Shoot Research

      Above is examples of some research I produced prior to my photo shoot. I began by researching a photographer called Tom Hussey; he did a series of photos which was focused upon the idea of dementia and how it impacts them emotionally. In addition to this, I was particularly interested and fascinated by the way Hussey managed to reflect the dementia patients younger self through the mirror and it would be interesting if I could find a way to reflect back to this as inspiration by using a mirror or perhaps working on photoshop to double the image. 

     "Yet the underlying message is much more painful as a reflection of a mentally debilitating disease five million men and women in the United States currently suffer from. The photographs ran as an ad for an Alzheimer’s pharmaceutical patch - seen on many of the model's arms - aiming to help those suffering from dementia, a disease that gradually strips its victims of its more recent memories… ‘We worked through the casting and location aspects of the ads helping to determine what profession the patient had been in their youth so we could portray that in the reflected image,’ he said of the photos’ creation. ‘This profession drove what room setting and propping needed to be created to complete the image.’ In result, a seamstress sees herself seated before a sewing machine. In another photo a welder holds his old mask while turning to see himself in his much younger years, the mask clipped securely around his head. In some of the staged photos actual pictures of the models are seen tucked into the setting, showing them how they used to look, Mr Hussey said."

www.dailymail.co.uk

    The overall setting I want for my photo shoot is to be in a rather antique, old 70's living room, yet I want to enhance the elderly vibes with crystal vases, porcelain plates, objects and cups. Ideally, I would like to have some floral highlights throughout the room as the stereotype of your grandparents house tends to be very busy, yet weirdly cosy at the same time and I want my models to look as relaxed as possible. Considering I have two models, it plays greatly to my advantage as I get to experiment with them both gently touching each others hands or going back to back to reflect back to Hussey's mirror interpretation to dementia. 

        Not only did I have to focus on the poses and setting for the photoshoot, I also have to have a look book for how I want my models to be presented. Due to my FMP being "Living with Dementia", I want to relate back to Hussey's work and use 2 models who look fairly identical to each other to portray one being a normal, healthy person and the other distraught by dementia. Although with the mirror idea, it would be interesting to have them portray their younger selves in person which will be most likely the storyline I will use. For the models, I want them to be slim and probably more slim than most models to really enhance the eery, vintage look to the images. In addition to this, whilst I was doing my research earlier during my FMP, their was evidence to suggest that many people with dementia tend to lose a lot of weight and some even make themselves paralysed from their lack of movement and exercise. Not to mention, I want both models to have short hair, which relates back to my illustrations as I feel this will enhance the identical perspective even more and this will be in a small, black/brown bob either with bangs or not. In regards to makeup, I want it to be practically minimal, as if you can't tell at all and this is because I want it to relate back to the models being their younger selves, although you don't see many elderly people wearing makeup and I want the storyline to be as realistic as possible. 

    Overall, I feel very confident to start my photo shoot and I already have two girls in mind that I want to use for my shoot. The hardest challenge will be to find a location to shoot this in as I don't have any grandparents and it would be rather strange to ask a student to use her grandparents living room and that is even if it fits in with the overall atmosphere I want for my shoot! Not only this, but I need to make sure my models will fit into the clothes perfectly without any faults, although I must come prepared if alterations are needed. Nonetheless, I am very excited for the outcome as I am already extremely pleased with how my garments came out, so I hope my photo shoot will do the same. In addition to this, we are also having my garments shot at Ravensbourne and I will not be taking the photographs, so it will be interesting to see how someone will capture the look of my clothes, but also what they think or feel towards the garments.