It might be tricky to be your own stylist, costumer, or scene creator on your own set, especially when you have never been into it. I have some good news! Imagination, some research, and dedication can solve this issue and bring bright results. Here are five handy materials and tips to use on your upcoming shoots to add a special touch when you need something more than a regular shot. The process is challenging, fun, and brain-training. You will have good practice for upcoming shoots and better coordination with different materials on set.
Mosquito Net
I had to arrange a massive three-look shoot for a friend coming shortly to Armenia recently. We didn’t have any additional professionals involved. Having just several days to organize all, including the styling on my own from scratch, I chose weird materials for this conceptual shoot. One of them is the mosquito net, a thing that totally captured my attention while buying household materials from a local shop days before. Although it is transparent, you can get enough to create whatever you want due to its affordability and the ability to flex the way you want it.
I used a white baby doll underneath as a base in this picture and some simple pins to create the desired shape. It's a one-time dress, not a couture one, but it will definitely bring something special to your set however you decide to use it.
Paper
As simple as it might appear, paper is one universal tool to create your ultimate futuristic look. Having a wide variety of thicknesses, colors and textures, it basically gives an infinite number of combinations for any look. It also doubles as a perfect base to create headpieces.
Photos used with permission of Artashes Martirosyan.
Aluminum Foil
I like cooking, but I also like the idea of foiling a model. This might be the ultimate material to use in dull environment to add some reflective dimension to your picture if you don’t have a high-end alternative with a similar effect. It might also be useful to create surfaces for outdoor shoots if done neatly. It's another flexible material to add to your arsenal.
Cellophane and Plastic Wrap
Although this also comes in a variety of thicknesses, colors and transparencies, this one is the most delicate of all. It requires high accuracy to have clean results. For the below beauty shoot, I used flower-wrapping cellophane, which used to be extremely prone to fingerprints. I had to do very minimal makeup to avoid foundation marks on the material and work as fast as possible. It is also the most uncomfortable material and might make your model sweat easily.
On the other hand, plastic wrap is not so complicated to work with, but may require additional imagination to come up with something truly beautiful. This also concerns other varieties of this material. If you are working with colored versions, pay attention to its finish to avoid a garbage-like feel. This might be the cheapest thing to create amazing outcomes.
Fabrics: Sheer, Glittery, and Long
It's no secret that the sheer materials and veils almost always act as perfect mood creators; it is also not a secret that anyone can find a piece of these somewhere in their house. It might appear too overplayed, but sometimes, mixed with new solutions, it brings a second life to an old material.
Whereas the sheer fabrics usually create soft nuances in the pictures, the glittery ones make very dynamic pictures, especially when used in the proper environment. The pins are again the timesavers to make the ultimate makeover from a fabric to a dress. This material acts very similarly to aluminum foil, but you will have the luxury of infinite colors and textures to play with.
The extra-long fabrics will bring color accents and great movement to conceptual photos. This might be a bit challenging if you are dealing with the wind, but a couple of strong assistants can save the game.
And to conclude, never forget to carry a bunch of pins with you. Pins are your best friends! What other materials have you used in your shoots?
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Really useful and interesting post! Thanks a lot
www.alexdefrutos.com
Thanks! Happy to be useful.
The "mosquito netting" you refer to here is commonly called bridal thule at fabric stores here in the USA. It comes in various densities and colors.
It looks pretty similar to "bridal thule " , but it is totally different material, not sold at fabric stores, at least on this part of the planet. It is like a very fine plastic mesh, which makes it ideal to create weird and sturdy shapes, it holds the shape much much better than the thule of the highest density. I have used thule a lot, but I considered it to be under sheer/long fabric category.
below is the thule
Thanks for this! I've been scratching my head over what to do for an upcoming shoot and the paper brought on a big old lightbulb moment!
great! good luck with the shoot, share the outcome here once you finish
Thanks, I will do. The shoots next weekend and should be a lot of fun. I spoke to my model about what I had in mind and she's super stoked about it ☺
Paper works nice. Did this image 3 years ago for a hair coloring project.
Great stuff! Thanks! What do you recommend for the long fabric?
thanks! it totally depends what kind of effect you want to achieve, but I would avoid heavy fabrics if you aim to make something light and to really show the length of it . Chiffon works really good for airy feeling/working with wind, it might look flat if you don't do "art-direction" with it. You can also use a cheaper alternative, the fabric used underneath jackets and coats as a lining works as well, not sure on the name. You can ask for it at fabric shops with above mentioned description, due to its purpose it is relatively cheaper, reminds sturdy chiffon.
here it is:
One of my favorite photos I've shot was with some simple pieces of fabric wrapped around the model and pinned.
delightful, thanks for sharing
Let me show you.....DERELICTE!