Color Fashion/Portrait

Sorry I don't know how to rotate the picture. Model Anne V photographed by Patrick Demarchelier.

I love fashion photography. For me, it’s a way to combine art and photography. Everything from the model, hair, makeup, and clothes can be utilized to create a work of art. The photo I chose and that I feel uses color in a fascinating way is a photo by the famous French fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier. I found this image in an artbook that I own. It features the work of hairstylist Serge Normant and his collaborations with top fashion photographers around the world.

In this photograph, Patrick Demarchelier plays with an overall blue color scheme. Everything in the foreground seems to be lit with a blue light. Everything from the clothes, hair, and skin are all blue. Even the makeup is blue. The gold glitter on the models forehead brings contrast to the blue part of the photograph. A typical blue color association would be sadness or sorrow which is not the case in this photo. The model’s pose and facial expression are strong and the blue tone highlights the icy, evil, and sinister appeal of the model.

The background of the photograph is overall warm to counteract the cool foreground. The orange-red lights in the background are a complement to the blue and makes the viewer focus on the part of the photograph that is supposed to be focused on- which would be the model in the foreground.

I personally respond to deep and saturated colors in this photo. The colors are strong and emphasize the strong photo. And the black negative spaces in the photo make the oranges and blues appear even more saturated.