photographer

Artist Feature: Prachi Sharma & Farah Magi by Alarick McGlory

By: Sky Braun, MFM Editor/Writer, Instagram: @skybfree

Aiming toward a fusion of traditional and modern, I’d say Prachi Sharma, (@thirddimension) fashion photographer reigning from India, accomplished her goal. Incorporating this overall theme into not only the styling, but also the area’s culture and way of thinking, she further explained:

The pictures come out as a tangent to the clichéd use of traditional costumes by keeping their ethnicity with a tinge of modernity. For example, as we are a part of this whole developing world where one cannot choose extremes such as ‘Am I a traditionalist or modernist?’ One generally tends to have flavors of both. Similarly, a modern woman here may not be a hardcore traditionalist or modernist but an evolution of both the forms, yet retaining her individuality. The modern fashion is reflected in her styling and the poses on one side while on the other, a traditional costume that has an amalgam of both the extremes and yet, can be worn in daily life.

The model chosen for this project, Farah Magi (@farahmagi), is a blogger from a metropolitan city called Bangalore, a totally different city from the location of the shoot, not just in terms of geography, but also tradition, culture, and development. The location, Jaipur, India, was chosen for its historical roots in context of women, as they say it was built for the royal women to take a peek of street festivals, while remaining unseen indoors. Magi stated Jaipur has always fascinated her for its richness, both historically and culturally. She also shared that during her shoot, as a woman in the city, “which is still conventional in terms of culture, one does have to go through all the glaring and staring – not just by men, but curious women as well.”

Magi’s goal was to portray Jaipur from the perspective of an outsider. Therefore, she also wanted to shoot with a photographer born and raised in Jaipur, more than familiar with its culture. She very appropriately called the project a “collaboration of two creative minds and a juxtaposition of two distinct perspectives,” as she went on to explain, “we did not want to keep it completely ethnic and traditional. We kept the styling rather fresh and modern, but the soul was the beautiful heritage city that Jaipur is. We put a lot of love and care in picking out each and every single element. The crisp white shirt signifies the men of Jaipur: rather austere and sometimes defiant of cultural change. The skirt signifies the women of Jaipur: vibrant and multi-hued. The skirt and jewelry were sourced from the original Banjara tribes of Rajasthan; they're all handmade. I personally went down to the tribal village and requested them to sell it to me. The finishing touches were a pair of heels, disheveled hair, a negligent smoky eye and an attitude of nonchalance that only an urban outsider can permeate. It was a stark contrast between the old and the new.”

An excerpt from a post on her very own blog informs that:

Jaipur – a city that a lot of people associate with women who cower to the trope of patriarchal wish fulfillment, creates interesting and layered narratives. It is the cultural miscellany with influences that are simultaneously global and local, that draws me towards this city. For me, it represents a city, which underlines the attempt made by a woman who steadily tries to enforce her agency in a corseted society. I met a lot of powerful women with a relentless heart, the real backbone behind this ‘heritage’ site. Women artisans keep the traditional crafts alive, lending the bazaars a wide array of colors that is not just limited to pink, and that is the sort [of] rainbow umbrella you want to be under. Gota Patti, Bandhani, Laheriya, Block-printing, Kinari, Tarkashi, Meenakari…and the list goes on and on. During this visit, I picked up one product with each of these traditional techniques just to keep in my bedroom and constantly keep inspiring myself. Jaipur, hence, is not just a single color. It is every single color in the spectrum. Albeit a relatively undercooked broth of female talent.

Clearly, being a photographer or model in these areas of India is not the easiest task, but it is as interesting as it is difficult, Sharma explained. Many factors play a role, ranging from access to locations, culture, gender, to language and so on. She reminds us of the positive though, by offering an alternate perspective. In a country with such diverse geography, terrain, and people, it is definitely possible to find and produce any kind of fashion shoot imaginable – if you’re as passionate and forward thinking as Prachi Sharma and Farah Magi, that is. 

"Bleeding Gold" Video Feature by Alarick McGlory

Photographer/Videographer Feature:

Chad Cosper

By: Sky Braun

Editorial beauty film featuring Brink Models', Shelby Cerwonka with photography by Melissa Cosper, beauty by Malorie Avaline and nail art by Lilian Barron.

"My love of photography and film began at an early age. From the time I snapped the shutter on a 110 Kodak with the rotating flashcube, I was hooked.

During my teenage years, I laid hands on my first VHS camcorder and my life was never the same. I quickly learned that I could transfer my still photography skills into capturing moving images. After all, video is just about 30 still images strung together every second.

To me, organic beauty is seen in every passing glance, wind teased hair, and flutter of fabric."

"Bleeding Gold" Sneak-Peek by Alarick McGlory

Photographer Feature Sneak-Peek from December Issue:

Melissa Cosper

By: Sky Braun

“My introduction into photography was mostly by accident. It started as a way to raise money to go on a mission trip to Africa and blossomed. Once there, I realized the need for perspective in America. America is the land of excess; people always wanting more and never happy with what they already have. While in Ghana, I experienced a life with the bare necessities and witnessed people who were genuinely happy, even though they had very little. I came away from that experience wanting to keep that perspective as much as possible.

I have a photo that I took while there that has been turned into a painting that hangs in my living room. It hangs there to remind me to be grateful for the little things, and to appreciate all the bonuses that life affords as an American citizen. At first glance, you might only see the dirt road and dilapidated buildings, but all I see is the beauty of the bold red dress and the contrast of the blue wall behind the little girl. It inspired me to continue to create and capture the beauty of life in all aspects.

What began as a hobby quickly became my passion. I began working as a professional photographer, which has since given me opportunities to travel the world, work with celebrities, and capture some of life’s most meaningful moments for many people.”

KATYA ESTES: ON BEING A WARRIOR by Alarick McGlory

"Nothing can silence me anymore." -Ekaterina Estes

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Sneak Peek - Next Issue's Spotlight Feature by Alarick McGlory

By: Sky Braun, MFM Editor/Writer, (Instagram: @skybfree)

During NYFW I had the pleasure of meeting with fellow artist/photographer, Chad Cosper. As we walked through Soho in downtown Manhattan, he shared a project with me. It’s called “Climbing Walls,” and features Kentucky-residing Ekaterina Estes as the model. She is also officially the next “Spotlight Model” in MFM’s October issue, explained in a brief, yet powerful blurb that was also contributed by friend and artist, Chad Cosper:

“Deep in the heart of Bluegrass Country, lie remnants of America's darker past. Remains of 200 year old, ‘slave walls’ adorn the Kentucky landscape and serve as reminders of slave culture in the deep south. In the 1800's, black slave laborers became expert craftsmen in the art of building these beautiful fences with skills learned from Irish Immigrants. Although slavery was outlawed in America in the 1860's, it remains as one of our fastest growing epidemics. The global rise of human trafficking for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation enslave an estimated 27 million people across the globe. Kentucky model, Ekaterina Estes is bringing awareness to these issues. Ekaterina was born in Russia, in a rundown shack, to an alcoholic mother. At two days old she was left on the doorstep of a Russian orphanage. Although cared for, Ekaterina would later learn that other children in her orphanage generally faced one of two fates in life. Children were either adopted, or were released to the streets at 13 years old where most were bought and sold on the black-market and became victims of human trafficking. Fortunately, Ekaterina was adopted by a loving American family. Although life here in America hasn't been perfect, Ekaterina beat the odds, and escaped becoming a statistic. For many people around the world, the issue of human trafficking is very real. For more information about modern day slavery and how you can help in the fight, visit www.beautifuldream.tv or www.A21.org .”

 

I cannot wait to share more of Ekaterina's inspirational story with all of you. Be sure to check out the full feature in the next issue of McGlory Fashion Magazine.