c3brooke

[c3brooke]

EVALUATION

How contemporary image making challenges the preconceived definition of the term 'slut' as an example of postmodern feminism whilst considering the male gaze.

The initial inspiration for the concept of this project was from attending a series of festivals over summer. Where girls feel free in dressing and owning their sexuality, I noticed someone always has something derogatory to say about it outside of the festival world via social media. I thought that an exploration into the post-modern feminist era may work as a good response t this brief

I decided to take the image making and styling route in response to the brief as I didn’t particulary enjoy the branding brief in second year and I hadn’t fully explored this pathway yet so this would be a learning curve for me also. Initially, I gathered a lot of primary research for both my prractical and essay on my travels over summer from Berny-Riviere, Paris and Dusseldorf. This influx of research set out my investigation, which was looking into the gaze and working to reclaim and own it. Through reading, I was able to develop a structure for my editorials following the quote of Alisown Howry and Julia Wood “ (a) Resist negative social messages about women (b) recognize connections and build collective identity (c) claim voice, (d) continue to invest personally in the feminist struggle,” (Howry and Wood, 2001, p.326). I set out to create a response to each subsection through my editorials.

Through the editorials i did initially partake in the photography but when reviewing the images, realised they could possibly be stronger if I was able to full focus on the styling and direction. I got in touch with Remie and Katie who photographed my three remaining shoots. This allowed me to concentrate on the style of the shoot and constantly looking for good shots and placements for the model to create a strong response to my concept.

I used different female models throughout my work to almost create an army of women, a female force that is hard to ignore. Styling was something I had never really experimented with before and found it to be something I really enjoyed and would like to continue to develop through my final studies. Being an area of topic where I could really push boundaries, i was always sure to do this in a subliminal way that wasn’t to extrovert so that my work was taken seriously in regards to female sexuality. Originally, I was nervous and didn’t really push boundaries when thinking of styling methods, but with help and a little bit of push from my tutor Janie, I really noticed a development in m styling and this is evident through the chronological order of my editorials.

"And it's asking this question: "Are the men doing it? Are the men worrying about this as well? Is this taking up the men's time?" (Moran, 2011 cited in Gay, 2014). This quote is something I have repeatedly asked myself throughout the course of this project as I want my zine to be a response to this as a form of reclamation. This helped to keep me inspired and remember what exactly am I creating my publication for.

The series of photo shoot's have been produced in to a publication called ‘GYNERGY’, which when reading for my essay I discovered. It means female energy making reference to the post-feminist era in modern today. I am so pleased with the final outcome of the publication, I feel it is a great way of showcasing my work as a whole. The simple and classy layout works really well in combination with the editorials to allow full attention to the images. The fact that I have decided to have the zine as a digital publication really correlates with the findings of my essay that women in non western countries where equality is a far cry can access the zine online. In an online revolution state of mind, this is the perfect answer to spread, engage and gain a wider viewing audience to start a reclamation revolution. 

Through the publication I explored factors of how a third wave feminist should act which I had considered within my essay. Through each editorial, it was a direct answer to breaking down preconceptions of societies outdated standards of women. I feel like my intentions of this project were met. By contributing to the small community of fashion communicators within regards to post-feminism, I feel I have created a strong body of work which results in the viewer taking away a new form of feminism. This helps women to feel more confident in owning their sexuality in the face of the male gaze without feeling vulnerable and objectified as through previous years. By portraying an authentic view on post-feminism discourses, I feel I have successfully challenged the theories and ideas found and researched throughout both my essay and practical work.

- Brooke Kelsall

[c3brooke]

I have created this short video with preview snippet of my magazine. This intrigues people and finally finishes with a direction to the site of my magazine. I will use this video across my social media to gain a wider audience viewing.

[c3brooke]

INSTAGRAM

Over the course of this project, I have been keeping my design account on instagram with the process of photoshoots almost teasing at the final preview. I have amassed a set of followers in doing so which I am quite proud of. Today, I released sneak previews of the physical zine directing my audience to a link in my bio which will take the viewer to the online zine. I have shared my story across my personal account also to spread a wider audience.

[c3brooke]

GYNERGY

The final zine arrived yesterday. The colours have printed a little brighter than expected but I think that this is due to the glossy paper which in turn prints a more vibrant colour. Overall, I am very pleased with the final zine but still find that a digital online zine will be more successful in a response to my concept as it will reach a further audience that in turn will spread my underlying message of female empowerment in a greater mass. I will direct people to the magazine link on issuu as opposed to advertising a physical sale. 

[c3brooke]

REVIEW OF ZINE

Since ordering my zine and finalising my essay, I realised that through the online revolution and the spark of a new wave of feminism beacuse of the internet, it may be best for me publish my zine online as opposed to physical prints. I have uploaded a digital version of my magazine to issuu. This website will also hopefully gain me more exposure and if the magazine were to get a large audience you can charge people to view the magazine on there. This platform is ideal to reach a further audience who may not have access to a physical copy.

"In a study at the Qatar Computing Research Institute, researchers found that women were more likely to have significant online presences, in countries with large gender inequities in offline life.” (Magno and Weber, 2014).

The aim of this zine is to demonstrate to the audience that reclamation in the fight for true equality is the next step to continue to fuel the fire that is the women’s movement. People in non-western countries included, women and men around the would globally. An online publication will push a further reach and in turn presenting the main concept of this essay in a wider reach.

LINK TO PUBLISHED MAGAZINE

https://issuu.com/brookekelsall/docs/gynergy

[c3brooke]

Zine order and specifications

I have previously used Mixam to print my zine last year and was really pleased with their services. For this reason, I have decided to use them again. After looking at a plethora of zines and leeds village bookstore and my vogue collection for inspiration, I decided to go for a glossy laminate cover with silk paper inside. After receiving my package of papers from MIXAM,I felt that the laminate finish will create a classic magazine look that will work effectively with the aesthetic of the contents of my zine.

[c3brooke]

Developing the layout

As I have started to develop the layout of my publication, I have tried to keep a coherent style throughout keeping the focus on the editorials as this is the main importance of the practical and creating a group of shoots that have an impact on the viewer. I have kept the layout simplistic which I think works most effectively.

I feel the front image of the publication I have chosen, really connects with the consumer as the model is almost hidden by the over-sized hat which leaves the viewer engaged and asking questions. 

[c3brooke]

Typography

Having worked an internship at a fashion magazine over the summer and still doing so part-time, I was fortunate enough to work alongside the director of the magazine. I learnt a lot about the important role of typography. I decided I want a classy glossy cover magazine with typography that is clean almost like that of vogue. I asked my boss about which typography would be best and he suggested to look at the font ‘vogue’. This was the perfect font I was looking for which I used for my cover page.

[c3brooke]

ZINE LAYOUT IDEAS

Publication cover layout ideas - I want to make sure my publication represents my concept and a new idea of femininity through contemporary image making strongly, as the cover is so important in capturing the essence of the content inside the publication aswell as the layout of the content inside. I really like the layout in fashion shift magazine on issuu. The introductory title page to each editorial and the clean layout is something I enjoy. I feel that I need to use a clean layout to draw attention to the seriousness of my concept.

I also enjoy this similar layout viewed in furstmedia magazine on issuu.

[c3brooke]

SHOOT 4 - Evaluation

This was my fourth and final photoshoot, I did plan to make one more shoot two days after this but my model dropped on me last minute. I am really pleasd with the outcome of this image, I feel like you can really see my development through all of my shoots and how it progressive gets better as I understand styling and image making more. I used Katie Aird as my photographer again in Manchester as I really enjoyed the images she got of my other editorial. Using a photographer allowed me to focus fully on creative direction and making sure the garments were always being styled correctly. The shoot was in an empty house that is soon to be renovated. I decided I wanted to do it here as the rooms are large spaces to work with and can almost work as studios in terms of creating sets. It also had a few spots that were really intriguing backdrops such as the window covered in ivy.

I created this shoot in a response to women reclaiming their sexuality on their own terms. I wanted the model to almost show and embrace with regards to typical masculine traits and had her pose in structural ways. As found within my reading and research, many feminists agree that the way forward for feminism is for females to embrace both personality traits and define what feminism is for themselves, be that super girly, sexual, nothing or everything.

I used a mix of female and male garments in this shoot. Heavily inspired by the stylist Robbie Spencer, I created strong imagery through theatrical styling. In-incorporating such bold accessories typically associated with a sexual female, i.e chokers and corsets e.t.c. made way for imagery that demands the viewers attention. It depicts the male gaze and paves way for a new form of gaze, nor female or male. This embraces both genders and realises that the consumer is everyone and the images are not made for the pleasure of anyone, other than the subject feeling empowered in their own identity.

[c3brooke]

Resist negative social messages about women

[c3brooke]

Resist negative social messages about women

[c3brooke]

Resist negative social messages about women

[c3brooke]

Resist negative social messages about women

[c3brooke]

Resist negative social messages about women

[c3brooke]

Resist negative social messages about women

[c3brooke]

SHOOT 3 - Evaluation

Here, I have picked out a couple of my favorites from my third shoot. I used a photographer names Katie Aird in manchester, a girl who I went to the same high school as. Katie reached out to me in hope of a fashion collab which was obviously very convenient for me too. We met at the Bradford Arms pub in Bolton where the shoot took place. This is a local pub in my hometown where the owner said she was happy for me to shoot in there through the daytime when it was closed. I chose this specific pub for his outdated and vintage looking decor. This could mirror underling message that societies ideals of a woman are outdated and need reassessing. In my research, I discovered the shocking amount of sexual harassment that take place in places of leisure for women. This is something I wanted to challenge through my imagery and being the reason I wanted to shoot in a pub.

With a pub being a typical male dominated place in society, I decided to firstly dress the model quite typically feminine yet still bold. The models dominant presence throughout the images almost portrays a sense of reclamation. I instructed the model to make little eye contact with camera lens which further develops the presence of emotion in the shoot. She almost resembles a ‘I’m tired of this’ vibe which was exactly what I had wanted. Showing a woman in a place of masculine dominance, created a juxtaposition that challenges preconceptions of a woman and embraces masculine traits in the fight to find a balance between the male and female gaze.

To further enhance this search for balance, I created a make-up look that was bold on one eye and minimal on the other. I also styled Lydia in a mix of male and female garments. I took a more minimal approach to styling within this shoot to play a softer look to complement the rustic tones of the location. Lace tops honed in on the feminine aspect on the shoot whilst over sized men’s shirts layered with female tops created a balanced feel through clothing.

“Simone de Beauvoir famously written 'Women are socially constructed as feminine. In order to gain equality and emancipation, women should reject the socially oppressive constraints of femininity and adopt masculinity.” ( Phoca, S. and Wright, R.,1999, p.10)