Image Analysis

We all look and absorb images. It is our human nature to try and break down an image in order to validate it within our minds. This means that any advertising campaign must carefully walk the line between overtly obvious and crudely mysterious.

This trick was taught to us in a seminar last week. Bringing in two magazines, one familiar to us and one unknown, we were to pick an image and following 5 steps, analyse it.
Step 1: what is in the image? Literally break it down.
Step 2: what image is it? Photoshoot? Ad campaign? Advertising what?
Step 3: what is in the image but with a little more detail. What kind of sofa? What colour are the shoes? The perfume bottle?
Step 4: what message is the image trying to convey?
Step 5: who created the image? When? For what purpose?

Introduction to Photoshop: Colour Palette

A major part of my university course is the introduction to varying software. Thanks to this training we will be more prepared for many industry based projects than other postgrads.

Our first IT session was an introduction to photoshop. Having only minimal experience with photoshop, the session has proved exceptionally valuable. 

The task was to comprise a colour palette and then think of a brand who’s newest marketing campaign could follow this palette. Due to the deep berry shade I personally thought of a brand with a more sophisticated target market, such as Marks & Spencers or Russell and Bromley.

Found the coolest little magazine shop in Nottingham! Ideas on Paper is a quirky, niche, independent magazine shop I hugely recommend for print media enthusiasts!

Amen!

FASHION ON FILM

A part of my university degree, studying Fashion Communication and Promotion involves watching a fashion film every two weeks. This is a great way of showing us how fashion can be expressed through a different medium. Not just in photography or a mannequin in a show window. I was initially intrigued at this idea. I have always been deterred from fashion films, as they always seemed utterly pretentious and above their audience. The trailers always made me feel that as a viewer, I must have some knowledge of the fashion industry otherwise I would be completely lost and incapable of enjoying the film to it’s full extent. To a degree, this is true. If you do not know who is speaking, the influence of what they’re saying is lost. But it is not as prominent as I first believed, which was a relief.

Bill Cunningham New York by Richard Press

This highly praised, 2010 documentary follows 85 year old Bill Cunningham, as he cycles around New York photographing those he feels are dressing “different” and who inspire him for his column in the New York Times. The day in the life style film tracks Bill from his tiny apartment in New York, of which he and the other residents of the building are to soon be evicted, to Paris where he is honoured for his efforts to fashion. Immediately, the audience warms to Bill. He lives simply but for the extravagant, dedicating his entire life to fashion. Even admitting on camera that due to his devotion to his work, he has never had time for a romantic relationship - something he does not see as odd. Contributors such as Anna Wintour and David Rockefeller, Wintour exclaiming “we all dress for Bill”, praise this little, frail man we see trawling around Manhattan snapping pictures of the wacky and brave. There are times, I found, when the documentary feels a little invasive. When the cameras are taken into Cunningham’s tiny apartment, compact with huge file cabinets of all his pictures, I felt as if I was pushing into a personal space for the inhabitant’s eyes only. I almost wanted to apologise and leave with my tail between my legs. But overall, this film was incredibly heartwarming. You cheer when Bill accepts his award, and want to offer a hug when New Yorkers shout abuse at the random man taking their picture (thankfully, of which is a rare occurrence). I adored this film, and would recommend it to anyone as their first fashion film.

Mademoiselle C by Fabien Constant

This 2013 fly on the wall documentary follows Carine Roitfeld, as she steps down as editor-in-chief of french Vogue and moves to New York to begin her own publication, CR Fashion Book. We follow Roitfeld from location to location, enough to leave your head spinning. Her jet set life is well documented and guest speakers are giving her continuous praise. From Tom Ford, who speaks of her as his fashion other half and Linda Evangelista, exclaiming that Roitfled “is Parisian chic”. Unfortunately, I did not warm to this film at all and was praying for it’s end. Mademoiselle C was met with negative reviews and I can see why. There was just no story. Rich, successful woman leaves a successful job to move onto another which goes well. Along the way she is continuously referred to as one of the highest and most respected in fashion. There was no mention of her journey to the top, beckoning the question, “why should I care?”, Roitfeld coming over almost robotic. There were moments of humility and this came from the former Vogue editor’s family. During filming Roitfeld became a grandmother, and scenes of the fashion icon scurrying around showing pictures of her new granddaughter on her phone was touching. The film also providing a moment of humour with Karl Lagerfeld pushing a stroller containing the new arrival, something exceptionally unnatural to the Chanel director. But the humour and humility ended there. Like others, I just found the film too distant and empty. I felt no warmth to Roifeld and it was more a sense of worshipping a fashion hero than an insight into a working woman’s struggle to adapt into a new position and the job it takes to begin a new publication. Everything just fitted into place, with the fashion elite singing Roitfeld’s praises. No hard work was displayed, just a pretty New York skyline. And for me this just isn’t enough.

Looking into the blogging family

One of my tasks at university was to research three bloggers I’ve never heard of in order to deepen my knowledge and find out who else has chosen this platform to express their voices. Through some internet digging I found three prominent bloggers and I thought I’d delve into their internet careers and look at some quotes from past interviews conducted with them.

1. Vanessa Jackman Australian, lives in London, photographer

How did you get started with Photography?

When I moved to London, I picked up my husband’s little Fuji FinePix 2MP point and shoot camera and started messing around with it … Eventually I joined the photo-sharing website Flickr, and started doing the ‘100 Strangers’ project in December 2007 … I have always loved fashion and style, however, and moved into shooting street style images in March 2009

What has been the most exciting part of your job?

Definitely the travel and getting to photograph (however briefly!) women I had only ever seen in magazines before like Anna (both of them!) and Carine. However mostly I just love being able to photograph all the super nice, super cool girls I meet during fashion weeks, some of whom have now become my friends.

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2. Coco’s Tea Party (Ella Gregory)

UCA Fashion Journalism graduate, full time fashion and lifestyle blogger

Why did you start blogging?

I first picked up a copy of ELLE magazine in 2003, because Christina Aguilera was on the cover. And that was it for me – I loved fashion and desperately wanted a piece of the action. So three years later I started a blog. I was 16 at the time, and most of my posts were typo-ridden ramblings.

What advice would you give to bloggers starting out?

There are sooooo many blogs out there today, so if you’re going to start one make sure you have something new to say. I wish there was a magic formula for gaining readers (as I’d bottle it and sell it for millions of dollars); it really is just a matter or hard work and patience. Independent Fashion Bloggers is a source of tips and advice though.

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3. Mademoiselle Robot (Laetitia Wajnapel) Parisian mother, journalist, author and consultant living in London

As a journalist, what made you decide to start blogging about fashion?

I was a video games journalist when I first started writing, and I studied Film Theory… I am not sure how I ended up writing about fashion. When I first started the blog, it was mostly about my day to day life, diary style, with a bit of pop culture thrown in. Then I started documenting what I was wearing, sharing wishlists containing fashion items and then I guess little by little fashion took over. These days, I’d say it is 60% fashion and 40% lifestyle, which is a great balance for me.

What are your favourite and least favourite things about fashion and blogging?

I like the freedom that blogging gives me and also the variety of things I get to experience and work on thanks to it. I don’t like the obvious about the fashion industry: sizeism, ageism and all the other annoying cliché “isms” that go with the territory. However, I must say most the people I’ve met in the industry were lovely!

University work begins!

Hey guys! If you didn’t know already, I’ve recently started my degree in Fashion Communication and Promotion at Nottingham Trent university. The course is actually incredible, covering all aspects of fashion minus design, such as marketing, styling, film, photography, journalism etc. If anyone is wanting to have a career in the fashion industry, knows they don’t want to design but that’s it, I truly recommend this course.

Freshers

I’ve been here 10 days now and I’m starting to settle in. My first few days were really difficult as I personally found freshers extremely overwhelming. I’m not the biggest partier, so if I do go out with people it must be those who I completely trust in order to feel comfortable. Don’t get me wrong, my flatmates and girls on my course are lovely but I’ve only known them a few days. I’m not there yet. So I pretty much hid in my room for freshers week, only going out once which lasted for 20 minutes then I came home in a taxi. There is so much pressure on students to go out and get wild drunk by not only each other but those in charge of them. If you’re not comfortable doing such things, freshers week can be very isolating and almost irritating. I escaped home for the last couple days of freshers. Not just to leave everyone be, mainly for birthday celebrations, but I did appreciate the quiet nights. Now freshers is over, everyone has calmed down and the hangovers are taking their toll. Thankfully my immune system is perfectly fine and lectures are going well. But for all future students, if you’re not a partier don’t stress over freshers. Maybe if you’re that sure it’s not for you, move to uni just as freshers is winding down? You need to feel as comfortable as possible in this new environment so ensure you do all you can to be happy. Okay, you won’t be tagged in as many pictures on facebook for the first couple weeks and making friends will take longer, but you’ll get there! Have faith and settle into university your way. Alcohol or no alcohol.