Photography Assignment - MY STUDIO and The Persephone Collection (Process)

I recently had to do a photography assignment for one of my university classes.

I think I am still terrible at photography and I think it might be that I still don't really know how to use my camera (or it's not awesome enough). At least the class has made me realize that there are a lot more technical aspects to it then I think.

It was based on a phrase and your interpretation of it.

Well, then, I was told not to translate it too literally...but I took it in a literal direction. I'm very uncreative when it comes to stuff like this. Ask me to make something beautiful physically - and I will. Ask me to photograph something? I hit a wall.

Without further ado here is the phrase I chose:

It is something that conveys in my mind the best situation for me. I could have chosen more inspirational or provocative phrases but I liked how it stood for me as what I aspire to. I definitely could have manually focused this picture better. Sigh. I can't tell on the TINY LCD flip screen.

One of things about what you like/love is that it is in a literal sense freedom. For me, it's the freedom to wake up really late. YESSSSS... 11:30 - 1 pm wake-up time as depicted in this picture of my view from my studio. It overlooks Liberty Village a tad and I always see the lake on a good day. 

 

What makes me happy? THIS. This is only around 20% of my studio but this area is where I work almost everyday. Normally, it doesn't look so clean. Under the table is where my more heavy supplies: Italian chain, boxes and boxes of gems, silks, lace, and other notions hide. I like to think I am organized...but let's be honest this is obviously a depiction of a borderline hoarder. See how I gave up even labeling the little drawers?

Designing is also a form of happiness and freedom for the partially self-employed (like myself). The freedom of designing what you want without consequences or supervision. Here's my obviously staged attempt to figure out one of my leather, boxchain, and pearl designs. One of my more recent pieces is a leather wrapped skull. I'm putting it on a clutch but a lack of an industrial sewing machine puts a huge block on that project. 

I ordered replacement tubes for the vintage metalled acrylic I had used the first time around. The angle was totally wrong. So, I made long necklaces since the angle of the tubes gave a pleasant 'U' shape. Here's a sketch of my first piece, then the prototype, and now laying out the next versions of the long necklace. 

Beading process. A close-up. Look at that gorgeous centerpiece of the necklace! It's a rainbow quartz. I call this one the peacock rainbow quartz and it's a weird powdery blue with iridescent shine. So pretty!

More beading...

I end this post with one of my most recent publications from COCO Magazine's April issue which you can see HERE. The necklace is the same one on the model in the editorial. It's actually the second piece I made for the Persephone Collection.

 The team that did the shoot got the cover of the magazine which is exciting. One of my pieces is actually on the cover but you can't see it (except for the chain portion). Still pretty pleased with the results though. I started out pretty avant-garde goth with my designs and playing with colors nowadays has really been an adventure!