Erwin Blumenfeld: Dada Photographer

Posted on November 14, 2012 by freshcliniclife

Being the man who took the most cover photos for Vogue magazine, Erwin Blumenfeld has become a legend in fashion photography. Blumenfeld’s work ranges from collages mocking Adolf Hitler to Dadaism inspired fashion images.

Born in Berlin, Germany on January 26th, 1897, Blumenfeld’s love for photography would eventually lead to his professional career as a photographer in 1934.

By 1936, Blumenfeld moved to Paris, France and within a year his photos were being published in Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. An accomplishment to say the least!

When Nazi’s began to occupy France during World War II, Blumenfeld was taken to a concentration camp. Luckily he escaped, taking him on a journey to New York in 1941. After gaining American citizenship, Blumenfeld continued his amazing and nostalgic work as a fashion visionary until his death in Rome on July 4th, 1969.

His legacy has been celebrated by his wife Lena Citroen, whom he married in 1921, and his three children: Henry, Lisette, and Yorick.

Here is a great source for some of his best photos: http://www.photographyoffice.com/2011/06/25-fashion-photographs-by-master-of-photography-erwin-blumenfeld/

Below is a video showing some of Blumenfeld’s Fashion Film Experiments:

Blumenfeld’s influence has a tremendous impact on modern day fashion photography and film. Check out this CHANEL tribute to Erwin Blumenfeld:

I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes from this brilliant photographer:

“Day and night I try, in my studio with its six two-thousand watt suns, balancing between the extremes of the impossible, to shake loose the real from the unreal, to give visions body, to penetrate into unknown transparencies.” -Erwin Blumenfeld

Guy Louis Bourdin: Sand Grains of Glitter

Posted on September 30, 2012 by freshcliniclife

I’ve been a huge fan of Riccardo Tisci and the work he has been producing for Givenchy within the last few years, so when I discovered that one of Tisci’s influences was Guy Bourdin I said to myself “Who the hell is that?” To find my answer I set out to do some research on Guy to get a better understanding of his work and was greatly surprised at what I found.

A native of Paris, France, Guy gave us some of the best fashion photography of the 2nd half of the 20th Century. His photos were racy, controversial, surreal, abstract, and beautiful. What I personally love about his work is their storybook quality. Looking at Guy’s photos puts you into a scene where you are not exactly sure what is occurring. It is up to the viewer to project his or her own interpretation of Guy’s images. This nature of Guy’s work forces viewers to participate in his art, getting the brain to think about the endless amount of possible outcomes for the image at hand.

I titled this post the way I did because Guy’s work was so detailed in a world void of photoshop, and yet his photos shined effortlessly. This is why I am greatly influenced by his work. My wish is for this genre of photography to be used in Urban Fashion photo shoots in an effort to revitalize and revolutionize advertising for urban fashion brands. It’s already taking place, but I know we can take it steps further as the honorable Guy Louis Bourdin did.

Check out the short video’s on Guy’s work below!

Have a great weekend! Peace Yall!

Business Cards: Easy Step to Looking Professional

Posted on September 6, 2012 by freshcliniclife

I received some brand new business cards in the mail today to make it easier for me to exchange contact information when I am talking to other business people, professionals, employers, or potential customers. I can’t stress enough how important it is to have business cards in order to make yourself standout and look professional in this rough economy. It surprises me when I meet other young business people such as myself who are looking for employment and/or call themselves professionals, yet they do not have a simple business card. How do you expect to compete among the countless other Business School graduates in this country and around the world without this simple and easy to make tool. In fact, it doesn’t matter what you studied in college or what professional field you are working in, YOU NEED BUSINESS CARDS…PERIOD! So I am suggesting that if you do not have business cards, make some!

Taz Arnold: The Future of Music, Art & Fashion

Posted on July 29, 2012 by freshcliniclife

TI$A

Here is a blog post I wrote a few months ago on another blog. It was part of a class assignment, but I enjoyed every minute of it. Hope you like it!

Taz Arnold has been involved in the Hip-Hop industry for a hot minute. From his work with Dr. Dre in the late 90′s to his career as an artist on Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. music, he has strived to be the best at everything he does. This has paid off with his newest endeavor as owner of his own clothing label, TI$A. What is TI$A? Only one of the best street fashion labels on the planet! TI$A pays homage to the fashions of the 80′s and 90′s with reinterpretations of iconic figures, such as the Ralph Lauren Polo Bear and the Los Angeles Raiders logo. Taz’s line has been seen in various music videos, including Chris Brown and Tyga’s “Holla At Me,” Big Sean’s “My Last,” and Cali Swag District’s “Kickback.” Besides watching his empire grow, Taz has been putting together his new record label, TI$A records, in an effort to innovate the music industry. Unlike other record labels, TI$A records seeks to fuse music with fashion and art. In a recent interview, Taz mentions that his label’s approach to the music industry will be unconventional and try to bring back the essence of what a music label once stood for. He also mentions that his label’s music may be free, but fans would have to buy a $40 or $50 scarf or limited art print in order to receive the music. Will this new approach work? Maybe. Only time can tell us that answer, but I believe if any one makes his label successful it will be his devoted fans. Please watch the full length interview below to get a more in depth look at the man behind TI$A!!!