Wish you were here...

The Miss Bossy Boots blog has moved. You can now find all the behind the scenes happenings from my creative and commercial photography agency on our shiny new website.

A High Point

You may recall a little while back I posted some behind the scenes photos of the fashion launch we were involved in for Highpoint Shopping Centre's glamorous new redevelopment? Well I've dug up this recent video of the day which gives you more insight into the stage show and live photoshoot we produced. Nothing like shooting in front of a live audience to put on the pressure!




You can also catch up on all the behind the scenes stuff - including a glimpse of supermodel Sam Harris - by clicking here.

Stylist (and host): Philip Boon
Photographer (live on stage): Christian Blanchard
Producer: Dean Drieberg
Client: Highpoint Shopping Centre

Lia Serge is a Chameleon

Sydney based photographer Christian Blanchard recently shot Russian beauty Lia Serge for the 'Chameleon' fashion editorial in the latest Tangent Magazine. He also co-directed the accompanying fashion film below with usual conspirator Steven Protuder. I think it's more than a little bit noir; would love to hear what you think of this film and the trend of fashion films in general in the comments below. Before watching please note it's not entirely safe for work.


Chameleon from Steven Protuder.

And the winner is...

Just want to send a big congratulations on behalf of the wider Miss Bossy Boots team to Melbourne photographer Bronek Kozka. Last week he won Qantm Create Design Award presented by iStockphoto for photography!

The Create Design Awards honour a whole range of different design disciplines and the photography category is pretty broad; "entries may be self-commissioned, commercial or creative. Digital image enhancement is permitted provided the content of the original image is not altered more than 25 percent."

Bronek says the inspiration for his winning piece was the "visual language of painting, and...the work of Jean-François Millet but re-contextualised in an urban inner-city environment." Bronek's work takes on an unpleasant subject matter but it was obviously effective enough to grab the judges' attention.

Here's the winning shot for client the Salvation Army for their annual Door Knock Appeal.

Beauty Queen

My very own stylist Margaret Kernich and make up artist Narelle Hall recently had the pleasure of working on a fashion shoot with the super-nice Miss Universe Australia 2011 Scherri-Lee Biggs.

Scherri-Lee effortlessly wears Mimco, Owl of Eden, Kooey Swimwear and House of Harlow in the final fashion shoot for an interview with The Sunday Times Magazine. After all she should be used to swimwear by now! The look was in keeping with her beauty queen roots but still modern; "Grace is definitely the thing we are going for", explains Margaret.

A big congratulations to Scherri-Lee for finishing in the top ten at the Miss Universe worldwide finals last week too! Here's a look behind the scenes at the shots that you didn't get to see in print.

Stylist Margaret adds the finishing touches.

Ta-Dah!

Client - The Sunday Times Magazine / News Ltd.
Photographer - Penny Lane
Stylist - Margaret Kernich
Make Up Artist - Narelle Hall
Hair Stylist - Kyle Sarah

A little game of Stylist Says

Stylist Philip Boon presented three different sessions about fashion at the shiny new, industry-only tradeshow Premiere recently. On day one he discussed working with new labels versus established brands and his role as a professional stylist working between them. With 20 years experience he's qualified to comment! Video evidence below; Philip is always happy to assist if you've got a new fashion shoot/campaign coming up that you need some styling advice on...



Philip Boon The Stylist Says Workshop at Premiere Boutique Trade Event for Exclusive Labels from Sacha Strebe on Vimeo.


You can read a little more about the event here too.

Bronek Kozka: Myth, Memory & the 1/4 Acre Block

Photographer Bronek Kozka is currently exhibiting 'Myth, Memory and the 1/4 Acre Block in Sydney. He has also just been interviewed over at Sun Studios about his commercial work which "forms the basis for his art practice and his investigation of the portrayal of remembered moments". Have a read by clicking here.

Check out what The Spit Press and City of Sydney What's On also have to say about Bronek's latest work. He's also just been named as a finalist in the inaugural Substation Contemporary Art Prize for 2011!

Fleeting Film

Philip Einwick has created this little video about photographer Jeremy Blincoe's recent 'Fleeting Embrace' exhibition opening. I think it's pretty darn lovely. Enjoy...

FLEETING EMBRACE from Philip A Einwick on Vimeo.

The Stylist Says: A Philip Boon Premiere

There's a new fashion industry-only showcase in town. Next weekend Premiere will arrive for the first time in Melbourne as a chance for the industry to discover selected high-end and boutique international and Australian brands and labels.

Naturally, since it has to do with the very serious business of fashion, Miss Bossy Boots will be there! Stylist Philip Boon will be holding "The Stylist Says" lunchtime sessions at 1pm every day of the event (Sunday 28th to Tuesday 30th August 2011). Here, in an intimate, he will welcome questions, discuss and share tips, secrets, his history of personal, campaign and commercial styling and what has made him one of Australia's premier stylists for decades.

You can register to attend Premiere and see Philip Boon for free by clicking here.

MBB + Highpoint + Samantha Harris!

Finally the Western suburbs will have their very own "high fashion offering" with David Jones! Highpoint Shopping Centre invited my team to help them launch their redevelopment, including the to-come "DJs" and 100 shiny new stores, which will be completed in 2013.

Stylist Philip Boon hosted the event and lent his fashionable eye, while photographer Christian Blanchard showed shoppers how a fashion photoshoot really comes alive right on stage (with a little pre-prepared magic backstage of course). I've taken some behind the scenes shots as we worked with make-up artists from Highpoint's own Napoleon Perdis alongside stylist from Xiang Hair. Best of all (the "highpoint" if you will), the launch led to meeting David Jones' Youth Ambassador, the super-gorgeous (potentially even more gorgeous than I) Samantha Harris alongside fellow model beauties Nikki Thot and Jia-Li Woo from FRM.

We got to style and shoot the ladies in some lush Kirrily Johnston pieces and jewellery and introduce a couple of emerging RMIT designers; the talented Elissa Ferro and Georgia Havekotte. Video and results of the launch coming soon...

Hanging around with supermodels is a perk of this job.

Surface Too Deep Swimwear; Jeremy Blincoe Photography

Melbourne based New Zealand designer Esther Miro recently collaborated with photographer Jeremy Blincoe on a fashion lookbook and campaign imagery (below) for her swimwear label Surface Too Deep. Entitled 'Lilac Nights' the campaign for the directional range was shot on location (based on his past fine art work Jeremy has an affinity for placing his subject in natural yet almost other-wordly settings). What do you think? I'm rarely spotted out of my little black dress, but may just be tempted to slip into one of Surface Too Deep's wrap bandeaus this summer...

Photographer: Jeremy Blincoe
Client: Surface Too Deep swimwear

Photographer Bronek Kozka goes to Mars

My photographers are keeping very busy this month. In between commercial work it seems like everyone is also exhibiting their creative works (check out show details for Heather Dinas and Jeremy Blincoe)!

Now, in between completing commissioned work for some of the country's most well-known organisations, lecturing and donating works (phew, I'm already exhausted), photographer Bronek Kozka joins them with his own display. From August 24 to September 18 2011 his new images can be found at the MARS Gallery, 418 Bay Street in Port Melbourne.

The photographs look at personal memories of living in suburbia. Bronek speaks about a feeling that may be familiar to many of us, "The idea of holding on to memories is also of great interest to me. In our lives we often attempt to document all aspects of our lives, snapping photos, recording videos and now, endlessly posting our activities and whereabouts on Facebook and the like. The thought of losing our memories and our history terrifies us. In losing these memories, we fear losing who we are."

Bronek will be hosting a floor talk on Saturday August 27, 3pm at the gallery. It's free but you have to RSVP to irina@marsgallery.com.au

 

'EH Holden' 2008 by Bronek Kozka

'Fleeting Embrace' photography by Jeremy Blincoe

It seems Jeremy Blincoe's latest photography project has been generating buzz all over the internet (read all about it here, here & here). Entitled 'Fleeting Embrace', the images focus on children (and animals) in somehow unnatural settings and explore the idea of what future environment today's generation might grow up to inherit.

If you want to see more, his exhibition is open now until August 27 at the Lindberg Galleries, Level 2, 289 Flinders Lane in Melbourne.

Ballarat International Foto Biennale 2011

The Ballarat International Foto Biennale for 2011 will feature "over 100 exhibitions by over 200 artists as well as projections, a telefoto program, master classes, talks" among other special photographic treats.

Shining like a beacon among them is our very own Heather Dinas who will be one of the core artists showcased at the event. On the back of her nomination from this years' Head On portrait prize, Heather will host an exhibition entitled 'Hymn of Kassiani' as well as part one of a new series called "Two Brides". Here is a chance for art directors and photography aficionados in general to see Heather's fine art pieces; an entire world away from her commercial food, interiors and portrait shots.

Heather explains, 'In this series the camera acts as a mirror that facilitates the examination of self, questioning through gender roles, rites of passage and memory; cellular memory, past down from our mothers’ and matriarchal lineage.'

So if you happen to be in the area or are traveling specifically to see the BIFB she'd love to see you from opening night Saturday 20th August at the Ballarat Town Hall (corner Sturt and Armstrong Street South) or throughout the rest of the festival until Sunday 18th September. Heather will also be presenting an artist talk amid her exhibition space at the same venue on Sunday 28th August from 2pm.

Rocket

Make-up artist Nigel Stanislaus has been busy creating the beauty looks worn by Miss S for Sydney dance act Radio INK's latest music video for their just-released song 'Rocket'. You can spy Nigel primping, preening and applying fabulous falsies in this behind-the-scenes video.

Picture: Radio INK

Or simply watch the finished product below. The look is a little bit 80's, a little bit Bowie no?:

Come on, ride the train

It's not all fashion models, exotic travel destinations and fast cars that we shoot and style around here. Yet every shoot is compelling in its own way; just add the flash of camera bulbs, a dramatic soundtrack and my marvelous Miss Bossy Boots team.

For instance our latest adventure; an epic journey to Ballarat to shoot the new campaign for V/Line:




Too much? Stay tuned for the finished results soon.

Photographer - Garry Moore
Production - Veronica Moore
Stylist - Margaret Kernich
Hair & Make Up - Narelle Hall
Assistants - Caspian and Indigo Moore
Client: Lisa Stolt and Monica Barrow at V/Line

Thinking outside of the (Bento) Box

Here we are in studio helping to create the lookbook and campaign imagery for Australian luxury (and ethical) label Bento's Autumn Winter 2012 collection. Inspired by the opera Madame Butterfly's East meets West atmosphere; designer Samantha Hardman has balanced ultra-feminine kimono hues with military styling.

Now on her third lookbook shoot for Bento, Samantha has some advice for designers when it comes to photographic shoots and putting together the right team; "I don't think designers should be that involved".

"My philosophy is that a designer is like a farmer, stylists and photographers are like the chefs - I want to see how they interpret my work."

Cue our "chefs" for the day, stylist Jordan Moore and photographer Christian Blanchard (checking out the couture below). Samantha said she chose the duo based on loving "previous work they have done together".

Model Anna gets ready for her close-up.

Jordan & designer Samantha applying a few touch-ups to look 1

Look 2 (apparently also time for a little game of 'Simon Says'...or 'Christian Says' rather).

Keep an eye out for the finished results in coming months. I'll keep you updated, but you should also check out the Bento blog for another behind the scenes look at the fashion industry.


Photography - Christian Blanchard
Styling - Jordan Moore
Model - Anna Furze
Hair & Make-up - Kate Blainey

Mimco loves Christian Blanchard

Mimco has recently released their latest collection as Sydney based photographer Christian Blanchard continues his relationship with the Australian accessories label for the new season. Christian not only shot the campaign imagery but also created a short film (in keeping with his more cinematic recent work with fashion label Trimapee) for the 'Wilderness Manifest' collection. Filmed in the woods of Castlemaine in Victoria, you can spy Christian hard at work alongside Mimco's creative director Cathryn Wills and the ever-gorgeous model Alyssa Sutherland in this behind the scenes footage of the shoot;



And voila, this is the finished product below! You can view the rest of the 'Wilderness Manifesto' campaign photography here.

UMNO magazine

Certain members of the Miss Bossy Boots team have been exceptionally busy lately. Featuring in the latest issue of UMNO magazine is this fashion shoot entitled 'Bone Dry' as shot in New York. All our stylist has to say about her work on this one is something the to the effect of "HAWT!" All I have to say about it is 'Um, Yes!'

Photography by Christian Blanchard
Styling by Jordan Moore

Jeremy Blincoe for Metal Couture

Working their way around the web are Jeremy Blincoe's photographs for Australian jewellery label Metal Couture. They've certainly caught the eye of Trend Hunter who called the series "surreally angelic and devilish" (though they could just as easily be describing little ol' me). I think Blincoe's fantastical leanings are a perfect fit for the avant garde pieces.

Read/see more by clicking here.

Metal Couture jewellery. Photography by Jeremy Blincoe.