Hurray for Hollywood

It's been a while since my last blog and yet somehow we are still in January!  Anyway, you'll be relieved to learn that life got a little more fun after my birthday.  Gareth's birthday is five days after mine and in stark contrast to mine, he had gorgeous clear, blue skies and wall to wall sunshine.  We enjoyed a lengthy hill walk followed by an Indian takeaway in the evening.

We also had a great night out with friends in a pub just around the corner from us. There's a great Thai restaurant occupying the rear half of the building (which we've frequented on more than one occasion), but we've somehow always overlooked the aptly named Woodman Pub.  That night it was bustling and we were greeted by a roaring fire.  We lost several hours inside there last Saturday night.  No pics I'm afraid...we were too busy catching up!

However, it's still January.  We're still in the depths of winter.  So what better time to do a little time travelling to Hollywood's Golden Age?

Not quite a Hollywood film set, but close - Portmeirion

I have in recent months created a little home studio (referenced in a previous blog).  Well let's call it my home-away-from-home studio.  I've also been raiding my personal belongings to created a mini set with plenty of props including (but not limited to) diamonds (not real sadly, but vintage costume), a bottle of Chanel No. 5, rotary dial telephone and boudoir chair.  

I purchased some fluffy mules off Vinted...

...and the day before, when it transpired that Ania, my dark haired, green-eyed model for the day, didn't have a suitable dress, I spied this beauty on the rails of my local charity shop.  Stupidly I photographed it before ironing it.  Needless to say, it was a total joy to press and it made a little more sense to me why it had found its way to a charity shop with labels still attached!

Still, it was worth it.  Lindy Bop specialise in repro 1950s dresses and this one fit the bill perfectly.  What are the chances of finding exactly what I was looking for - and in the model's size 16? 

I also picked up a fifties inspired black and white knit and neck scarf in the same shop.  Ania had the most beautiful robe on loan and her own clothes, including some pink/purple satin which evoked memories of Marilyn's Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend performance, so we were good to go.

Sonia of Sensual Passions, a vintage hair and make-up specialist I have worked with previously, had completely inhaled my mood board of images featuring Dita Von Teese and Elizabeth Taylor.  She created exquisite Hollywood waves and a stunning, luminous, lit-from-within old Hollywood makeup look.  

The big reveal!

I created a shot list in the days leading up to the shoot and tried to plan meticulously to maximise the use of our time.  Whilst I was grateful that Ania was happy to stay for as long as needed, most people tell me I work quickly.  I hate labouring over photos to the point that everyone loses the will to live and my subjects are dead behind the eyes.  I will try something, shoot in bursts and then move on.

A tantalising glimpse of the incredible robe and my boudoir chair.

A final check in the mirror.

And we're off!  

Here's Ania, chatting on the phone to the gossip columnist every star wants to keep on-side, Hedda Hopper.

I kept the studio shots brightly lit in the main, in order to showcase Sonia's handiwork and Ania's gorgeous green eyes.

Marilyn may have slept in it, but every movie star needs a little Chanel No. 5!

We channelled Elizabeth Taylor for the next shot.  

In researching the photographer responsible for this photo (Richard Avedon, 1956), I discovered that it was originally in colour and that Elizabeth was clothed.  The version I had seen was in black and white and cropped in a way to suggest that she was topless.  This is our version.  Elizabeth once said "Big girls need big diamonds" so it seemed fitting to feature the necklace in this one.

Posing is thirsty work!

For our next series of indoor portraits, I exploited the natural window light and also increased my camera ISO to let in even more light and to add a little grain for authenticity.  I also created my own backdrop, using some cute, cherry patterned vintage inspired wrapping paper.  Time for a lie down!

This one's my favourite...giving Hedy Lamarr a run for her money!

Finally, we headed outside for the final shots.  Ania's satin top was a match made in heaven for the last remaining pink camelia flowers.

Ania was also able to change into the sweater without being quite so precious over her hair.  

My inspiration for this look was the "sweater girl" fashion phenomenon of the 1940s and 1950s.  For those unfamiliar with the term, it was made popular in the aforementioned decades and was used to describe Hollywood actresses like Lana turner, Marilyn and Jayne Mansfield, who adopted the popular fashion of wearing figure hugging sweaters to emphasise their physical attributes.  

Marilyn, by Alfred Eisenstaedt

The sweater girl trend was not confined to Hollywood and was viewed with alarm by some.  In 1949 a Pittsburgh police superintendent, Harvey J. Scott, singled out the trend as a symptom of the moral decline of post war youth.

"Women walk the streets, their curves accentuated by their dresses.  But our real problem is with bobby soxers.  They are the sweater girls - just kids showing off their curves and apparently liking it.  What kind of mothers and wives are they going to be?"

Well, shush Harvey!  We've heard enough from you!

Isn't the sweater just perfect for Ania?  It worked beautifully with my high contrast Hollywood edits.

And that's a wrap!  I took around 100 images on this shoot, but I hope you enjoyed this insight to a fabulously fun shoot and my celebration of Hollywood and femininity!

CREDITS:  

Model:  Ania Cummins

Hair and Makeup:  Sensual Passions