Steven Meisel
Biography
Steven Meisel is an American fashion photographer who has done many works for Vogue magazine. Today he is considered one of the most successful fashion photographers in the industry as he often shoots for both Italian and US Vogue.
Meisel got his beginnings in fashion actually working for fashion designer Halston as an illustrator. The reason for him adopting photography was that Meisel felt that illustration was a thing of the past and that photography was a lasting medium.
Style
Meisel has expressed that he has been influenced by photographers that include people such as Jerry Schatzberg, Irving Penn, Richard Avedon and Bert Stern. He explains his own work to be “a little bit outrageous, a little bit crazy or sick – when I’m allowed to do what I want.”
His work is often quite glamourous, usually in a classic, old-fashioned-inspired way. He often uses 1-2 female models who are affluently dressed as his subjects. He then used soft boxes to light (often 1-2, from above-right and without diffusion) his subjects. When it comes to editing, I have noticed that he will often use a subtly contrasted black and white look, or when it comes to colour, it is a green-tinged slightly unsaturated look.
En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Steven Meisel. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Meisel [Accessed 27 Mar. 2018].
Schiro, A. (2018). STYLE MAKERS; Steven Meisel - Photographer. [online] Nytimes.com. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/19/style/style-makers-steven-meisel-photographer.html [Accessed 27 Mar. 2018].
Influence
When it comes to Meisel's work, I am particularly drawn to how he can make an image look both outrageous as well as simple and still classy. I attempted to recreate an image of his by using the same style of lighting he used, similar fashion and similar editing styles. This meant studio shooting, and with a telephoto kens.
When it comes to portraits, usually Meisel will use a closer angle and with his photos of single models, He often sticks to a headshot or upper body. To recreate this, I had my subject squat down so I could get a closer shot but still get most of her body in.
What I also enjoy about Meisel's work is his use of androgyny. His use of androgyny is aesthetically appealing and often in your face, but he still emphasises the glamour and beauty of it.