'Cause I'd Rather Waste My Life Pretending

Ten Questions with BriAnne Wills, Photographer

Rachel Phipps — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:10:37 +0000

By accidental chance I was contacted by a fantastic photographer, BriAnne Wills and her portfolio took my breath away. So, naturallty I had to ask her if she'd do an interview for Ten Questions!

How long have you been a photographer and how did you get started?

I've been shooting casually ever since I could hold a camera. I used to play around with my dad's old Canon 35mm, but it wasn't until I was in college that I started pursuing photography on a more serious level. I was 22 when I was given my first digital SLR camera and it opened up a whole new world for me. I made every one of my beautiful friends pose for me, starting with my roommates and my younger sister. Once I got over the initial shock of people offering to pay me to take their portraits, I knew I wanted it to become my profession.

Have you had any formal training or have you learned most of your skills on the job. Do you think that formal training is important for a photographer?

I am completely self taught. I wonder how much faster I would have learned it if I had some sort of formal training, but I am usually not impressed by the work that comes out of photography schools. Maybe it's important to some to be able to handle the technical side of photography, but I am all about the artistic side, and I don't think you can learn that. I just go with the flow. I don't determine ahead of time how I will shoot; I wait for the model, the mood, the wardrobe, the natural light to all come together and then set up accordingly.

What would you do/ be if you were not a photographer?

Ha! That's a horrible thought. But I would probably be doing something art-related. Perhaps I'd be in the journalism or the advertising industry, considering that's what my degree is in. However, I'd continue to involve myself in photo shoots one way or another. Maybe as an art director or wardrobe stylist. The whole process of photography thrills me, and I don't ever want to leave that world.

How do you go about prepping and planning for a photo shoot?

If I'm shooting for a client I draw inspiration from their clothing line, otherwise I start by perusing fashion magazines or fashion blogs that will inevitably inspire me. Then I contact a modeling agency and give them a list of girls I think would be perfect (I am very selective about who I work with and won't settle), after I confirm the model, I contact a wardrobe stylist, hair stylist, makeup artist, and hunt for the ideal location...often being my studio. I usually work with the same people who are reliable and extremely talented.

What do you do on days when you are not shooting?

Daydreaming. But really, like most industry folks who live in the Northwest, I have a day job. (don't make me talk about it.)

Almost every photographer, stylist, model, make-up artist etc. I have ever interviewed or worked with has had a crazy photo shoot story to tell me. Do you have any you'd like to share?

Oh yes. Once my model was perched on a huge tree branch that hung about 6 feet above a pool of cold, murky water. She was posing in such a difficult position and eventually lost her balance... Wet models don't make happy models. Luckily, she was such a good sport about it.

Who in the industry do you think has provided you with the biggest inspiration?

I love Camilla Akrans and Guy Aroch. Their images are so youthful, edgy and romantic. I can't help but fall in love with every photo.

What advice would you give to anyone who was perhaps considering a career in fashion photography?

Don't do it. I don't need anymore competition... Okay, just kidding. I would say be very selective on what you post and who you work with. A model can make or break an image, depending on what you are trying to portray. And it's all about networking. So get involved in as much as you can and get your name out there! Promote yourself. I'm trying hard myself, to take that last piece of advice.

Are there any models, make-up artists, designers or stylists you'd just love to work with?

I love Abbey Lee Kershaw and Lara Stone. I imagine it wouldn't be hard to produce a beautiful image with those two. I would have loved to work with Alexander McQueen (Rest in Peace). His designs are so eccentric and innovative. I envision a really involved story line for that shoot.

Abbey Lee Kershaw has to be one of my favourite models of the moment! I can't actually imagine how you could take a bad photograph of her!

Do you have any exciting up and coming shoots or collaborations you'd like to share with us?

Yes! I am almost always in cahoots with someone planning my next shoot. At the end of this month I will be shooting a clothing line for a client called Isaac Hers, and in March I have a fantastic collaboration that makes me giddy just thinking about it. It's going to be a night shoot. That's all I can say about it for now, but I will be sure to share it with you once it's complete!

Ten Questions with Kat Williams of Rock 'N' Roll Bride

Rachel Phipps — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 15:42:36 +0000

The wedding industry takes it as a granted that every little girl dreams of a white wedding, and that when it finally becomes time for to tie the knot that is exactly what she'll go for. But what if she wants something different? Something original? Something fresh? Something... Rock 'N' Roll?

For this edition of Ten Questions I've been joined by the lovely and pink haired Kat Wiliams to talk about how planning her own wedding lead to her starting one of my guilty pleasures: the Rock 'N' Roll Bride blog, an alternative wedding blog and very, very different to anything you've ever seen before. I promise!

All images c/o Rosie Parsons

So an alternative wedding blog. That's something you don't see every day! How on earth did that come about?

I loved reading all the wedding blogs all over the internet when we were planning our wedding for April 2008, yet however much I loved them (and continue to love them) none of them really featured the kind of weddings I was into - edgy, rocky, alternative and fit to bursting with stunning photography. So I decided to start my own - firstly just like an online diary ie. 'this is cool check this out' kind of posts but then I realised I'd really found a niche here. people started emailing me telling me they loved the blog and they sort of stuff I was sharing and photographers starting sending me their weddings to feature.

Where do you find your blog content?

I find alot of stuff on flickr and through photographers blogs. When I find a photographer I like, through another blog or a submission I will add their blog to my google reader so I can keep up to date with what their posting. then, if I like something they've shot and shared I'll email them to ask if I can feature it. However nowadays the majority of my features get submitted to me directly from photographers, often before they've even blogged it, which is great news for me and my readers because then everybody gets to see something new and fresh on the site.

Tell us a bit about yourself...

I'm Kat. I'm 25. I have pink hair! My full time job is a tv producer for a shopping tv channel. I got married to Gareth in April 2008 and I love pussy cats. We are getting some Maine Coon kittens on Sunday (prepare yourself for lots of kitten related posts/tweets!) I love all things sparkly, and pretty but with an edge - think barbie doll with tattoos! I am crazy about photography and adore it when people do things differently. My favourite tv show is 24 (kiefer = swoon) and my favourite movie is Back to the Future!

How many weddings do you reckon you've been to since you started Rock 'N' Roll Bride?

Erm...one! I don't tend to attend that many weddings, I just write about and blog them when people send them to me. Myself and my friend and photographer David McNeil ran a contest for free wedding photography for a UK couple last year and their rock 'n' roll wedding is in March - I cant wait - it's going to be awesome!

What has been your favourite experience so far running the blog?

All the amazing people I've met - photographers, brides to be, other bloggers. I've also loved modeling for some great photographers and writing for a number of magazines here in the UK. I am so excited at the prospect of maybe beig able to leave my job soon to blog full time! It is so fulfilling to know I'm doing something I love and totally off my own back.

Which bloggers/ magazines/ websites do you really enjoy reading on a regular basis?

The only wedding magazine I read is Cosmpolitan Bride. Not just because I've done some stuff with them, but becuase they are the only mag I know that pushes the boundaries a litle bit and shows the quirker, cooler side to weddings. My favourite blogs are Gala Darling & La Carmina (both non wedding) and wedding blog wise I really read them all but I particularly love reading photographers' blogs to see all the newest weddings and photography.

What was your own wedding like?

The theme was black and white and the day flew by in a whirr of love and excitement!

If we were to look in your handbag right now, what would we find there?

My handbag is a beautiful grey patent Paul's Boutique bag with leapord print lining. Right now it containes: a bottle of diet coke, cigarettes and a lighter, a fuji intstax camera and an extra roll of film, a small pink make up bag with M.A.C make-up in it and with a bow on it, my pink leather wallet, my phone charger (i'm obsessed with twitter and checking emails so its always dying on me!) a diary where I keep note of what I plan to blog each day, a pink hello kitty pen, a sharpie, a pack of business cards and some Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream.

You've done quite a bit of modelling, is that something you may want to pursue a little bit more in the future?

I love it! I don't think I could make a career out of it as my hair is fushia and I'm not 6 stone but I certainly enjoy it and love working with loads of amazing photographers. I just find it so fun!

Anything we can look forward to in the near future with you and your beautiful blog?

Well right now im just hoping to make it bigger and better, more popular and even more fit to bursting with alternative wedding gorgeousness to intreague and inspire my readers. I love writing so I hope to be able to do even more magazine work too.

What was your wedding like? Or if your not married, what would your dream wedding be like?

Ten Questions with Tita Vizcarra, Editor In Chief of OMGee! Magazine

Rachel Phipps — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 13:37:12 +0000

As some of you may remember, this summer I interned at OMGee! Magazine, and I've always been fascinated with teenagers who really make a name for themselves and build themselves a future online. Well she's not really a teenager any more, but she sure is inspirational, I give your Tita Vizcarra, OMGee!'s Editor In Chief!

Introduce yourself and OMGee! Magazine...

My name is Tita Vizcarra and I'm the editor-in-chief of OMGee! I started OMGee! when I was 17-years-old and never looked back since. I started my career in the fashion industry very early.I was serving as makeup artist and wardrobe stylist at photoshoots with major photographers and huge company ads when I was 17! But other than that I'm a normal 20-year-old whose secretly still a kid at heart; maybe because I've been working since my teens. I'm a fashion advocate and a lover of all art forms. I praise Yves Saint Laurent and I'm obsessed with Robert Patinson, I love iced green tea from Panera, I stuff my face with California sushi rolls, chicken fingers, and cheeseburgers, horror movies -though I never can get scared. I'm a Twitter whore @titasays.

Where did the idea for OMGee! come from?

Because I was a self-taught makeup artist and stylist my family and friends would totally take advantage of that. They always wanted to know what was in or out and they wanted to know how to make their eyes bigger or do a really sexy smokey eye. And the fact that I had a passion for writing gave me the idea that I can get them of my back if I made a small fashion and beauty magazine.

You were seventeen when you founded the magazine, how long have you been at it now? Did you find starting out people didn't take you seriously because of your young age?

I've been at it for 2 years and 6 months. 1 year and 6 months because that's how long OMGee!'s been published and 2 years and 6 months because I didn't publish right away when I found it in July 2007; I published in July 2008 -a great 18th birthday present for me.

Of course people didn't take me seriously -at first. I remember I would tell my mom I was going to make a magazine and she say,"Ok, cool go for it." But later I came to find out she was just saying that to be supportive but she actually told me when she finally saw the first issue that she thought I was "crazy"; she didn't think I was going do it! But other than the rents' there were people who were a little sketchy like photographers, models, but that didn't last too long. They saw my drive and the first photographer I worked with was Jen Reilly; she was a huge asset to me launching the first issue. It's still pretty hard for people to stop referring to me as "sweetie" or "honey" very annoying,but they take my seriously now. I find my inner bitch to help pull through and gain the respect I know I deserve.

Had you had any formal training in magazines or journalism before taking the plunge of founding your own, or did you just start from scratch?

I've always wanted to join the school newspaper because I'm telling you I loved to write but it wasn't the coolest thing to do with the group I hung out with it (never listen to your friends). With that said starting from scratch and paying attention to magazines I learned. But I did have experience with graphic designing and websites since I was 13-years-old; self taught.

So what are your future plans for OMGee! Magazine? How successful do you think you've been with the magazine?

My plans are definitely leaning towards printing OMGee! Are you kidding me, that be ideal! If anyone picked up my magazine and said, "We'd like to print your magazine" I'd say hell yes; it's been a long time struggling and I lose no faith that it will happen one day. As far as how successful I think OMGee! has been, I feel I can do better. But that's the thing about me I never settle for less and I've recently noticed that. I told my mom OMGee! had 14,000+ readers world wide and I told her that was a little bit, she may be right on the "crazy" part. I genuinely think OMGee! can do better but I am proud of how far I've come thanks to the contribution of photographers, models, makeup artists, wardrobe stylists, hair stylists, designers and my fabulous interns; I worked the magazine alone from the beginning.

What do you enjoy most about your job, and what do you least enjoy?

Aside from writing -which I don't get to do very often-I love the photoshoots. I adore that, it's the most relaxing time for me. I love the rush and the excitement. I love styling and occasionally doing make up and getting together look books for the styling. And, I especially enjoy the makeup looks because I get to draw on the makeup sheet. The least? I really dislike doing the graphics for the magazine but it could be worse. I could have no knowledge on how to do graphics and I'd never have a magazine so it's a hate and love thing. I'm always appreciative and humble to everthing I do. I'm picky on what the page layouts should look like that's why I rarely hire graphic designers. I can't explain what I want ,I just know what to do.

What has been your best experience so far with the magazine?

I have so many but one that sticks out the most is this one shoot I did with photographer Jen Reilly -whose pretty F'ing amazing by the way- at Desert Ice Studios. We did this save-the-environment issue and one of the models -I think it was Nicole Pulido- was portraying water. And we tried so hard to try to get water to stick to her face. So what we ended up doing was grabbing Jessica's -the hair stylist- hair appliance box,poured water in it and then we poured it on the model like a waterfall and Jen was shooting and shooting; it was amazing!

Do you have a team of regular contributors or do you rely mostly on one off contributions?

It's a mix. I have 1 regular contributor the master photographer James Lee and his team that works with him who do the most beautiful pictorials ever. I'm obsessed with his work. He's a London based photographer and his work is to DIE for. And then of course I have my interns, who intern for school credit or just for experience or for the love of the fashion world. We're all just a bunch of weirdo's who look at the world differently.

Do you think you'll always work in fashion? Did you always want to work in fashion?

I do see myself working in fashion forever! But I also see myself doing other things that I have a passion for. I'd love to be a published novelist one day.

I have the best lies in the world and I think that's thanks to my imagination. I also would love for one of my books to be made into a movie, which I would love to do in the long run is write movie scripts. I also want my own fashion and beauty line, talent agency, more magazines of course, and an endless amount of things; eat your heart out Hearst.

I think that since I was born I wanted to work in the Art world -that's what I call the fashion industry- but it just took me time to realize it. When I was in elementary I wanted to be a singer and I wanted to be a teacher. I always loved to write and I was always really good at it too; I just didn't know what the profession was called so I use to say I wanted to be an English teacher.

But literally and true story since I was a baby I was destined for this, all of what contains the fashion industry. I was the first grandchild of my family so my grandmother would spoil me. Both my mother and grandmother have told me that my grandma would buy me clothes from only baby clothes boutiques. Then, my mom said that when I was around 1-year-old she woke up to find herself marked with red lipstick all over her face; my doing of course. My mom use to make her clothes and mine. And I recently found out my mom was going to be a model when she was 9 but she didn't have the money to pay for the tuition at Babison Modeling Agency. The list goes on of signs that this was going to be my future.

What advice would you give to someone looking to get their foot in the door in the fashion industry?

Start as fast as you can wherever you can. It doesn't matter if you get paid or not the experience is what matters. If you want to be a stylist study fashion magazines, read them don't just flip through the pages. Get to know the people in the industry those are the people who matter because they make the fashion industry. Don't just learn about fashion learn about beauty, photography, art, sociology, psychology, history it's all inspiration to your most loved editorials. You now can get a peek of the fashion industry by watching documentaries of Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Jacobs, etc., you can even watch shows on TV. And most importantly DO NOT give up. It won't be easy and you may sleep late but remember this if you forget everything else "You work hard, you play hard".

Ten Questions with Stephanie J, Editor In Chief of N.E.E.T Magazine

Rachel Phipps — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 12:06:16 +0000

For this edition of Ten Questions I've been joined by Stephanie J, the Editor In Chief over at N.E.E.T Magazine, somewhere you may have heard me mention before...

I love making lists of my favourite things, things I'd love to achieve, and on that latter piece of procrastination is, pretty near the top the fact that N.E.E.T is the online magazine I'd most love to write for in the world, and looking at the layouts and killer format and content I hope you can see why! So it is a great honour for me to be doing this interview so thanks Stephanie & N.E.E.T, and to all my readers - enjoy! You can read the magazine, check out the back issues and hit up the magazine's blog HERE!

So to start up, introduce yourself and your magazine...

N.E.E.T. began in December 2005 as a quarterly, online publication, laid out in a magazine format - as a showcase for grassroots creativity. N.E.E.T. is the first of its kind - online, free and packed with everyone from a crafter creating from their kitchen table, to a fashion design graduate straight out of college, to a team of people doing it for the love of it. N.E.E.T. Magazine is an eco-friendly, grassroots style bible for the digital age. I organise, lay out and design everything in the magazine, so it's really a one-woman-band!

Doesn't N.E.E.T stand for "Not currently engaged in Employment, Education or Training" on all those government tax forms? Isn't that a bit of a depressing thing to name a magazine, or did you name it after something else?

Yes, that's where the name came from! I was 'NEET' at the time of starting the magazine, and you're right, it has a somewhat derogatory meaning, referring to young people who aren't employed or doing anything considered "worthwhile" - I took the term and gave it to the magazine to show that there are many people who are working for themselves, or doing many different things - not just working in one career path or in a 9 to 5 job in an office.

How long have you been the Editor of N.E.E.T for? What did you do before that?

I started the magazine in 2005, and I had just quit a Fine Art degree, feeling the rigidity and often falseness of the artworld wasn't for me. I still felt I needed a creative outlet, and that's how N.E.E.T. began.

Why independent and grassroots fashion?

Having been part of many communities on the internet (Livejournal, Flickr, Deviantart, even Myspace) I knew there was a large community of people out there who were creating, designing and making, because they had a desire to. They weren't backed by big business, and they didn't need to be. That's the beauty of the internet - everyone can have a voice. And the best fashion, the most innovative and immediate style and design, comes from us, the people.

Have you always wanted to work in fashion, or is it something you just fell into? Do you see yourself continuing in this field?

I have always been interested in fashion, from wearing humungous clip on earrings at five, some serious fashion faux-pas in the 90s as a teenager, and it was a natural extension of my interests.

You also run your own web and graphic design service, Design by Stephanie J. How did that come about? Was that always the plan?

I got into designing websites for myself, when every teenage girl seemed to have a personal site, before the explosion of blogs. Friends needed sites or graphic design work, and they came to me.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to get going in the fashion industry, or even start their own magazine?

There has been a massive growth in the number of online magazines since N.E.E.T. began five years ago - from one-man-teams to major publications going digital. The best advice to someone wanting to start an online magazine is to have a unique selling point. N.E.E.T.'s is that it features independent fashion - including vintage, fairtrade, eco-friendly and organic. There are so many print and digital mags churning out the same haute couture or the same highstreet fashion, and N.E.E.T. brings something new to the table.

What do you enjoy doing asides from running the magazine and your design services?

Shopping, and going to the pub!

Describe a day in your life...

When I'm working on the magazine, it often doesn't feel like I'm working! I get to read a 1000 blogs, researching shops and artists, answering emails and organising advertising. I also research for the N.E.E.T. Blog (www.neetmagazine.com/blog) which features designers and artists from past issues of the magazine. I'm a nightowl so I stay up until the early hours working and watching trashy tv!

So what's next for both N.E.E.T and Stephanie?

The blog's been a great addition to the magazine, and I plan to continue and grow that. I'd also like to get involved with other sites related to independent fashion and design. I have plans for a N.E.E.T. book and even a N.E.E.T. shop!

Thanks so much again for the interview. You can also find Stephanie's web design services HERE!

Ten Questions with Dolly Diamond

Rachel Phipps — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:26:52 +0000

As a photographer, I really want to work with this girl - we have plans to, when one of us can afford the fare to the other, but in the meanwhile I've caught up with up and coming model and internet sweetheart; 17 year old Dolly Diamond...

Image: Nasir Hamid

How did you get into modelling? And how old where you when you started? How long have you been in front of the camera for now?

I was a young bean at 13 when I was scouted at the clothes show live in London by a huge fashion agency. I had no clue about modelling, and was thrown in at the deep end! After the mad rush of shoots for a few magazines here and there for about two years, I took a break and got back into it properly at the start of 2009.

Why did you choose alternative modelling?

I‘m a fashion, beauty, commercial and alt model so ‘Alternative’ Is just one of the fields I have or want to explore. I think I’m pretty hard to categorize to be honest. I like the idea of mixing up something expected, with the unexpected to create something much more than your average quirkiness. I love fashion and beauty, as well as some of the fetish scene so I’m never bored or short for new ideas and creations. Alternative is simply my everyday style and therefore my foundation for future projects, it’s this and fashion which I think comes most naturally.

As well as being a model your also classed as an internet celebrity. How did that happen?

I started using a social networking site to keep in touch with friends, and I just got more and more ‘random’ people adding me and commenting my photos.

Image: Nick Harper Photography

Are you friends with any other 'internet celebrities' either online, or offline?

Well I have chatted to a few of the ‘big’ names, haha! but I guess I’m happy with the friends that I have around me everyday. I don’t think I’ve ever spent a day with one of them, but I wouldn’t mind it if the opportunity ever arose, but I think a lot of them live quite far from me.

So tell us about your upcoming latex line...

Shhhh! No-one knows! Haha. I’m such an indecisive person, and there are so many materials and styles I have fallen in love with, so I don’t think it’ll include just latex, if it even does! I’m starting small and thinking big. When I have more time I’ll definitely work on that. It’s very, very early days and knowing me, it could end up being something completely different.

Image: Nasir Hamid

How much does what you wear in front of the camera influences what you wear every day?

I style myself for a lot of my shoots, unless working for a designer. (I get clothes free if I’m lucky!) So I tend to wear the same unusual shoot outfits on my average days; making my modelling outfits my personal style! Everything I see can influence or inspire me, so my style is always changing.

What advice would you give to any aspiring models out there, alternative or mainstream?

Well, all I can advise is that you should never let anybody cut you down. Never be put off or down hearted. If you want to achieve it, then strive for it with all you’ve got. Just bare in mind that you should always have a back-up plan. Something you love just as much. As for me, that’s politics!

I can't believe I haven't asked you this yet, but why Dolly Diamond? Where did that name come from?

When people started taking an interest in my internet sites, I wanted a ‘stage name’ just for security. I’ve always been told I look like a doll or a cartoon/manga character and a friend nicknamed me Ms. Diamond as some private joke, it stuck!

So, tell us about a day in the life of Dolly Diamond...

That depends.

1. A sixth form day: I get up, shower, dress and eat. Go to sixth and work like a nerd and catch up with friends. I’m pretty average as I save my work for the holidays and weekends. I never pretend I’m living the dream of a supermodel or an A-list celebrity.

2. A shoot day: Is always manic. I always end up running for the train and panicking that I‘ll never find the studio. I could be travelling half-way across the country, and have plans to work with people abroad later in 2010. As soon as I am 18 I’m kicking up some dirt! 10.

So what's next for Dolly Diamond?

It’s never easy to say. I take a lot of chances, and I do get knocked down, as the industry is an on-going competition. I’ve already worked with bridal, fashion and alternative designers and some amazing photographers and artists, which I’m incredibly thankful for. I hope to travel with my work and hopefully work with many more designers and gain more published work. Also, I am discussing working with over seas photographers on their photography volume works, but who knows. Academically, university!

Image: Zeb Photo

You can find out more about Dolly on her Bebo, Myspace and Model Mayhem pages!