Let's celebrate!
10 years, 10 New Zealand Fashion Weeks, the largest ever schedule...
We've all waited so long to see the 'Celebrating 10 Years' picture, unveiled at yesterday's official New Zealand Fashion Week launch at Auckland's Westin, Lighter Quay. Conceived back in March by Colenso, the months in between have been filled with sourcing NEW TALENT to work on the image, inviting the public to have their say (17,000 'says' that is) on them on Facebook, shooting the image a month ago, and then all the magic post-production stuff. So here it is. We love it and judging by this morning's rave comments on Facebook, you do too.
We've circulated lots of info about the NEW TALENT themselves and mentors Chris Lorimer, Amber Dreadon and Paul Serville, but photographer Charles Howells works a little lower on the radar. Here is all about the puppeteer who brought those magic Fashion Week dolls to life!
Elam graduate Charles didn't tarry too long before heading to New York in 2002 to work with Markus Klinko and Inrandi (now stars of Bravo TV’s reality show Double Exposure). The high profile company and its big staff specialised in celebrity work - Charles lists Beyonce, Black Eyed Peas, Jay Z, Outkast and Kanye ("but that's just the ones that come to my mind - we did pretty much everybody").
In 2005 Charles returned to New Zealand in pursuit of a less manic work life. Finding that no-one had the equipment he needed in the amount he needed, he made a rather large investment and bought it himself, and three years ago he set up White Studios so he could have the equipment being used all the time.
These days Charles shoots 1-2 campaigns a week which, given the extensive pre- and post- production element of his work, keeps him madly busy- ironic given his reason for returning to New Zealand in the first place!
One of the country's most sought-after campaign photographers, Charles is known for his particular style, which he describes as 'strong, iconic imagery.' He works predominantly locally and in Australia, with some work in Singapore ("I seem to have become a favourite of Harpers Bazaar Singapore") and LA. Karen and Pilot magazines are locally-represented regular ‘gigs’.
Charles was a great fit for the NEW TALENT project as he is adamant that photographic shoots are a team effort. That being said, when drawn he particularly applauds hairstylist Vladimir who he says ‘really stepped up to the mark. Not many experienced stylists could pull off the hair he did for Claire, and he is very new!” Charles also gives special credit to stylist Alison, saying that she did a great job and was on the right wavelength “she’s just starting out and once she gets going she will do really well.”
Charles feels the synergy between photographer and stylist can be very powerful, with - perhaps contentously - hair and makeup being support to the lead team in the planning/concepting stage, though he adds that top hair and makeup artists really bring something extra to a shoot. "I go to great lengths to get the right team."
www.whitestudios.co.nz
|