London: Soho's Silk Road

Photography copyright of Alva Mac Gowan

London: Southbank

Today was the first Wednesday I have had free in a long time and I spent it with Aimeé Matthew-St.John, who not only has a wonderful name but is also a very talented and newly fledged fashion designer. We visited the National Theater in London's Southbank to view the life's work of the innovative and rather fun British fashion photographer, Norman Parkinson. The first images we came across had been taken at locations nearby, which I had just passed on my bus journey to Waterloo, but in the distant past; in the 1950s.

Inspired by Parkinson's photography, the dramatic modernist concrete setting of the National Theater and stimulating conversation about fashion, photography and the promise of my first summer in London. I found myself snapping happily away at the many distracting unborn photographs that seemed to surround me from the book market under Waterloo bridge to the reflective puddles and windows. Here are some of the images I took today, which had the rather ominous date of 13-3-13. The day Pope Francis the 1st was elected and hopefully one of the final days of winter.

 

Watch Your Step

Feet.There are many forms of self-portraiture; some pretty straight forward, others quite obscure. As for me, one of the types of self-portraiture I've been unconsciously experimenting with are my feet. I don't have a foot fetish as such. However, I may have a bit of a thing for shoes and I tend to look down a lot when I'm walking. Often, when I remind myself to look up, I tend to trip.

Here is a curious selection of images of the world through my eyes...

Fashion Shoot: Thieving Magpies

This was a fashion shoot I styled in 2008 for Self-Made Magazine. I worked with a great team. The pictures were taken by Swedish photographer Samir Hadg with the  actors Aoife Coughlan and Mark Gordon modelling. The jewellery was by three very talented  Irish designers Clare Greenan and Laura Caffrey of http://irishdesignshop.com and Yvonne Ryan (http://www.eveella.com/)

 A selection of pieces from Eve Ella

 The shoot was inspired by the real life story of the infamous duo Bonnie and Clyde. It was photographed on an August evening in the Dublin mountains as the sun was setting. We borrowed a beautiful blue vintage mini and used it as the get away car. It proved to be a great prop to display the pieces in. We had a lot of fun and frolics arranging the necklaces and bracelets inside and outside the car.

 Both pieces by Clare Grennan

The models were all dressed in black with stockings on their head, for their disguise but also to place more emphasis on the accessories.

As the sun set over Dublin bay we continued shooting into the night. Then we pictured the 'thieving magpies' making an escape over a rusty gate (above). I slung some of the necklaces on Aoife's shoulders like she was carrying them, rather than wearing them.

As darkness and rain began to fall we began making use of the car's headlights to create a more dramatic atmosphere. I love fashion shoots that contain narratives; they're always more gripping. In the stories the clothes and accessories become props, like in real life; it's all about fitting fashion into your world and breathing your life into it.

The very lovely Aoife Coughlan modeling her bounty!
Jewels by Eve Ella 

We had so much fun that evening. It just shows when you're working with the right people that share your creativity, magic can happen!

Photographs by Samir Hadg
Styling by Alva