DIY Save The Dates- Some Cannes Inspiration.

Last year, coconspirator, Sarah Ledesma told me of an idea she had to recreate the Cannes Film Festival Poster for her wedding Save the Date postcards. The original poster was shot by Melville Shavelson in 1963 and features Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman. The poster for 66th Festival de Cannes was brilliantly conceived and executed by The ★ Bronx Agency (Paris).   Sarah works in social media marketing for a film conservatory here in LA and her fiancee writes for a major animation network. Both lovers film & old Hollywood, they plan to tie the knot in Malibu. Wanting to honour and pay tribute to something that is dear to their hearts, they wanted to recreate the poster and sent the image as personal save the dates for guests invited to their up-coming wedding. This was all for personal use in no way shape or form used for commercial purposes. If you love the poster as much as we do, you can always purchase it on Amazon. 

I was incredibly tight for time so most of the planning/producing was done by Sarah, but I really want to demonstrate how much it takes a team to create something. (keeping in mind, this is a re-creation, all the original concept and execution was done by  The ★ Bronx Agency (Paris).)

I wanted to get a clear plain shot that would be easy for Paul (Sarah's brother and graphic designer) to comp and play with in post production. Sarah and Peter arrived at my place dressed and ready to go. I set up a 3' roll, bright white paper backdrop along the floor rolled out to fit my two stars. We used a step ladder and shot directly down our bride and groom using a speedlite and ceiling to bounce light. Charles (Charlie) McIlvain directed, paying attention to the details that would make a balanced image. Unlike Joanne Woodward who was 5'4", Sarah is over 6', as is Peter, so Charles was sure to direct them so they matched equally. If you notice in the poster, Joanne Woodward has Paul Newman's head cupped in her hand, almost like she is slightly propping his head up. Charlie paid attention to those finer details so Sarah and Peter had a close match. 

For me the process was very simple, shoot a crisp and clear image of the couple to pass onto Paul. It was Sarah and Paul who then worked on the efforts to match the poster. It was a time consuming process as both Sarah and Paul have their own work to do, but the aim of sharing this with you is that work, big or small, takes a team. That team can be two people, it can be twenty, but it is always rewarding. I recently had a photographer friend who was feeling in a bit of a rut, ask me my opinion and thoughts on creating work. Does someone do it on their own or is there a team? TEAM. Always a team. Every magazine ad and editorial has a team of wonderful creatives who put that work together. It is important at times of frustration when you feel that your work hasn't changed or grown to recognize that. To go easy on yourself and to keep exploring, keep learning. Meet new people and create with friends. This applies in film making too. It takes an army sometimes but the rewards are well worth it. 

Just recently Sarah received the postcards to send to her guests. We are all stoked. It was a great match and captures Sarah and Peters love for film. 

Here is our little re-creation. For a budget of nothing, we had fun and didn't do so bad. 

Producer: Sarah Ledesma
Director: Charles McIlvain
Photographer: Jasmine Lord
Designer: Paul Ledesma
Groom: Peter Diccico
Bride: Sarah Ledesma
Hair/Makeup: Sarah Ledesma

Still Life Challenge

In an effort to truly study light and composition, I have decided to set myself a challenge. A still life challenge. Everyday over the next month, I will shoot a single still life image on my trusty Rebel G. Yes! Film camera.

A study I did while at the Global Cinematography Institute 

My rules:

*I can not shoot the same object twice. 

*I must find a new lighting setup every week

*can be both colour or black and white.

*natural light only

*only 1 recreation each week, (for the purpose of studying and achieving a look in lighting) BUT...I have to build on it

Cup of tea, a study of still life while at the Global Cinematography Institute.  

I will update you when my first roll has been shot, from there I may look at extending the challenge. 

New Food Gallery Images

Naked Foods Cookbook Images

When it comes to stills photography, I have found myself to be shooting more and more food. To be honest, I'm loving it. I love working in a team environment trying to perfect a shot that best shows how a dish can be presented. I feel very fortunate to have worked with some incredibly talented nutritionists both here in the USA and back home in Australia. I love working with stylists, I always feel that I have so much to learn from them. I also enjoy shooting for restaurants and foodies who have blogs. Every shoot is different because the person who I shoot for has their own flavours, style and taste.

LEFT: Wholesome to Go RIGHT: Malibu Food Shoot 

I have recently up dated my Food Photography section of my website, and it's always nice to reflect on how I have grown as a photographer and see where I would like to develop my skills in the future. One of the many wonderful things about working in film, TV and photography is that there is always room to grow, always more to learn and new challenges presenting themselves, no matter your experience or age.

LEFT: Wholesome to Go RIGHT: Pizzeria Ortica

Where I feel truly lucky is that I have had the pleasure of working with some very talented and wonderful nutritionists, caterers & restaurants. I consider myself to be very fortunate to have a good working relationship with the teams at Eat Naked, Wholesome to Go and Eat Yourself Healthy. Although not all images are out yet, as time rolls along and I'm able to share other work in the food domain, I will. For the time being, enjoy.

Wholesome to Go 

[ri-frak-shuh n]

Keeping in with my love and profession of working with the moving image, I recently created a new abstract video called [ri-frak-shuh  n]

[ri-frak-shuh  n] is an audio and video instillation designed to be viewed on a flat screen TV turned into portrait mode (aka on its side). It would be then mounted at eye level onto a white wall (preferably in a small empty room). This would enable the viewer to not just see [ri-frak-shuh  n] but feel it as I, the artist intended.

[ri-frak-shuh  n] is a study of surface phenomenon and transmission media.

Artist: Jasmine Lord
Sound design by: Flying Penguin Sound and Big Room Sound

New Works in the Fine Art Gallery

It has been a while since I had time to do some work for my fine art gallery. This year got off to a flying start but a last minute change to my shooting schedule meant I was in LA this past weekend instead of Australia. Turns out, everything happens for a reason. I have recently found myself painting again and while I paint purely for myself, it has helped unleash a new exploration for my fine art works in photography. I recognize that I love geometric shapes and patterns. Squares, triangles, perfect circles, straight lines. Sometimes I like the contradiction too, the organic, crooked and messy lines that are presented to us in nature. It appears to be something that I keep coming back to, heck it's even in my tattoos. Hard lined symbols, geography and constellations. Not very original but I'm drawn.

It would be fitting then, that in my love for space science and geometry (I have been ingesting way too much Brian Cox and Neil Degrasse Tyson) that I have created the following works. I am exploring a simplicity. I present to you three new pieces; Planetary Eclipse, Untitled and [ri-frak-shuh  n]. Enjoy!

Planetary Eclipse. 

Untitled

[ri-frak-shuh  n]