Norman Jean Roy

 

Norman Jean Roy is a fashion photographer whose work has been included in Vogue numerous times. This is a photograph of Florence Welch, from the band Florence and the Machine.  I like this photograph as it reminds me of the fairytale theme - with the lace on the dress, and the sword as well as the cape. I think that this is a more gothic feel to the fairytale theme, as the horse is black, instead of the typical white, and the clouds are grey instead of there being a clear sky. I love the use of gold and black accessories, as this shows that there is a recurring theme throughout the image.

The background is simple, and the sky is shown more than what's on the ground (such as trees, grass etc...). You can tell straight away that it has been shot for a high fashion magazine, just from looking at the shoes and the dress. There isn't a specific or obvious light source for this image, however I think that the light is from the left hand side, as this there are signs of light on the horse's chest/face, rather than the on the whole horse or the model. As the horse is rearing, it makes it seem more powerful - and the fact that there is a sword included in the image suggests power as well.

I like how there is intricate detail within the clothes, as this makes the fashion part of the image stand out more. The cape has been moved so that the viewer is able to see the dress clearly, as that is part of the advertising technique which is something to think about in my future photographs - showing the whole outfit. Also, the fact that the cape has been moved and the horses mane and the models hair are blowing suggests wind has been used for the photograph - adding to the idea of power. This technique also makes the photograph more dramatic.

Overall, I personally really like this photograph, as it shows the dress clearly which is feminine and lace which is mixed with the dramatic use of a sword and a horse. The photograph is interesting as the outfit works particularly well with the rest of the image. I like how just the model (and the horse) is lit and the background is dark. I find the background to be quite mysterious as you can't really see the ground (as I mention earlier this makes the model and the horse seem more powerful) and the clouds are dark.