This is the one area where i decided to stay free to "be", to take my time, to be inspired, to have a break from it if needs being. It is also the area where magic happens and on certain days it just flows from my heart...More than that: "photography is shooting your eyes, your mind, your heart on the same line of fire." like one of my idols once said: the supreme Henry Cartier Bresson...Henri was once laughed at for forgetting to put a film into his camera before starting to shoot: "You are becoming a conceptual photographer now huh!" ...Well, HELL YES.
A very few people have been SO able to capture the moment, to trust their instinct, to ignore the technique in favour of a great scene to document right there and then, as much as he did. One fraction of a second later to regulate the focus and that gaze is lost forever. Henry knew that. Some of his pictures are technically a bit of a mess...nonetheless: masterpieces of the truth behind the most beautiful imperfection of going with the flow.
A conceptual photographer, therefore...It definitely sounds like it...and if i can guess He probably laughed back at the person who said those words, knowing that those images were in his head without the aid of a camera and that the camera is the way for him to share them...like Isadora Duncan once said: "If i knew how to say 'IT' - I wouldn't need to dance 'IT'."
So we dance with Henri, we dance with Isadora, we learn to love our mistakes and to ignore the technique at times in favour of the beauty of the moment, we learn to let our art go from our bodies and we see it embrace the universe...sometimes chosing to not care for the effect it provoques because for some people like Isadora and Henri it was a matter of catching that beauty and let it out of their system for god knows which amazing reason.
Along these lines i feel i can introduce to you Ellen Rogers: I asked her how did she feel about her art and she said she sometimes wouldn't even recognize her works once they were "out" of her system - like this - "oh? did i take that picture?!" i thought this was really cute...mainly because it's part of that need to let go of our art, to let it out of our body...some people instead have a tendency to keep it inside, doodling with their own visions, this is their need. But Ellen lets it out instead...and as she calls herself "a tormented soul" she says it with a smile and i don't see her dark alleys: i see a ray of light standing in front of me, a refreshing approach to being one's self, having the courage of one's feelings. Which of course MUST be a tormented place, i know that too well, but also one that's always worth visiting. As dear Lee McQueen said once "beauty can come from everywhere, even disgusting places".
And i deeply respect people that are not scared to feel and to go deeper than what's technically needed.
So here is Ellen Rogers, a link to her website, which you must visit, love it or hate it (you crazy people) because it's art whatever you think. Ultimately art IS free expression.
http://www.ellenrogers.co.uk/
The pictures below are some that i took while she was working at Charlotte Olympia's look book while she was shooting the real deal. That day was one of those days of mine where i have been able to let ..the river flow with my own camera, thanks to the Sets she'd make, the poses she'd choose for the models, the atmosphere she created on set, the freedom she allowed to Morweena and Sophie to "be".
Thanks to Ellen i could not leave my camera alone...and i had to force my self to take only a few pictures in order not to look annoying! In all fairness i made them sepia-tone so that you lovely people couldn't see the clothes too well, mainly because i have to wait for Charlotte's look book to hit the fashion world before i can reveal too much ;) but that's gonna happen next week, so Ellen's beautiful pictures will be up here soon.
Ellen only shoots on film and then works on the printed pictures. Her world seems a tribute to "pic-nic at hanging rock" with a feeling from the 20's and 30's and Fellini-esque earthy creatures that end up in woods or dark cabaret clubs... Imagine this in the style of the silent movies and let those faces tell you a story and just...Listen.
Moi, J'adore.
And this is Ellen. You can't see her. But what did you expect?
MODELS: Morwenna Lytton Cobbold and Sophie Nielander @ Premier agency
Styling: ValentineFillol Cordier, Make-up: Martina Luisetti, Hair: Paul Donovan. All shoes by Charlotte Olympia.
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