The photographs that Rankin have chosen are his personal choice and all are brilliant examples of fashion images, reflecting the changing desires and aspirations in the world around them.
Rankin often uses original techniques or he'll see if he can do it in a modern way. In this film, Rankin looks at the early years of the last century and explore how each generation of fashion photographers influence the next. He looks at the mix of styles, inspiration and personality behind the great fashion images, all of which will explain why fashion photography looks the way it does today.
Cecil Beaton
First up, Rankin looks at Cecil Beaton, a quintessential British fashion photographer. He was one of the early masters of the art. He was responsible for "My Fair Lady" where his sets and costumes showed off his incredible theatrical flare and flamboyance. It was a style he first developed as a photographer, creating fantastic and elaborate images. He joined vogue in the 30's and was best known for his vivid portraits of society figures in glamorous, and often quirky surroundings.
White Panama Hat
Vogue
1934
Cecil Beaton
Image from: http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/05/57/be/0557bec775eb47fe884c46761a249709.jpg
It was a simple brief to show off a new hat design, but Beaton brought to it his typical elegance and playfulness. Rankin recreated this image using Sophie Ellis-Bextor as his model. Below is his final outcome.
Rankin
2008
Image from: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01217/Beaton-1934_1217705i.jpg
Erwin Blumenfeld
In paris, a German emigrate Erwin Blumenfeld was discovering a flare for visual experimentation that would turn him into one of the most innovative fashion photographs of his era. He brought art into his photographs.
Erwin Blumenfeld
Vogue Cover
January 1950
Image from: http://www.theswellelife.com/.a/6a00e54ef1680988330111688e4d4a970c-pi
What interests me about this photograph is that it was taken in Black and White and then bleached out. The colour was then added at the printing stage and it still looks incredibly modern. Below is Rankin's interpretation, he used Heidi Klum as his model.
Rankin
2008
Image from: http://www.theswellelife.com/.a/6a00e54ef16809883301127902c24628a4-pi
Richard Avedon
A young American photographer, Richard Avedon was refreshing classic styling with energy and creative spirit. His photographs reflected the optimism of 50's America and turned him into the first celebrity fashion photographer. He took many of his striking photographs in Paris.
Dovima with Elephants
Harpers Bazaar
1955
Richard Avedon
Image from: http://inspire-ipcmedia-com.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2010/11/Dovima_20with_20elephants.jpg
Like many of his photographs, the composition is almost perfect and it is such an unusual scale working with big elephants. Rankin recreated this image using Erin O'Connor, below is his final image.
Rankin
2008
Image from: http://beccahigginson.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/rankin-5165.jpg
David Bailey
When the 60's arrived, the fashion image was transformed again with the help of David Bailey. He is the perfect fashion photographer, combining technical brilliance with sheet force of personality to create pictures that have a sense of total spontaneity. He created some of the most iconic images of the 60's and many of them were of his lover, Jean Shrimpton.
Jean Shrimpton
Vogue
1963
David Bailey
Image from: http://laceandtea.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/shrimpbig.jpg
Rankin recreated this photograph using his girlfriend Tuuli Shipster, just like Bailey did. And to make matters harder, the man himself watches over him whilst he does the shoot! Below is the image that Rankin created.
Rankin
2008
Image from: http://neonimages.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/rankin-david-baileycapture.png?w=335
In the 70's Helmut Newton was a popular photographer, his images of strong women in often highly-charged sexual scenarios captured the new mood. His pictures also suggested that fashion photographs could be more than just beautiful snapshots.
Rue Aubriot
Vogue
1975
Helmut Newton
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Taken for Vogue, it has a very 70's sexual ambiguity but also reflects imagery of Newtons Berlin childhood. Its these aspects that give it a timeless look. The model in this photograph, Vibeke Knudsen came down to help out Rankin at the shoot. Rankin used Jade Parfitt to model for him. Newton couldn't resist a more provocative version of the shot, so the next night he took his second image, almost as recognisable as the first. Rankin also recreated this and the naked model was Mollie Gondi.
Rankin
2008
Image from: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01217/Newton-1975_1217719i.jpg
Guy Bourdin
Guy Bourdin is one of the most imitated fashion photographers of them all. His highly saturated look and dramatic scenarios seem to suggest some hidden tension and trauma. His influence is incredible, not just in photographs but throughout pop culture.
Untitled
Vogue
1970
Guy Bourdin
Image from: http://www.phaidon.com/resource/40sb.jpg
This photograph brilliantly captures the sleezy glamour of his work with none of the adoration of women sen in traditional fashion photographs. Rankin used Daphne Guinness to model for him and below you can see his final outcome.
Rankin
2008
Image from:http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3fmbmaLi718/TOjX_gNgDeI/AAAAAAAADuw/ba
VaZhUSNo0/s400/Rankin+Guy+Bourdin+2.jpg
Herb Ritts
If the 70's saw women fashion images transformed, when the 80's arrived it was the guys turn to be reinvented. Suddenly it was the mean who were the objects of desire. One of the pictures that transformed the way men were portrayed in fashion was Fred with Tyres. It was a picture that brought home erotic imagery into the mainstream.
Fred with Tyres
Per Lui
1984
Herb Ritts
http://www.christies.com/lotfinderimages/d51650/d5165021l.jpg
The image came from a series of images, originally designed as a simple featural about workers denim. Rankin recreated this design using David Gandy. He shot with film and polaroids to create the final image as you can see below.
Dave with Tyres
2008
Rankin
Image from: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01217/Ritts_1217754i.jpg
By the 90's the fashion business was changing fast. Models were the new superstars even appearing in pop videos. From the grunge look of the early 90's to the hyperreal possibilities of digital technology. There were plenty of twists on the fashion image.
In Rankin's generation of photographers, you can see echoes of the quirkiness, visual experimentation and sexual daring of the photographs that he has looked at. Although he only chose seven, they all show how fashion imagery is constantly reinventing itself.
This short video was very interesting and I learnt so much about all the different photographers from different eras and what techniques they used to create their most famous photographs. It was like a journey through time, exploring the amazing pieces of work and I found it extremely interesting watching Rankin recreating these photographs. My favourite images that Rankin has looked at has got to be the one and only Erwin Blumenfeld's Vogue Cover. Being taken in the 50's it still looks so modern and I love how the eyes and lips are the main features whilst everything else has been blanked out. Its unusual why this has been done but you don't question it. I also love Rankin's take it on it, the tongue poking out gives it a different look and I think it works really well.
