Angel
Occupation: Fashion and Beauty Photographer, Artist, Photo Retoucher, Graphic and Web Designer.
City: New York, US
FASHION STUDIO: How would you describe your photography style? How long did it take you to develop it?
ANGEL: My style started off and will always be creative and dramatic. I love dramatic concepts that deliver strong messages and strong energy throughout the photo. I love dramatic facial expressions, dramatic posses, I'm all about the drama. My images majority of the time are very artsy, I like to add a little photo manipulation, and different textures here and there just to spice things up!
FASHION STUDIO: Your most unusual photo shoot so far...
ANGEL: There is no such thing as a usual photo shoot for me. Every photo shoot I plan on topping my last shoot with a more complex concept, and more dramatic editorials that will stop a person in their tracks as their flipping through a magazine. Some shoots it's just me and my make up artist and we do our own styling and hair for the models we work with. Sometimes I have a full house: a make up artist, a hair stylist, a designer, a stylist, seven models, an assistant, and that's when things can get crazy.
FASHION STUDIO: How would you define fashion photography?
ANGEL: Good question. I like to look at fashion photography as the vision/inspiration behind the wardrobe. Some photographers might do a story board with the photo shoot, changing the era, theme, and location of the place to match the clothes.
FASHION STUDIO: Which fashion photographers do you admire?
ANGEL: Mike Ruiz, Steven Klein, and David LaChappelle.
FASHION STUDIO: What do you find most challenging in fashion photography?
ANGEL: Making it your own, I'm still testing waters and different approaches when dealing with fashion photography because it's risky.
Coming from an artist background I love to shoot images from angles that compliment the image as a whole (location, model, pose, face, etc.) But when shooting fashion you have to shoot from the best point of view, where the clothes look the best. Also retouching wrinkles out of clothes is a pain, not fun at all.
FASHION STUDIO: What can you say about fashion industry in New York City?
ANGEL: It's VERY difficult to get into. It's a very small clique of people with important jobs and roles in the fashion industry, and to get into that clique you have to work your butt off!
Magazines like Vogue and Vanity Fair use the same photographers over and over again - like most magazines do - as if there are no more photographers in the world to give a chance to.
FASHION STUDIO: What are your favourite shopping spots in the city?
ANGEL: All of the thrift stores, like Urban Exchange, and 5th Avenue by Union Square has pretty much everything my closet needs in one spot.
FASHION STUDIO: Most exciting fashion events?
ANGEL: I recently attended a fashion show/after party hosted by XEX Magazine in Brooklyn and that has been my best event to go to yet. I met amazing wonderful people, a very great networking opportunity, it was a lot of fun.
My second exciting fashion event was during NYFW at the J. Cheikh fashion show where I met and got to talk to one of my idols Mike Ruiz!
FASHION STUDIO: Your favourite designer...
ANGEL: Thierry Mugler and Alexander McQueen. I love watching their runway shows and their exhibitions. The way they present their fashion is so dramatic, inspiring and artistic.
FASHION STUDIO: What is your personal style?ANGEL: I love suits and blazers. Blazers make me feel powerful, in control, and "like a boss" :)
FASHION STUDIO: Which fashion magazines do you read?
ANGEL: I love V-Man, W magazine, Bullet magazine, and Vogue.
FASHION STUDIO: What is your ambition as a photographer?
ANGEL: I hope to, some day soon, become a big time fashion and fine art photographer, shooting billboards and ad campaigns. Having a strong family support has helped my ambition in never giving up in this tough world. Also the help of my team, my make up artist, and hair stylist for believing and trusting in me with everything I want to do.
FASHION STUDIO: How do you improve your skills?
ANGEL: By testing. Every time I do a test shoot I learn something about my self I didn't know before. Testing also gives you control in the production because you are the only client you need to please, so if the shoot comes out bad or not how you want it majority of that reason could be your fault.
FASHION STUDIO: Did you ever think about being on the other side of the camera? Do you like being photographed?
ANGEL: VERY good question! People always ask me what's "a revolutionary artist"? Because that is what I label myself as. A revolutionary artist is not just someone who creates art just to sell it, but someone who creates art to make changes in this world, changes big enough to start a revolution!
I want to change the fact that the people like the artists responsible for the amazing ad campaigns of Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, and other great ads are not as famous as the models in the ads. It's quite sad if you think about it. Imagine being a photographer for 30 years, shooting celebs, international magazines, and top models, but nobody knows your name or face? You might be recognized by a group of educated people within the fashion industry but as far as the main stream media nobody knows you. Imagine trying to get into an A-list celebrity party after shooting the queen of England and they don't let you in because they don't know you, but here comes Snooki hoping right on in.
So to answer your question: yes, I love giving my fans the opportunity to see my face and hear my voice! I'm not just a paint brush or DSLR, I'm a person too!
FASHION STUDIO: What is your preference when working with models: do you tend to give a lot of directions or do you leave them a lot of freedom when it comes to posing?
ANGEL: My only preference is being agency represented. Depending on the model I might give A LOT of direction. No one knows what I want out of this photo but me because I'm the man with the vision, but some models can just come on set, know exactly what to do and they give me everything I asked for without even asking for it. That's a combination of a model taking a wild guess and being bold. Other models that come on set clueless - I give them enough direction to capture the image that's inside my head and make it match to what's standing in front of me.
 |
| Nick from Angel Colour Models |
FASHION STUDIO: What posing mistakes do new models usually make?
ANGEL: Covering, or blocking their face when they do a pose with their hands on top of their head, and the hunch back pose.
FASHION STUDIO: How do you find models for your photo shoots? Do you work with any agencies?
ANGEL: Yes, when I need models I go online and go through agencies searching for my muse, call up the booker and tell them which model I want to test with and they make it happen.
I work with RED models a lot, I've worked with Wilhelmina Models, Ford, and I've also started my own male mother modeling agency here in NYC.
I work with RED models a lot, I've worked with Wilhelmina Models, Ford, and I've also started my own male mother modeling agency here in NYC.
FASHION STUDIO: How a model should prepare before a photo shoot? What is most important?
ANGEL: Make sure your body is in the best shape it can possibly be in, show up well rested with LOTS of energy, drink five Red Bulls if you have to. Nothing is worse then a model who looks like they don't want to be there, I would send you home. Bring your own make up, hair products, and pins for clothes. You never know if a make up artist or hair stylist bails, you must always be prepared and have everything ready. No one expects a model to be prepared so if a situation occurs - and you just happened to save the day because you came prepared - the photographer would be praising you at this moment.
FASHION STUDIO: Which famous models would you like to photograph?
ANGEL: Kate Moss, and Tyra Banks. Tyra is dramatic, her facial expressions are endless, and her energy is vibrant. Kate Moss is just amazing, I've seen her pull off so many looks, so many characters, she can take on whatever I throw her way.
FASHION STUDIO: What projects are you currently working on and where can we see your latest work?
ANGEL: Currently working on my online store www.angelcolour.us/store. I'm selling my Art Work on there mostly my graphic designs and fine art stuff. I'm also coming out with a graphic design T-shirt line soon.
You can view my latest work at www.angelcolour.com follow the RSS feed to the blog or follow my Facebook fan page www.facebook.com/angelcolour1. The fan page is the best option ;)
FASHION STUDIO: Thank you. It's been a pleasure talking to you!
Photos courtesy of Angel Colour
No comments:
Post a Comment