ amazing work for a long time, and it is my honour to have been lucky enough to interview him for this feature. I am excited and delighted to share Markus’ insights with you.

AVIVA: What photographers inspired you, or what inspires you as a photographer?
MARKUS KLINKO:
You know, there’s really only one big name that comes to mind in terms of who inspired me a lot. It was definitely Helmut Newton. I think that his work, which is mainly from the 70’s and from the 80’s, is really amazing.Every photo that is taken by Newton that I look at is absolutely amazing. With contemporary photographers, I like a lot of people’s work here and there, but it’s all hit and miss…You know, I look at somebody’s work and then I like this, but then I don’t like something else. So I would say that Helmut Newton is unbelievable inspiration.

In your question, you’re absolutely right to ask what else inspires us, and I have to say it’s mainly not photography, it’s mainly other things that inspire our photography, like movies, pop culture in general. For instance, we worked with Lady Gaga, and she’s on the show, and I think that she is great inspiration. It’s great to follow her career, and I love working with her.

It can also be paintings from the 15th century, so it’s pretty random, and we can get inspired by a lot of different things. I mean I can meet a gorgeous girl and get very inspired. So it’s not just one thing or the other.

You could almost say life itself is inspiration for our photography, and we certainly don’t want to shoot the same pictures someone else is shooting. That’s another reason why we don’t really follow trends, we create our own trends. Having our own TV show also helps, because, of course, so many more people are able to watch it.

AVIVA: Do you previsualize your photos or do you put all your components together as you go?
MK:
Again, the answer is not one or the other, it’s really both. There is always a plan and a concept, but as we arrive on a shoot, or in a location, or a studio we are very open to the idea to adapt to opportunities and get more inspired from the celebrities or the designers we work with. It’s really a mixture of the two.

AVIVA: What achievement are you most proud of?
MK:
That I’ve had a career as a classical musician at first. I was actually a classical concert harpist and I recorded for EMI Classic and had a completely different life traveling the world, playing concerts, and making recordings. Seventeen years ago, due to a hand injury, I decided to become a photographer, to stop performing, and change careers completely. So I think that one of the things that I am the most proud of is that I equally love music and photography, and I’m very excited that I’ve been able to have great careers at both, which is a blessing. So now, to add the third dimension of television aspect… I’m very proud that I’ve been able to go from music to photography and now have a worldwide television show built out of that. I look forward to the next projects to equally be versatile and not repeat myself, and the new challenges that come along. We are now starting to direct videos and commercials as well; mainly Indrani is doing that, but it adds to our scope of what we are doing.

AVIVA: Could you tell me more about Double Exposure and what made you decide to star in the show with Indrani?
MK:
Double Exposure really is a comedy. People look at it as a reality show but it’s a television drama. It’s real and all the shoots that you see are real but then it’s still television, so there is a little bit of self-parody in it. When we filmed this show, we wanted people to laugh and be entertained. We were definitely highlighting the drama, and it is definitely not meant to be taken seriously as a documentary; it’s entertainment.
What happened over the years as we developed as photographers, we got asked a bunch of times to be on certain shows. Like when they started America’s Next Top Model, they asked us to be the main photographer on the show, and we didn’t feel it was right so we turned it down. As reality television culture developed, because 10 years ago there really was no good quality reality TV, but it developed and became so much better and more exciting. Over the years, as people saw us working together as a team, Indrani and myself, being an ex-couple, and being quite passionate about what we do, a lot of people started saying to us “You guys are like a walking reality show; you should have your own TV show”. Little by little we started thinking that it is a good idea, and coincidentally Bravo executives were thinking of having a photography show, and they tried out a few big name photographers and they didn’t find anybody quite right for TV, and one day we met them and it was kind of like a match made in heaven. So after months of negotiations back and forth, it was decided that Double Exposure was a go-ahead.

AVIVA: What is the most common trait that you see in new and up & coming models?
MK:
It’s a good question. I would actually add another element to this whole model issue is that we have seen the era of the supermodels back in the 80s and 90s…We had Cindy Crawford, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell and all those supermodels. Then, we seen a very long period of over 10 years where celebrities took over fashion completely. We seen many covers of magazines, and advertising campaigns, including cosmetics, all being done by celebrities, actresses, musicians, and for a long time models have almost disappeared from the first level of fashion exposure. I personally believe we are going to see a change again.I think that we are coming back into a phase now where models will be much more at the forefront again. I think that right now we have had several years where there were not many recognizable models; a girl would do one or two campaigns, or a cover or something, and their careers didn’t last. I think that we are going to go back to the more iconic and more new stars popping out. Hopefully, they are not going to be as skinny, and as bony as some of the girls in the past. Personally, I’m a big critic of skinny, anorexic models on the runway. I think that girls should be feminine and have bodies, and have shape. I don’t think that girls should be 6 feet tall and weight 80 lbs, to me it’s really not that attractive.

AVIVA: What do you believe they should be like?
MK:
I think that they should be curvy, and comfortable in their skin. I mean if somebody is skinny naturally that’s one thing, but what I’m very much against is women starving themselves and being unnaturally anorexic, when it’s not their body type. I’m looking at some of our favorite subjects that I’ve ever shot, like say Britney Spears, Eva Mendes, or even Lindsay Lohan, women with curves. I mean, especially Britney is a great example. She is not very tall, and her body type would never be accepted by a modeling agency, she could never be with a major fashion agency, but I find that body type so much more attractive. So I hope that the models of the future will be more sexier, rounder and not so anorexic.

AVIVA: What do you feel is the biggest challenge when setting up and working on a shoot?
MK:
It’s so specific to each shoot. There is not really a rule; there are some shoots where the challenge is the time, another time it’s to not go over budget, and yet another time it might be a celebrity who has a schedule that’s very very tight, they come in for only an hour so we have to be ready exactly at the right time. I really think that there is not a single challenge that’s the same, but there is never a shoot where there is no challenge. I would say it varies.

AVIVA: Do you have any funny/crazy/weird photoshoot experience that stands out to you and you would like to share?
MK:
I’d say that most of our photoshoots are fun and high-energy. I mean, there has been a lot of different fun moments. For instance, it was very fun when I shot Ciara; she’s a great dancer, and at one point we were playing some Michael Jackson during the photoshoot, and she started to dance. I was behind the camera and I was dancing behind the camera a little bit too. Then she came and grabbed me and said “Let’s dance”; we started doing this dance and it was so unexpected. Here I was dancing with Ciara, who is probably one of the world’s best dancers, and it was 90 seconds of total fun.

Sometimes the funniest people on television or in the movies, when they are in a photoshoot, they are not funny at all. We had a shoot with Chris Rock, which was one of the most difficult shoots, because he doesn’t really like to be photographed. I love him as a comedian and as an actor, he was really nice, but he just didn’t like to be photographed in general.

Other people, like Keanu Reeves for instance, they are so easy. Keanu, to photograph him, is like effortless because he has such great angles, he’s a tall guy, almost as tall as I am and I’m 6’4″. Every frame looks great, we shot for a short time, and it was great. There is always something surprising for sure.

AVIVA: What are some of your upcoming projects/campaigns that we should be on the lookout for?
MK:
The problem with being a photographer is that we are not really allowed to talk about new things until they come out. One thing I can mention though, is that we have just shot Daphne Guinness. She is probably the world’s number one fashionista, she is a very famous London socialite; she was the muse of Alexander McQueen, and Tom Ford, and she has personally developed an amazing collection of couture clothes. She is the heiress of the Guinness Beer fortune and we shot her for the London Sunday Times and that’s going to come out really soon. That will be on our website as soon as it comes out, and it is one of the best photos we have ever done.

AVIVA: Who is your favorite musician?
MK:
Well, now I don’t listen to classical music as much anymore; it’s not that I lost interest. Classical music for me was the most fun when I was playing it myself. Just listening to classical music doesn’t hold my interest as much these days. I am interested in pop and pop culture in general. I do love Lady Gaga very much, and I like a lot of the trends in new music, but I like rock as well, and some 80’s bands, 80’s metal bands. I like Whitesnake for instance. I have quite a broad spectrum of musical tastes. I love Sharde, and I like Spanish music as well. There is a beautiful Spanish album by Jennifer Lopez, we actually shot the cover for it. Spanish music is very romantic.

AVIVA: Would you be OK with a Proust Questionnaire?
MK:
I’ve never done one before, but yes we can try that.

————————————————————————————-
The Proust Questionnaire is a form of interview devised by Marcel Proust. A version of the Proust Questionnaire is used by James Lipton, the host of the TV program ‘Inside the Actors Studio’. I thought it would be very cool to try this interview style on Mr. Klinko.

AVIVA: What is your favorite word?
MK:
Love

AVIVA: What is your least favorite word?
MK:
Hate

AVIVA: What is your favorite food?
MK:
Avocado

AVIVA: What is your least favorite food?
MK:
Snails

AVIVA: What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
MK:
I would be a manager or a publicist

AVIVA: What profession would you not like to do?
MK:
I wouldn’t want to be a soldier

Check out Markus Klinko & Indrani’s portfolio by clicking HERE, become their fan on FACEBOOK, and follow Indrani’s Twitter and Markus’ Twitter

I look forward to continue following Markus & Indrani’s careers, and seeing all the great images they will continue to produce.

Aviva

**Images on this page have been submitted by Markus Klinko, and published here with his permission.**

Featuring Dean Johnson: Photographer from Minneapolis

Dean Johnson is a very talented photographer from Minnesota. He has been published in several magazines, including Playboy and Maxim. Dean knows how to bring out the best in all his models, and simply put-he is AWESOME!


Photo by Dean Johnson, Model: Chauntel Spear

AVIVA: How long have you been involved with photography?
DEAN JOHNSON:
I started back in high school, which was a long time ago, around 1979 is when I bought my first camera. But back then I just shot nature and wildlife, landscapes. Shooting models didn’t happen until the early 90’s. I wish I had gotten involved with shooting models much earlier, but from high school on, any girlfriend/fiance/wife I had (only married once!) just wasn’t too crazy about the idea of me shooting models. So I had to wait until I divorced my wife and then I started to pursue that. It’s funny, every relationship that I’ve had since then has been pretty much the same: women that are not involved in the industry don’t seem to understand it very well and are kind of insecure about it. At some point in the relationship, they start showing signs of jealously, and wanting to be there for every shoot, and that’s when it ends. I’m still happily single.

AVIVA: Have you always wanted to be a photographer?
DJ:
Not always, but I always appreciated beauty, whether it was a sunset or a pretty girl. As a child I can remember looking through fashion magazines like Cosmopolitan and just being fascinated with the beautiful models.

AVIVA: What is the most exciting thing about the craft?
DJ:
It’s that moment where everything comes together for that one split second and a beautiful photo results. Working with beautiful women is quite exciting as well.


Photo by Dean Johnson, Make-up: M. Rose

AVIVA: Do you have a favorite subject; if so, what is it?
DJ:
Beautiful women. Outside of that I really like flowers and sunsets/sunrises. But yes, women are the most beautiful of all creation. And one can’t really interact with a flower, and part of what makes shooting models my favorite thing is the interaction. It’s especially great when the model and I really click: there’s an energy there that we both feed off of and those shoots are the most satisfying and usually result in the best images.

AVIVA: What do you believe has/have been your greatest accomplishment(s) in photography (publications, etc)?
DJ:
It was a great thrill for me to have gotten published with Playboy, (grapevine, and the cyberclub/playboy.com a couple of times). And getting paid for it was the icing on the cake. Aside from that, what has been most meaningful to me is the friendships that have developed. There are several models that I worked with early in their careers and they went on to achieve quite a bit and I am still in contact with them and still consider them friends. That’s very satisfying to me.

AVIVA: What advice would you give to aspiring photographers who would like to get published?
DJ:
They should get a copy of The Photographer’s Handbook , by John Hedgecoe.


Photo: Dean Johnson, Model: Shannon Sunderlin, Make-Up: Kate Carroll

AVIVA: If you had to say a few words to aspiring models, what would they be?
DJ:
They should evaluate what it is they are trying to accomplish and evaluate if their look fits in with that. If a 5 foot 3 inch pretty girl sets her goal to work the runways in NY and Paris: it isn’t gonna happen. She may be fine for other things but high fashion isn’t for her. So a model needs to take a critical look at herself and figure out what might be her best path. For some, it may just be a hobby they enjoy, a creative outlet, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Some of the best models I’ve worked with have no desire to make it big. One thing I hear quite a bit from new models is that they want to be a Victoria’s Secret model, which is a fine goal, but pretty much unattainable to the average pretty girl. They have high standards and unless a girl can match those standards it ain’t gonna happen.


Photo: Dean Johnson, Model: Elyse, Make-up: Kate Carroll

AVIVA: Do you have any brief but memorable shoot story that you would like to share?
DJ:
My first topless shoot, very memorable, and it happened quite by accident. I had already decided that I wasn’t going to ask any model to shoot topless or nude until I knew what I was doing and was confident that I could get great results.

Shortly after I decided to start shooting models, I went to one of those shootouts in hopes of getting some good shots for my book. One of the models there had just done a shoot for Playboy and it seemed that every photographer at this event was determined to shoot this girl topless, she was being hounded relentlessly, and declined to shoot topless with anyone. When our turn came to shoot together she asked me what I had in mind and I told her that I wanted to shoot whatever would benefit her the most. She told me it was refreshing to hear that and explained to me how everyone else just seemed to want her to take her clothes off and they lost interest when she said no thanks. I explained that I really had no interest in shooting topless or nudes until I got to the point where I could do it justice. Anyway, we started shooting some head shots and within a few minutes she started unbuttoning her shirt, and pretty soon it was wide open, no bra mind you. She later explained that since I was the only one that showed any interest in shooting something that she needed, she wanted to reward me.
Some of those other photographers saw this and later approached me asking if I paid her or how the hell I got her out of her top, I just said that all I did was show an interest in what she wanted and what might benefit her, rather then hounding her to take her top off.
There’s a lesson in there for you guys.

AVIVA: What would you do if you won the lottery?
DJ:
I’d travel a lot more, and I do mean a lot more. There’s so many gorgeous women (to shoot) all over this planet! Oh, and I’d start paying models even when I had no chance of recouping anything from sale of the images. And I’d probably build a house and every room would be designed with photography in mind.

I would like to thank Dean for sharing his insights on photography. Dean recommends that aspiring photographers have a read through The Photographer’s Handbook .

You can see more of Dean’s work in his Model Mayhem portfolio.
I wish Dean all the best; he would be great to work with!

Aviva

Interview with Jessica Bowen aka ShootStylist

Jessica Bowen has been a hair stylist for 5 years and has always had a passion for photoshoots. She does amazing work and is very talented. Her favorite themes are Fantasy and Avant Garde. Jessica is interested in doing hair for fashion shows, as well as various creative photoshoots.

It was a pleasure speaking with Jessica Bowen as she shared her passion for art and beauty.


Photographer: Suzanne Teresa. Photoshop: Alic Watson. Makeup Artist: Natalie Wong. Wardrobe stylist: Wendy Cook. Model: Victoria

AVIVA:What inspired you to become a hair stylist?
JESSICA BOWEN:
I’ve always admired the Beauty Industry and when I took the hairdressing program I fell in love with it! I love the creativity of it, and the positive results you get to bring to your clients on a daily basis:) Not just outwardly but inward as well!

AVIVA:How has your experience as a hair stylist help you develop as an artist?
JB:
It has helped in opening doors into the competition world of it all. As soon as I did my first photo shoot with the Cutting Room Creative I found my passion and a place where my creative mind and ideas finally fit in 🙂 It was amazing!

AVIVA: What do you believe is the most exciting aspect of being a hair stylist?
JB:
Making people look and feel beautiful, as well as building confidence and relationships with my clients:)


Photographer: Suzanne Teresa. Photoshop: Alic Watson. Makeup Artist: Natalie Wong. Wardrobe stylist: Wendy Cook. Model: Tanya.

AVIVA: What do you feel has been your greatest accomplishment(s) in the fashion industry? (contests,etc)
JB:
Winning the Canadian Mirror Award for the Avant Garde category in 2009!!!!! I have never been so exited and so proud of myself to accomplish such a huge goal:) The overall vision for the futuristic shoot came about when I was doodling on a piece of paper in the back room and I started drawing circles, one thing led to another and it just took off from there! I couldn’t have done it without my team/family who supported and helped me bring my vision to life! I put everything I had into that shoot, so it was an amazing feeling to be recognized in the Hairdressing industry for it, as it was published in a 2 page spread across Canada in the Canadian Hairdressing Magazine.

AVIVA: What are some of your favorite hair products to use when styling?
JB:
I Love Bumble & Bumble Hair powder (amazing for oily hair, also for backcombing and building height in the hair, couldn’t live with out it), Sumotech (a matte paste for men smells amazing, has great hold, and makes styling easy!), KMS Dry Wax (helps to build a grit in the hair with a matte result creating texture, can also be used on curls as a messy look) and finally the Dry Extreme Hairspray! (you can layer with this hairspray and it will never feel sticky! amazing hold and a nice dry finish.)


Photographer: Suzanne Teresa. Photoshop: Alic Watson. Makeup Artist: Natalie Wong. Wardrobe stylist: Wendy Cook. Model: Ashley

AVIVA: Do you have any funny/interesting/crazy photoshoot story that you would like to share?
JB:
I wouldn’t say it was funny at the time, but I did learn form it! I had just finished my hairstyle on a model which included Styrofoam balls,with a lot of hair pieces, and was about to go to wardrobe when we realized she was wearing a shirt that had to go over her head in order to get it off!!! I almost died!! I had to redo the whole thing and start all over again. Needless to say, that is always the first thing I check before we start the models’ hairstyle now.

AVIVA: If money/time were no object, where would you like your career in hair to go?
JB:
If my dream came true I would be an on Shoot Stylist, traveling from set to set and possibly including T.V and Movies sets as well. It would also be pretty amazing to be a personal hairstylist for the stars! Any one of the above would be fantastic! When I’m doing photo shoots, I’m in heaven. I can push the limits and be as creative as I want which is such an outlet for me, since my imagination is always going!

AVIVA: Do you have any additional comments?
JB:
I want to thank you Aviva for asking me these questions and giving me the opportunity to share my passion with others:) I hope other people are inspired by my work and what can be done when you let creativity take over! You can’t succeed if you don’t set goals and go for it, life’s too short, so do what your passionate about and you’ll live a happy life!

You can see more of Jessica’s work on her Model Mayhem profile.

I wish Jessica all the best in her career! She would be an amazing person to work with!

Aviva

Top 15 Common Excuses for Not Exercising

Have you ever started an exercise routine and then stopped? Have you ever felt like your life is too hectic to exercise? Does the thought of exercise make you cringe? If you’ve answered “yes” to these questions, then you are not alone. Millions of people worldwide come up with pretty much the same excuses for not exercising.

When you think about it, making an excuse is easy, but making a commitment is hard. Therefore, the easiest way out is to think of a reason not to do something that requires work.

1.”I am far too busy”. That excuse comes up way too often. Everyone is busy. People have their kids, husbands, wives, friends, family, meetings, and the list of things that occupy their time could go on forever. It could seem like there is no time for anything else, and sometimes all one wants to do is go to bed and be left alone. The good news is…exercise can be integrated into a busy life because ultimately we all have time for what we want to do. This leads me to the next excuse…

2. “I don’t want to exercise”. Exercise can be a lot of hard work, and some people don’t like to imagine themselves doing it, let alone actually hitting a gym. The truth is, there are many things that people don’t like to do, but do them anyways. You can’t look at exercise as “something you don’t want to do” and expect to be able to carry on a daily workout routine. Instead, it is necessary to re-frame your thinking, which eventually results in an altered perception in your mind about exercise. For example, this book Are You Ready!: Take Charge, Lose Weight, Get in Shape, and Change Your Life Forever by Bob Harper discusses the emotional barriers that are keeping people from working out and eating right, as well as how to overcome them to become healthier and happier.

3. “I am constantly low on energy. The last thing I need is a half hour+ of hardcore movement”. Yes, people who never get their adrenalin going always feel tired and low on energy. However, exercise gets easier and less tiring the more you do it…you just have to get yourself over that first steep “hill of difficulty”, as I like to put it. Once you increase your activity level, everything else you do becomes a lot easier, and you will be able to get through your day without getting wiped.

4. “I don’t know how to work out or how to make-up a routine that fits my needs. What’s with all them sets, reps..etc? How many? Why?” If that’s the case, there are several books, fitness magazines, DVDs, and other information resources available that can explain what sets and reps are, as well as how many one should do based on their level of fitness. For example, 101 Workouts for Women: Everything You Need to Get a Lean, Strong and Fit Physique is just one book that provides readers with information on how to work out.

5. “I get my exercise at work”. Some people have jobs that require them to move. However, if they are not active in their lives outside of work, then they often end up overestimating the amount of exercise (and calories burned) that they receive at work. It is always best to put in 30 minutes of exercise that increases your heartbeat.

6. “The gym is too expensive, and personal trainers are expensive as well.” Yes, that’s right. Some gyms do charge a ridiculous amount of fees, tell you that you need all the bells and whistles, admin fees, etc… Yes, that’s a ripoff. You don’t always need a gym or a personal trainer, but if you do decide to go that route, then try your local college/university gym. At one point, I was a member of the university gym and I only paid $80 for an 8-month membership. That works out to $10/month. I think that if you can afford to have the Internet to search for excuses not to work out, then you can afford $10-15/month to go to the gym. Also, the university sometimes has student personal trainers/strength trainers working at the gym who would be more than happy to give you a hand.

7. “I’m too fat and people in the gym will judge me.” I know it might seem like people are judgemental, but do you really think that they have the time to think about you? They have have their own issues to deal with. However, if you are THAT worried about people judging you, then why don’t you do push-ups and sit-ups at home, as well as check out sites like Craigslist for free cardio machines that people are giving away. You CAN work out in the privacy and safety of your home and still get the results that you are looking for if you so choose.

8.”I’m not seeing any results. What’s the point?” So, you’ve been working out regularly for 3 weeks and you still don’t see any changes in your body shape. Understand that it takes months or even years to get out of shape and/or gain weight, and that is about the length of time that you will need to lose weight/get in shape. Don’t expect to work off 2 years of sitting in front of the computer for 8 hours a day and eating junk food at night to go away in just 3 weeks of working out. You need a consistent routine, as well as a clean eating regimen.

9. “Exercise is painful. I always get sore knees, my back hurts, my neck is killing me…etc.” It is best to start out with less intense workouts, and find out how to do the exercises properly to avoid injuries. Follow the proper movement techniques, stretching regimens, and seek help from more advanced exercisers (if that’s an option for you).

10. “I have no one to work out with.” Do you need to have someone to workout with? I often find that working out alone benefits me better because I am focused on what I am doing, as opposed to socializing. But, if you must have an exercise buddy to work out with, see if you can find people in your circle of friends/family/coworkers/etc that enjoy the same physical activity as you do, and ask them if they would like to join you.

11. “I hate the gym.” If for whatever reason, you don’t like working out at the gym, then don’t. Work out at home, go for walks, join community/charity walks/runs, do physical activity with friends, jog, walk your/your friend’s dog. There are so many alternatives to the gym, that it sometimes makes me wonder how gyms stay in business.

12. “Exercise is so boring.” Who says it has to be? Again, you have to change your mind about exercise and see it in a positive way. There are no instructions that you can read that can just make your transition from hating exercise to loving it in 3 easy steps. Find an activity that you like to do, and eventually you will like physical activity.

13. “I’m just not motivated to work out.” No one is born motivated. Motivation comes from the inside, and you have to find ways to motivate yourself to work out. I remember reading about a lady that was overweight and had her wedding coming up in 2 months. She wanted to look beautiful and slender at her wedding, so she bought a dress that was 2 sizes too small and made the goal of fitting into it by the time her wedding rolled around. She did it. No reason why you can’t think of an event or person that motivates you to exercise.

14. “I’m healthy enough. I don’t need to exercise.” Yes, when you are already slim, young and healthy, you might think of exercise as something that is not necessary. However, when you get a bit older and your metabolism slows down by a rate of 5% every 10 years, you will change your mind (hopefully). Additionally, exercising speeds up your metabolism, so you will be able to enjoy more of that delicious chocolate cake without having to pay the price of gaining weight later in life.

15. “I don’t want to get huge muscles and start looking like a man.” This excuse is common to women who are afraid of “bulking up”. However, they have nothing to worry about because in order to bulk up, as a woman, you need to lift very heavy weights, as well as take supplements that support bigger muscle growth. Lifting 5, 10 or even 20lb weights will not bulk you up, but it will make you stronger.

Now is a good time to put away the excuses and get into a workout routine!

I wish you all the best in your endeavors and I hope that you set a goal that you can achieve. Once you get into the habit of setting realistic goals and achieving them, you will enjoy the challenges that come your way.

Good luck!
Aviva

Introducing: Lindie Blackwell, Hair Stylist from Ontario

Lindie Blackwell has been in the industry for 8 years. She has won several awards as a hairstylist and is very talented at her craft.

It was a pleasure e-interviewing her for this post 🙂

Mirror Awards 2009
Image credits: Photography-Babak, Hair-Lindie Blackwell

AVIVA: What inspired you to become a hair stylist?
LINDIE BLACKWELL:
I’ve always been drawn to hair fashion… Runway hair, avant garde hair and hair competition, even from a very young age. When I was in high school I did my Co-op in the salon I used to get my hair done at. They were avid competitors and used me as a hair model, after seeing all the behind the scenes excitement of a platform hair competition I was sold! And so began my hairstyling obsession.

AVIVA: What is the most exciting thing about your job?
LB:
The most exciting thing for me right now is my position as North American Guest Artist for Goldwell. I am a member of their inspiration team which consists of approximately 30 incredibly talented stylists from all over Canada and the US. We travel across North America teaching other stylists in our Goldwell academies, private salons as well as teach the season’s collections on stage at trade shows. It’s a pretty amazing experience!

Mirror Awards Colourist of the Year/ Contessa Finalist 2009
Image Credits: Photo-Babak, Hair-Lindie Blackwell

AVIVA: What do you believe are some of your best achievements in this industry (competitions, etc)?
LB:
In 2009 I won the Mirror Award for Colourist of the year…. that was such an awesome night! I’ve been a finalist in both the Mirror Awards and the Contessa’s three years in a row now. I’ve also been very fortunate to have had my work published in many hair magazines over the years.

AVIVA: Besides hair styling, what are your other passions/interests?
LB:
I love fashion, make up and photography… All that encompasses the beauty industry. I’m often reading high fashion magazines from Europe to look for new trends.
I am also a competitive horseback rider as well. If I’m not doing hair you will usually find me hanging out at the barn riding my horses.

Image credits: Photo-Babak, Hair-Lindie Blackwell

AVIVA: What are some of your favorite hair products to use?
LB:
KMS Makeover spray: Such an amazing product to refresh hair instead of having to wash it. It is a photoshoot must!
Goldwell Stylist Exclusive Hairspray: Wicked dry hairspray for keeping those avant garde styles in place.
Goldwell Nice Balance: Best all around blow dry lotion out there.
So many more but my list would be ridiculously long.

AVIVA: Do you have any advice on how to eliminate frizzy hair?
LB:
Use a good quality blow dry lotion and/or thermal styling spray.
Always keep good even tension on the hair when round brushing.
Do not over style the hair once it is already too dry or you will get frizz and static.
Always use good quality tools… brush, blow dryer & flatiron

AVIVA: If money/time were no option, what is(are) your ultimate career goal(s)?
LB:
I would do different photoshoots every day. I honestly never get tired of being on set. Hanging out with my photographer Babak is always a fun time. We have a great working dynamic together and I always learn something new when I am there.

AVIVA: Do you have any additional comments?
LB:
I really love my job!

I wish Lindie all the best in her career and would like to thank her for sharing her passion with me. You can see more of Lindie’s work on Model Mayhem, and website.

Aviva

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