December Inspiration Roundup
December 2021 came as a bit of a relief after the troubled November we had here in BC. Catastrophic flooding throughout the province and the discovery of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 added stress to the already dark and rainy month of November. Though still rainy, December brought a bit of emotional relief with the gradual appearance of bright Christmas lights and spirits across Vancouver. One of my favourite shoots this month was a maternity shoot with a couple who were clearly very in love. Seeing their excitement for the future of their family left me with a little bit of hope and brightness that has been bolstered by the themes of the holiday season.
My inspirations for December were initially water-themed. The first three shoots I did this month all incorporated plastic wrap as an analogy for water. I used a clear umbrella for one of the more creative shoots, using backlighting to silhouette the model. Since it gets dark so early in December, we are accustomed to seeing strangers on the street as silhouettes against car headlights, and I thought it was fitting to stage a studio shoot with similar imagery.
Later on in the month, as the holiday spirit began infiltrating my visual landscape, I turned my attention towards one word: Gold. I wanted to create a set that was overwhelmingly gold. I began trawling thrift stores and discount bins, acquiring every bit of gold that I could find.
On December 16, I hosted a large Christmas-themed collaboration with seven different models, all styled in various shades of gold, red, and white. I used my bags of gold objects to create a three-dimensional set that appeared to drip gold into the frame from every angle. The images I captured were some of my favourite shots that I’ve taken in the last few months, and I believe they really capture the glow of the holiday season.
Looking back on the month of December, I am proud of the sets I have built and excited to put more ideas into action in the New Year. Ideas on the horizon include a science-fiction-inspired editorial, and a winter-themed collaboration with several models and stylists. Stay tuned on my Instagram for behind the scenes clips and results from these shoots!