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FASHION
AGE
STYLE
THROUGH MY LENS
by Penelope Bent-Lippincott
I have been photographing women professionally all of my adult life. This year marks my Fortieth year in this industry; and needless to say, I am so very grateful for all the amazing women that I have shared this exciting experience with, and for all that I have learned.
My camera lens has been a very intimate and private doorway into the lives and the emotions of the women I have photographed; and I thank them all for trusting in this most intimate and creative process.
I began shooting in the late seventies and early eighties as a Boudoir Photographer and then on to Fashion as the years passed. Being one of the very few female shooters at the time allowed for a much more honest narrative and collaboration with my clients.
Through those early years, I learned how to angle and adjust my subject for that "Perfect Picture;" but more then that, I learned "Visual Design." I also learned about a woman's spirit, illusion, and light.
I learned the Art of a Woman's Individual Style and how her Style Transitions with age.
Here is what I learned Through My Lens.
PART 15 The Great Influencer
Color has always been my Great Influencer.
Because of my work in the Fashion Industry, either as a Fashion Photographer, Producer or Editor, I have used Color to "Tell My Story."
Color and Contrast are two words that never change in the Fashion Industry. These are the Mood Changers; they convey Power and Attitude — two essential qualities required in Fashion Ads or Editorials.
I enjoyed the whole creative process:
- selecting the right photographic location to enhance the color of the design I was shooting,
- the right model with the right coloring,
- the right make-up for balance and not distraction,
- and the right texture and contrast in the background to set apart the Fashions.
Color, Color, Color!
Obviously, this has rolled over into my private life — just ask my amazing husband of twenty-five years. Yes, he is amazing to put up with me all of these years, can you only imagine! Everything in my environment has to have Color and Balance, everything. I have been known to move a new throw pillow around the room just so I can make sure the color balance in the room works. That's what I get from looking through that camera over the years.
Details, Details, Details.
All kidding aside, color shapes my mood and my experience. Color can make me feel safe or it can help me know it is time to go. For me it is an Energy Thing; I can feel the Warmth or the Emptiness.
Interestingly enough, when it comes to my personal wardrobe, my color choice is always Black. For my main essential pieces, I always work with Black as my base and add a Pop color into my look — perhaps in my handbag, shoes, or accessories.
Black is a color that can send many messages. It can say Professional one minute and Elegant the next. It can create a Powerful Attitude or a Sensual one.
Black is a Great Influencer — it sets the Stage for the Performance.
