Researched Photographers: 2

Photographer 2: Claire Harrison

About this photographer
Claire Harrison is an international London based photographer specialising in hair, beauty and fashion. She has worked with some of the most prestigious clients all around the world for her work which "demonstrates a flair in her ability to use light creatively to shape photos that jump out with energy".  Harrison has a unique style which I feel sets her apart from others in her field of work and her imaginative compositions are something that has really helped her establish herself in the industry.

Why have I picked this photographer?
I have chosen Claire Harrison as a photographer to research further as her work is something really different that caught my attention.  I love the way she photographs - all of her work have this feminine, flirty vibe about them that is really refreshing.  Her work also contains a lot of sophistication and glamour, something that will be valuable to me in my project too.  Her commercial work also looks at close up shots of certain parts of the face or body when trying to promote and product, and this is something that has inspired me to look at doing the same.  Her compositions are often fun and the sets she works one are colourful and full of personality - this makes the photographs more interesting for the viewer.  Her use of lightening in photos is another thing that really caught my eye and is something I would like to experiment with in my own work.


I love the flirty, feminine vibe that this photo has.  I think the pastel colours my the photo soft and pretty, yet the expression of the model has helped to add a slightly more seductive slant on the photo.  The use of props here as certainly added to the overall look and feel of the photo - this is something I haven't really consider for my project yet as I have been so focused on the makeup, but it is something I would like to experiment with.  Texture is something very present in the photo as well such as the shine on the hair and matte skin - this is something that I feel is important as it adds subtle accents to certain parts of the parts of the photo without making it too chaotic or adding distraction.  I normally like to work on a very sterile background as I think anything else can cause too much of a distraction, however here I think it has worked well and added to the editorial feel of the photo.  I think it would be interesting to experiment with this myself.

I think this shot is rather simple but very effective - it has inspired me to look at photographing only a certain part of the face to emphasize a cosmetic product, in this case, the lipstick.  I love the texture that has been shown up on the shot with the shine on the lipstick.  I think the photo is modern with the chilli being used in the mouth - the colour also adds a nice contrast.  I love the simplicity of the shot and the way nothing can really be given away in terms of emotion as there is nothing to see in the eyes - this thought has given me inspiration to photograph eyes like this and to see how the makeup and expression in them changes the feel of the photo.


I love the lightening use here in this photo and the use of two images transposed on top of each other.  The way the lightening has been used to highlight the models face in amongst everything else in the photo is really effective - it has added a focal point to chaotic and busy image.  The expression in the look is strong as is the pose, and the eyes have a really have a dominate loo about them (even without them making contact with camera).  The bright colours used around the eyes has helped to make the eyes stand out and as with the red on the lips.  The photo of the sea that has been transposed on the top has changed the vibe of the photo and I think made it slightly tropical and summery - it would be interesting to experiment this effect with different backgrounds and patterns.

This final photo that I found I think is a modern twist on a classic beauty look.  Red lips and nails have always been a must have statement in the world of makeup and there are classic beauty shots of this.  This photo however has provide a interesting modern twist on the classic adding a 'weird' and 'ugly' element to the photo with the smudged lipstick and the strong expression.  I love the simplicity of the shot and the sterile background used.  I like how the makeup look itself is very simple as this doesn't make the look too 'messy' with the already 'messy' makeup.  I also like how the make is made to look smudged, it also still remains perfect.  The effected used to make the red colour look like it is 'dripping' down the models face would be interesting to experiment with on different parts of the face and using different makeup.

Influence
I find Claire Harrison's work very influential and inspiration to my own project.  Her fresh and contemporary style is something that I strive for in my own work.  I love how she channels the female gender in her work and brings them out as strong, fierce characters, but still touches on the softer, more gentle side too.  I think her modern slant makes her stand out from other photographers I have looked at and therefore this again is something that I want to bring to my own work.
Summary
I love Harrison's fun compositions and as this is something I haven't ever really explored in my own work I have been inspired to do so - this can make the final piece visually more interesting.  The idea of using femininity in different ways is something else that really stood out for me in her work too.  I love how she makes the female character strong, fierce and independent, yet still is able to being across the fun, flirty, feminine side too.  This is a contemporary idea that could arguably be controversial (this is something that I think would make my own portfolio stand out).