Week 10 - Exhibition Analysis

For this weeks exhibition analysis, we were tasked with exploring the work of fashion photographer Corinne Day.

A Simple Solution, Vogue Nippon, July 2008

The first fashion photo from Day's work I examined was the one above, from the series titled A Simple Solution. The first thing that stood out to me in this particular photo was the background. The paintings that the model is pictured in front of caught my eye initially, as they differ from the backgrounds in the rest of the series. They consist mostly of abstract paintings in differing sizes. I particularly like how it appears as if the model is walking through the doorway of the painting she is in front of as it is roughly proportional to her and shaped similar to a doorway. Continuing off of that, the framing in this photo is very important to the overall composition. The model is framed on the left half of the photo, with your eyes initially going to the paintings in the background, but eventually drifting towards her. I find it interesting that while this is for a fashion magazine, the model is facing away from the camera and only the backside of her outfit is visible. This is similar to the rest of the photos in the series, as the model is not posing directly for the camera in most of the shots.

Golden Years, British Vogue, October 2007

The second photo I selected is from the series Golden Years, published in British Vogue in 2007. This photo is somewhat similar to the first photo compositionally, as in both photos the model is framed on the right side of the image, standing out against the relatively noisy background. Lighting is crucial in this image, as the model stands out vividly in her white dress against the neutral brown and black pianos. The image feels very grand and classy, and is reflects the title in this sense. This work is successful visually and culturally in that it emphasizes the elegance of the model and her outfit, which seems to be the goal of this series based on the other photos as well. The style somewhat reminds me of a painting by Monet, titled Woman with a Parasol. In that painting, a woman wearing a white dress is the main subject, and a similar elegance is present.

Second Nature, British Vogue, November 2006

The final photo I examined is the one above from the series for British Vogue, Second Nature. Similar to the other two photos, the background of this photo is very interesting and was one of the first elements that caught my eye. After examining the compositional elements of the photo, lighting sticks out to me as the most important. The lighting in this image grants the photo an ethereal feeling. The natural sunlight coming through the trees from behind the subject is what gives this photo an almost heavenly quality. The subject is looking directly at the camera, and it is taken from an angle of very slightly below eye level. The style in this photo somewhat reminds me of a painting Jean-Honore Fragonard, The Swing. This painting also has an ethereal feel, and captures a woman in a woods setting with sunlight bursting through the trees.

Overall, I very much enjoy Day's work as a fashion photographer and think it does a great job at capturing the subject and emphasizing the fashion while also creating a visually satisfying photo.