It’s always inspiring to see photographers experiment and play with colors, regardless of the genre. However, it opens up a lot of creative possibilities especially for fashion and portrait photography. If you don’t usually go for the super colorful look for your portrait projects, here’s a series that may give you some bright ideas.
While an older work of Dean Bradshaw, “HYPER COLOR” remains a charming collaboration between the Los Angeles-based photographer and director, and model and stylist Ann-Marie Hoang. Not only does the series live up to its name, but also serves as a great example of impressive production and attention to detail.
The Master of Disguise in hyper color
In his project description, Bradshaw described the series as inspired by Hoang as the “Master of Disguise.“ It’s easy to see where this moniker came from. The series made her shine in all her “eccentric, wild and unique style and a love of all things CMYK.” Apart from a fashion portrait project, it’s also, in a way, a good introduction to Hoang’s energy, creativity and approach as a stylist and model. I absolutely love how it was both about her and her many guises at the same time.
One cool tip I picked up from this is to incorporate different styling, stories or “personas” to a fashion shoot. Not only does it bring various dimensions to a theme. It also gives the model different ways to respond to it. It also makes the shoot extra fun and dynamic from both sides of the camera. As we all know, this always leads to some good results!
Building a dreamworld of color
Even with just a quick browse, we can see how the vibe was fun and creative all throughout the shoot. We see this in the pop of colors, the vibrant wardrobe and the playful props that Hoang brought into the picture. It also proves that a stylist’s own creative vision plays an important role in bringing a photographer’s idea to life. Wondering how to effectively use color in portrait photography? I’d say this set shows that a solid art direction with a stylist is key.
As a fan of colorful photography and dynamic portraits, I also love how the crazy mix of colors work because of the delicate balance of contrast, shapes and poses. It’s visibly different from Bradshaw’s usual portrait work, from the concept, to the poses and the overall impact. It’s something made possible through the effective collaboration between the two creative minds. So, if you’re thinking of building a dreamworld of color in the same way, I’m sure you’ll be able to get ideas in this series as well.
Got inspired by “HYPER COLOR?” Make sure to also check out Dean Bradshaw’s website and Behance portfolio to see more of his impressive photography.
All photos by Dean Bradshaw. Used with Creative Commons permission.
