Photographed by Shawn Reinohl

Styled by Stacey Cunningham

Make up by Aria Seth

Silk top and skirt by Nomia

Amy Claire leather jacket, Nomia skirt, Dr. Martens shoes

Mandy Coon jumpsuit, Barbara Briones shoes

Nomia vest, Zara pants, Yves Saint Laurent suede heels

Nomia black dress, Barbara Briones shoes

Nomia jacket, Nomia pants, Dr. Martens shoes

Amy Clair jacket, Irina Marinescu pant jumpsuit

Each woman is depicted floating in mid air, free to twist and turn freely in amazing designer gowns.  “Antigravity is a project in which I tried to describe feelings of freedom, both physical and emotional. It connects ideas and dreams, fashion and extreme sports” Sarenac says.

If the  film is as extreme as the pictures then expect a lot of nudity, death, and creepy animals. The trailer (below) totally makes us want to see the full film on Monday.

Keep reading to view all the images from What Lies Beneath.

To me, the (over) utilization of sexuality is much like contrast, saturation, composition, leading lines, etc. In creating an image of any kind (landscape, product, fashion, etc.) ONE element of it is its ability to ‘grab’ the viewer’s attention amongst the competition. ANOTHER element is its ability to ‘draw the eye’ of the viewer to where you want them to go. Just like using high saturation doesn’t necessarily make for a better image than a desaturated one can … but it can definitely ‘Make ya look” a bit quicker … so it is with sexuality in imagery.

It is in my opinion that the fashion industry is a game of ‘one upmanship’ in the ability to GRAB the viewer’s attention and has relied more heavily on the sexuality as it’s method of ‘grabbing’. And given that the root purpose of fashion is to sell products, I find that most fashion images do a poor job of drawing the viewers eye. They do however strive to generate an association of ‘sexiness’ or glamor or richness or coolness or some other form of associative emotion… so the viewer goes “Oooooh, I wanna be like that, so I gotta have Designer X.” by virtue of the ‘creativeness’ of the image as a whole. (This is a reflection of society being a ‘wanna-be’ society, in my opinion.)

ENORMOUS amounts of money suggests that “Sex Sells” and thus it ‘must’ be the way to go … and becomes somewhat self-fulfilling… continuing the one upmanship to perpetuity. For me, I find that the more ‘sexual’ a fashion image is … the more often I find it lacking in other elemental areas. I realize that the photographer may not be the one driving this… rather it might be the AD, or simply being driven by the desire to set themselves apart with even more ‘cutting edge’ … i.e.”Made ya look” can apply all along the food chain.

I realize that I’m an absolute ‘nobody’ when it comes to this, but I find that the (over) utilization of sexuality is proportionate to the (under) utilization of other ways to draw the viewer to where you want them to go … yet has an undeniable power in tapping in on some base emotions. For money, sex sells … as an indication of a photographic excellence, “skin to win” can be a bit of a (money making) cover up. There are plenty of non-sexual ways to create a powerful image that both grabs and leads … they just take more talent & effort to achieve. Sexuality is quicker and easier … and thus very profitable.

Just say it like it is … SEX SELLS … and it’s all about the MONEY. It’s not a reflection of today’s society to ‘justify’ the further utilization of sexuality, but rather a reflection of those who are chasing the money … the masses of society are just a captive audience that trail those who have monetary influence. If you have a market that wants to pay for sexuality and you want to produce sexuality to garner that money … that’s an individual (albeit many individuals) choice.

While the masses may have become ‘normalized’ and ‘desensitized’ to the sexuality … it’s a game of “Made ya look.” one upmanship that took them there. Then again, so is the used car salesman wearing the clown jacket and screaming about the “crazy” prices at their BIG SALE, or the impoverished images of devastation fund raisers use. People eventually grow weary of “looking” and finding little interest in what lies behind the ‘grab’ when it is a shallow grab. Thus, the cycle of needing a LOUDER grab seemingly self-perpetuates … until such time everyone is screaming, then someone will ‘whisper’.

“Made Ya Look”…Now What?

Natalia Vodianova for VOGUE UK © Mario Testino

From Benjamin Kanarek Blog

The words Sex, Sensuality and Seduction are bandied around more often in Fashion and Beauty Editorial spreads than the words “Fashion” or “Beauty” in  “Fashion” and “Beauty” magazines.  Why is that?

Well that is not new news as we have been so heavily inundated that we have reached the point of a mind numbing indifference. Perhaps indifference is not really appropriate. Let’s call it, normal. Seductive, sexy, sensual are all very appropriate words indeed, as that is what most of us strive for. We all want to be appealing to those viewing us and as sentient beings, sexuality is a very powerful part of our id.

But not only are the words being used in the content of mainstream media, but they are being carried over to illustrate the most common magazines read by the general public. In fact if you were to look at a magazine like Numéro ten or fifteen years ago, you would be forgiven for thinking that you were looking at a spread (no pun intended) of Playboy magazine, with more slender and lanky models.

Now I am not here to pass judgment, nor to pontificate, as that is not my role here. I see it as a mirroring of the body politic of the masses, what we wear and how we express our selves through art, photography, music etc… is a very important expression of our society as a whole or better yet a huge snap shot of a point in time that we can study in retrospect to determine the sociological and psychological profile of a society at any given time.

Well, at this juncture in time, it is the norm and not the exception that we adorn fashion magazines with nude or scantily dressed semi nude models wearing very little if any fashion at all. Of course there are exceptions to the rule, but most of the more relevant fashion magazines, find it very much a part of the norm to express themselves using nudity as part of their policy to garner a larger reading audience.

Being that we are being exposed daily with gratuitous nudity on the internet, I can understand why they would feel the need to use this very powerful tool of sexuality to sell their products. Without this vehicle, many of them would probably be out of business today. Of course for the more conservative magazines, there are the obligatory nipple pads that often give the models a less than human barbie doll look or even worse the removal of the breast nipples from opaque or transparent bra’s, making the whole thing look absurd at best. In those cases, it is best to not show the breasts all.

But like all things in fashion and fashion is a mirroring of society as a whole, we live in a cyclic world, with what was out of fashion today becoming in fashion tomorrow. What may be considered sexy today will become boring and predictable tomorrow. So who knows, perhaps in the next decade or so, the sexy women in fashion magazines will be depicted in a scenario unintentionally flashing her knee during a dinner date at a posh restaurant or touching her shoulder during a conversation or showing a tiny bit of breast cleavage while bending over to pick up a hair pin.

All I am saying is that what goes around comes around and what we consider shocking today might be the norm tomorrow and that norm just might end up being very boring indeed. So enjoy the ride, “what ever will be will be, the future’s not ours to see, Que Sera Sera…”

Source From Benjamin Kanarek Blog

Erez works with one of fashion’s most visionary and relevant agencies, Kate Ryan. His style blends striking high fashion concepts with subtle artistic undertones. One has only to catch sight of Erez’s photography to realize his deep passion for his profession.

Recently Fashion Indie was awarded the chance to ask Erez about his incredible images and views on the industry. Here’s what the multimedia artist had to say.

Who or what influenced and shaped your photography style?

I began shooting at 16. As a teen growing up in Israel, I was always interested in magazines like The Face. Nick Knight and Javier Vallhonrat were photographers I admired.

The turning-point came when I moved to Paris to shoot for magazines like l’Uomo Vogue, Detour and 20 ans (of which Emmanuelle Alt, today editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris, was fashion director).

You can still see traces of that influence in my work as a director and multi-media artist. For example I did a show at the International Fashion Festival in Japan, “Master Minds of Mode,” which was all about painting my subjects with lighting.

So many of your portrait shots not only convey a message, but have an artistic nature infused within. What’s involved in the creative process to capture your photos?

To each portrait shoot I bring 100% of my energy. I aim to capture the best of each subject, looking from the perspective of a warm heart with a cinematic sensibility. I’m only satisfied when magic happens on set, and have been fortunate to work with an amazingly talented team.

I spent almost three years shooting images for my first book “My Favorite T-Shirt,” which explores the lives of artists in New York. It was a fulfilling journey for me as an artist, very pure and honest – no digital, no retouching and no cropping. It felt like I was seeing everything for the first time.

I’m amazed with how you use location and setting to create a real depth in so many of your images. What are some secrets to making your surroundings work for you and not against you?

Some places really inspire me, such as Azerbaijan where I shot a story for Baku. You can see how we enjoyed shooting this in a behind-the-scenes video we made. I enjoy integrating subject and setting, creating a synthesis. An inspiring location helps create dynamism, movement and high energy, as well as the interaction of textures, colors and light. Trying to do justice to the setting, you have to make sure you’re not distracted from your subject.

What advice might you have for other young photographers who would like to achieve the same level you’re at?

Keep going. There are so many others in the field now, but you have to focus on ensuring that the amount of love you have for the craft shows up in the images. Trust yourself!

What’s your favorite camera to use on a fashion photography shoot?

I use Hasselblad with p+30, P45, Canon 5D Mark2 and MAMYA RZ. It all depends on the project.

See the rest of the interview + more pics on LookBooks.

With steady, prominent clients in his pocket Orlando now prefers the role of a flexible freelancer. He splits time between New York City and Miami, lending his photography skills to both high fashion and more avant-garde companies.

Recently I was granted the chance to quiz Orlando about his career and views of the fashion industry. The following is how our chat went down.

Josh Linam: What’s your passion for photography? What draws you to it?

Orlando Behar: I’m motivated by fashion itself. I’m a fan of beautiful clothes, and I enjoy interpreting fashion for others in lighting and in a narrative I control. I get paid to do what I love.

JL: How did you get your start?

OB: I studied advertising in Miami at Florida International, but I realized that I didn’t like that side of the process.  I started at the bottom as a studio assistant washing windows and taking out the trash. I didn’t think I could make money as a photographer initially. But, eventually, I moved up to shooting. Now I know the freedom of a freelancer.

JL: How would you describe your photography style?

OB: Much of what I do is editorial as a narrative. It’s a love story between the models and attire from a cinematic viewpoint. It’s my duty to take a story beyond just models and pretty clothes on hangars. Simple is always best in my opinion. I always use one main light source in my shoots because that approach models real life; it models the sun.

JL: Off the top of your head, what’s your favorite shoot you’ve done in recent times?

OB: I did an editorial a couple years ago that enabled me total control; it was a shoot for Noise Magazine. Everything came together. The model was cool and very laidback. The stylist pulled together amazing clothes and stunning jewelry. She fashioned a homemade turban. It was very cool. You don’t have to have a Prada label to come up with an amazing outcome, but it doesn’t hurt.

JL: How did you develop your style? Who have you worked with previously?

OB: I started assisting for George Kamper, an ad photographer who shoots some fashion as well. He knows lighting set-ups that range from one basic light to lighting a set with 20 plus.

Elliston Lutz is another photographer I worked with that influenced my take on fashion photography.  He has a completely different style; he’s an organic shooter. He keeps it simple with natural light from one main source.

Personally, I like the look of having dark shadows, which you can always modify for an Art Director.

JL: What are some ways you think fashion photography has evolved and will evolve in the next decade?

OB: Digital has taken the industry by storm.  People can use a consumer-grade camera and deliver beautiful results. It gives creative power to the people.

In the next 10 years video will be huge. GQ used a Red camera to shoot Megan Fox in an editorial. This will be a trend that continues to evolve as the technology is further developed and becomes more affordable and accessible.

For more on Orlando’s work, stop by his Web site.

Credit: Photo courtesy of Ann Taylor, Photo by John Shearer, WireImage

“We are thrilled to have Katie as the face of Ann Taylor,” Christine Beauchamp, President of Ann Taylor Stores, said. “Katie personifies the Ann Taylor brand – smart, talented, incredibly chic, and living a full life with beauty and grace. We admire and respect Katie for her intellect, kindness and enduring personal style.”

Obviously, Holmes is thrilled about the campaign as well:

“I’ve been a fan of Ann Taylor since I was a young girl,” Holmes said. “I grew up loving the clothes…and am really excited to be the face of Ann Taylor for the Spring season. I am thrilled to be part of a brand I believe in.”

Obviously less is more…. I have to say this Sisley collection is definitely rocking Alice + Olivia’s  line as my favorite Spring 2011 collection by a couple more points in my book, thoughts?

Photo Credit: CLM

(credit: Rock My Blog)

LINK HATE LOVE: Terry’s Diary

This month, Taschen will release a 500-page tome celebrating the work of photographer Ellen Von Unwerth, titled Fräulein. DazedDigital spoke to the influential artist for an exclusive interview.

DD: Do you have any advice you can offer to aspiring or young working photographers?
Ellen von Unwerth: Just keep your eyes open to see what you want to show. Go out in the street and look for it. For me I started with reportage.

DD: How would you describe an Ellen von Unwerth shoot?
Ellen von Unwerth: When it is good shoot , it is better then a party! Gorgeous girls, loud music and a bottle of Champagne, or two…

Read the full interview on DazedDigital.com

For more information on this amazing Dutch photographer be sure to check out his website:

http://www.alique.nl/

It’s not unusual for a sibling to capture all of the spot light at times, and it’s no acception in the Sorrenti family; where Mario Sorrenti has done so. But are you aware of his sister Vanina who’s also a fashion photographer (photos shown above)? it’s true, and she’s really really good too, with her own unique point of view?

Born 1973, in Naples Italy, Vanina studied drama in  NYC then moved into styling before becoming a fashion photographer in 1998. Vanina (love saying her name) has been shooting the likes of Kate Moss, Bridget Hall, all the way to new comers like Ali Michael. She’s done editorials for i-D magazine,  British Vogue, and Nylon amongst others, as well as advertising campaigns for brands like Chloe.

Source: Fashion Copious