Seven Photographs that Changed Fashion

Seven Photographs that Changed Fashion is a BBC documentary showing how Rankin interprets and recreates seven classic fashion photographs that he felt had the biggest influence of fashion photography. In some of these recreations he use the old fashion techniques that the photographers would have used themselves and then in some he used modern techniques to try and get the same effect. Rankin explores how each of the fashion photographers influenced the next and so on and explaining why fashion photography looks how it does today.

Cecil Beaton's 'White Panama Hat'

Cecil Beaton's image on right, Rankin's recreation on left.
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The first photograph Rankin looked into was Cecil Beaton's 1934 photograph for Vogue, 'White Panama Hat', featuring model Elsa Schiaparelli. Rankin recreated this image with model and artist Sophie Ellis-Bexter as he thought she had a very 1930s look. Rankin experimented with using a very similar camera to what Beaton used, the 10x8. This camera showed the images upside down and also didn't show the images instantly, taking a lot more time, which Rankin found challenging and frustrating. Rankin reverted back to use a digital camera so that he could instantly see what results he was getting, instead of doing guessing work. I really like the recreation because of the very similar lighting, makeup and model positioning. However you can see that Rankin's recreation is in colour and not black and white which is different, however I really like this modern twist. I think that a smaller white box could have been used and it could have been on more of a slant and obviously the hat is very different to the original. Another thing that I noticed was that the emotion in each photo was very different and I don't think Sophie Ellis-Bexter captured the sadness of Elsa Schiaparelli.

Rankin's recreation using a 10x8 film camera (left)
and a digital camera (right).

I much prefer the photograph made by the 10x8 film camera as it has the same old fashion, vintage look. I also think that Sophie's expression is a lot closer in emotion to Elsa's. I noticed that the box looks more on a slant than in the digital image which is also closer to the original. I love that this photo came out in black and white, again adding to the 1930s look.

Erwin Blumenfeld's 1950 Vogue cover

Rankin next recreated Erwin Blumenfeld's January 1950 Vogue cover of model Jean Patchett. Even though this image was very famous for it's use of colour, the original image was actually taken in black and white and then the colour was added in afterwards in the printing stage. Rankin chose Heidi Klum to be the model and he used a digital camera. Digital manipulating was used, as in Blumenfeld's, to add colour and erase anything unnecessary, just to leave the lips, beauty spot, eye and eyebrow.

Heidi stuck her tongue out in one shot and Rankin thought it worked perfectly, giving a cheeky interpretation of the classic and iconic 1950 cover.  Rankin also adjusted the composition of the image and kept the nose in the shot, which in my opinion, completely changes the concept of the image. I think both images give a different emotion. In Blumenfeld's image, the model is looking more snobby and composed as she looks down at the camera, whereas in Rankin's interpretation, the model looks more playful and cheeky. I really like how the colour was painted on afterwards in both shots because it gives a very similar, almost pop art, look.

Richard Avedon's 'Dovima with Elephants'

Left: Original Dovima with Elephants,
right: Rankin's recreation.http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KXpco01V5Gc/S409f9_VyBI/AAA
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The next recreation was of Richard Avedon's 1955 image, 'Dovima with Elephants' with model Dorothy Horan. Rankin recreated this image using model Erin O'Conner. Rankin and the model were nervous to work with such big animals, but as the shoot went on they got more and more comfortable until they got a shot they were happy with. The elephants in the original look a lot more chaotic and like they are trying to escape from their chains, whereas the elephants look a lot more relaxed and stable in Rankin's recreation. I think I prefer the original shot as the model look like she has been caught in the moment, instead of looking like she is specifically posing for photograph. The original is brighter and the lighting looks very even, in comparison to the more directed, almost spot light, effect of Rankin's image. However I do like how much Erin O'Conner stands out, with her very pale skin against the dark background.

David Bailey's 1963 Vogue image

Left: Bailey's 1963 Vogue image,
right: Rankin's recreation.http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m6Q76YjVNho/TKkREZqikAI/AA
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This 1963 Vogue image was taken by photographer, David Bailey, of his former lover, Jean Shrimpton. David Bailey was the first photographer to bring 'sex' into his images in Britain and started a new fashion photography movement. Rankin recreated this image with this girlfriend, Tuuli. I thought it was really interesting how the photographer and model had the same relationship at the time of the photograph. I really like the movement of the hair in both these images because it makes the image more fun and flirtatious. I also like that a lot of skin on the model is showing because it adds a sexiness to the image that was very 'Bailey'. The model's looked very different in person, however I think they look very similar in the image because of their strong jawlines, long, toned arms and accurate positioning. I think the fact that Rankin highlighted the model's side boob give the image a sexier look.

David Bailey was present during the recreation of his 1963 Vogue image and so helped and gave advice on the shoot. For example, Bailey said that he used a piece of card that he wafted to get that hair movement and so Rankin used the same technique. Bailey said he used a Rolleiflex camera, so Rankin experimented with and used this camera for his final shot. It was interesting to hear when Bailey said that he thought fashion photography was very sexual and that he felt love for the model he was shooting and I think that love came through in his Vogue shot.

Helmet Newton's 1975 Vogue image

Left: Newton's 1975 Vogue shot,
right: Rankin's recreation.
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Rankin next recreated Helmet Newton's 1975 Vogue shot of model, Vibeke Knudsen, on Rue Aubriot Street. Rankin went to that same street to shoot his recreation and the original model, Vibeke Knudsen, was present in the shoot to help and give more of an insight of how the shoot came to life. Rankin used the model Jade Parfitt, who was a great fan of his work, but had never got to work with him. The street looked very similar all those years later, with only slight changes, like the pillars and the state of the road surface. I really like the recreation, however I think the styling could have been closer to the original, with high-waister trousers and a bigger suit jacket. I also think that the model looked a lot more relaxed in the original, almost as if she was caught off guard, whereas in Rankin's image, the model looks very stiff and staged. The model's hand was not placed inside the trouser pocket, which it was in the original, giving a more awkward and unnatural look. This would have to be my least favourite recreation of Rankin's as I just don't feel like the model or the styling was quite right.

Guy Bordin's 1970 Vogue image

Top: Guy Bordin, 1970 Vogue,
bottom: Rankin's recreation.
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This 1970 photograph was taken by Guy Bordin of a model for Vogue. Rankin recreated this shot using model and fashion designer, Daphne Guinness. Rankin's biggest struggle with this recreation was getting the lighting right and, in my opinion, I don't think the correct lighting was achieved in his final image. In the original there is more of gap between the leg and the leg's shadow and the light was very harsh around her hip, almost looking like it is reflecting off the wall. Whereas Rankin's light is a lot less concentrated in one area and instead the image looks a lot brighter. I think this is the least similar recreation because the model looks completely different with different styling. The model in Rankin's image looks very powerful and confident, whereas the model in Bordin's looks a lot more vulnerable. 

Herb Ritts 1984 'Fred with Tyres'

Left: Herb Ritts original, right: Rankin's recreation.
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Rankin's last recreation was of the 1984 photo, 'Fred with Tyres' by photographer, Herb Ritts, advertising jeans. Rankin used the very famous male model, David Gandy and used the same film camera that Ritts' would often use himself, but first tested out the shots on a polaroid camera. I really like the recreation, even though Gandy's body isn't quite as 'ripped', because the male model really stands out against the darker background in both and the positioning of the model's are very similar. I do, however, think that the original looks more sexual and erotic than Rankin's, because Gandy looks a lot more relaxed and doesn't look like he's tensing as much. 

I really enjoyed looking at how Rankin interpreted all these iconic images and how he recreated them. I love that it inspired him to create some of own iconic images as it has also inspired me to push the boundaries and be inventive when creating artwork.

Source:
http://vimeo.com/60749359