CASE STUDY:                   ETHERIAL MUSICIAN

This assignment for singer songwriter Callum, who at 19 has opened for The Indigo Girls, Coldplay and ,,, Foreigner? ,,, (Yes, Foreigner) ... among others. Her songs, to me, had the ethereal sound of a Lana Del Rey or Mazzy Star, but with more drive thanks to a prominent drum and bass track. However, her personal style is very Punk Rock – leather jackets, studded belts, Doc Martens, and some vintage pieces. So – how to present an image that makes her attire square up with what concert-goers will hear? The concept became “Dreamy Rebel.” She didn’t need to change her look, but a spacey feel was introduced through in-camera distortion, long exposures, and other tricks. Of course, there always have to be some “safe” shots but with lighting that is dramatic enough to not seem out of place ... like Foreigner. Was it successful? One online commenter wrote: "This photographer gets the assignment. Wonderful how he matched this look to your music." And another, "You look famous."