Let Loose, Get Braid

It's time for another Not A Model photo shoot! This time it's all about the coif with a spotlight on braids and soft waves. 

It seems that braids have been weaving their way onto the heads of even the most stylish of women. A braid can be practical if you find yourself with little time to get ready. Yet, they can get quite intricate like a fishtail or french braid. Side braids have also been popping up all over the runways. Think farmer's daughter meets I don't shower hipster.

 

[photocredit left: Harper's Bazaar Alexander Wang] 

On another note, when it comes to the art of seduction nothing says romance and "run your hands through my hair" like soft waves. Touchable, bouncy and voluminous are the only adjectives that should be uttered around a truly swoonworthy mane. Think messy, not prom queen.

 [photocredit Harper's Bazaar Chloe]

When choosing my third "non-model" I immediately thought of Christina Pellegrini or Pell as most people call her. Her rich, dark hair is the perfect mix of texture, shine and volume. She has been one of my best friends since elementary school and she's the only person I know who received tips working at a bakery! When she's not breaking boys' hearts one hair flip at a time, she's working hard at getting her marketing certificate and being the glue that keeps all of our friendships together. She's a great listener and a natural beauty. These photos really capture her soft side and sweet personality. She was a breeze to shoot. I find that photography is soon becoming one of my favourite aspects of the blog. Hope you guys like them!

Hmm... I wonder if Not A Model will wash out of that pillowcase? :)

What Do You Bow About It?

Salutations my lovely readers! Are you ready for another Not A Model photoshoot? 

This week the trend is bows. It seems these girly accessories have made their way from the playground to the runway. You can opt for a more demure look and wear it on a headband ala Blair Waldorf, or you can rock out with a giant '80s cartoon character bow. My inspiration for this shoot stems from the bolder look of bows as seen on the Marc by Marc Jacobs SS 2010 runway. Sometimes, bigger is just better. 

 

[Marc by Marc Jacobs 2010 photo courtesy of bellasugar] 

I'd like to introduce the latest non model, my best friend Loredana, or Dana as most people call her.  I've been best friends with Dana since we met in grade 6 about a million years ago. We've been through everything together, from school dances to traveling Europe. We live 2.5 seconds away from each other, our parents and sisters are friends and I'm pretty sure Bailey is more in love with her than me. We've managed to remain inseparable even when I left the Italian homeland to go away for school, and she can always (amazingly or frustratingly) read my mind. Anyone who spends five minutes with her can attest that she's side splitting hilarious.

I think she's beautiful inside and out, not to mention she has the most insane eyelashes I've ever seen. We had a blast shooting this, but really we have fun wherever we are.

 

 

Ps- Check the balloon!  xo

Shutterbug

As a non-model, I was curious to know what goes through the mind of a male photographer when he is placed in the presence of an Aphrodite. So I sat down with twenty-three year old budding fashion photographer Cory VanderPloeg (pronounced VanderPlue, the [eg] is silent) to talk models, photos and ingenuity. 

"To me, a model is just something that I use to advance a story," he says. 

VanderPloeg talks about models as only one part of the equation. To him, a model is just one piece of his art, rather than an idolized figure. I ask him about the secret world of photo retouching, and explain how the highly edited images of models can make any average Jane, or say Amanda feel inadequate.

VanderPloeg comments, "I want my photos to look the best they can. I'm not trying to say this is what a woman should look like, or this is what beauty is." He clarifies that he will never change a distinctive feature on a model like a large nose or wide hips.  The goal is to produce clean images rather than drastically change the way a person looks.

For inspiration he reads about 10 magazines a day and watches a lot of films. With a background in film (he attended film school at Sheridan College) he's had the opportunity to work on the lighting of major motion pictures such as The Incredible Hulk and Get Rich or Die Tryin'.

Yet, VanderPloeg wanted to channel himself into something more creative and hands-on. He sought out the photography genius of Steve Carty to inquire about an assistant job. With ambition and dedication, he's managed to assist and work with Carty and his talented team for 5 months now. "You can do anything when it comes to fashion. There are no limits, no rules. You take your camera and shoot," he says.

It is easy to be fooled by VanderPloeg's laid back appearance. Under his comfy hoodie, wool hat and no fuss jeans is an eagerness to discuss matters like world economics, sustainable living and music. It is rare to find someone who not only looks at life through a critical lens, (no pun intended) but who hasn't lost that sense of idealism that the world can be a better place.

"Our generation needs more thinkers," he says.

VanderPloeg's fantasy portrait goes way beyond long legs and lusty lips. He cites Martin Luther King Jr. and Bob Marley as his dream subjects. "Anyone who has made a difference in the world," he says.

Lastly, I ask him to give an inspiring quotation. On the spot, he quotes Henry Ford: "Whether you think that you can or think that you can't you're usually right."

Still curious about Cory? Check out some of his work below and visit his awesome website which features his full portfolio, a blog (includes Toronto Fashion Week) and some short films.

 

 

http://www.coryvanderploeg.com