Return to Manderley: a Thoroughly Modern Gothic Romance in Fashion Affair Magazine by New York Commercial Fashion Photographer Steven Paul
New York Commercial Fashion Photographer Steven Paul, his photographs are bold, sensual and evocative – playing with dramatic lighting and cinematic narratives creating provocatively stunning images. Steven Paul captures deep emotion, dark desires and hidden secrets – infusing even the most seemingly banal scene with drama and passion. Paul melds avant garde fashion with thought-provoking imagery for a fresh take on fashion photography.
New York, NY, November 04, 2013 --(PR.com)-- Who can forget the opening line from the quintessential gothic romance novel Rebecca? Certainly not fashion photographer Steven Paul, who makes Manderley – the doomed estate at the heart of Rebecca – a central image in his latest photo shoot. With Paul’s “Return to Manderely” shoot, the fashion photographer more than achieves this goal. The dramatic lighting, combined with model Daria’s somber poses, skillfully balances elements of the macabre with high fashion.
One of Paul’s favorite and most compelling images from the shoot is an image of Daria standing partially nude in an empty room. The dark woodwork and floors are almost claustrophobic – one can feel the tension between the house and Daria. “There is something especially haunting about our model standing partially nude in a room that’s completely barren of all furniture,” said Paul. “In this stripped down state our model is both vulnerable and incredibly strong. She owns her sexuality and is not ashamed – the image is a message of empowerment in the face of fear and the unknown.”
Throughout the photo shoot, Daria holds her own against the house; she’s clearly no shrinking violet. A thoroughly modern and powerful woman, Daria embraces the estate’s shadows, dark interiors, and cold stonewalls. She’s alluring and provocative, daring the viewer to follow her into the estate. “Daria is as much of a seductress in this shoot as the estate,” said Paul. “The interplay between these two images creates sexual tension and drama. Is Daria truly in charge of the estate – or does the estate have other ideas? The estate is haunted by its former mistresses. Are they out to get Daria or has she joined their dark cult? These are all questions we hope the viewer will ponder after seeing our images.”
“The makeup Artist Kirsten Sylvester and hairstylist Darren Bay are fiercely fashion-forward, while still evoking gothic romance,” said Paul. “Aside from one dramatic lace blue dress, we intentionally selected all black and white pieces. We kept color to an absolute minimum during the shoot, letting the lighting – and lack thereof – tell the story.”
So what happens when our heroine returns to Manderley? Will she exert her authority over the iconic estate, or will she suffer the same mysterious fate as other mistresses who went before her?
Paul leaves that final question up to our imagination.
Contact:
Steven Paul
info@stevenphotography.com
stevenphotography.com
Fashion Affair Magazine:
Teresa Lipsey Editor
Teresa.Lipsey@FashionAffairMagazine.com
FashionAffairMagazine.com
One of Paul’s favorite and most compelling images from the shoot is an image of Daria standing partially nude in an empty room. The dark woodwork and floors are almost claustrophobic – one can feel the tension between the house and Daria. “There is something especially haunting about our model standing partially nude in a room that’s completely barren of all furniture,” said Paul. “In this stripped down state our model is both vulnerable and incredibly strong. She owns her sexuality and is not ashamed – the image is a message of empowerment in the face of fear and the unknown.”
Throughout the photo shoot, Daria holds her own against the house; she’s clearly no shrinking violet. A thoroughly modern and powerful woman, Daria embraces the estate’s shadows, dark interiors, and cold stonewalls. She’s alluring and provocative, daring the viewer to follow her into the estate. “Daria is as much of a seductress in this shoot as the estate,” said Paul. “The interplay between these two images creates sexual tension and drama. Is Daria truly in charge of the estate – or does the estate have other ideas? The estate is haunted by its former mistresses. Are they out to get Daria or has she joined their dark cult? These are all questions we hope the viewer will ponder after seeing our images.”
“The makeup Artist Kirsten Sylvester and hairstylist Darren Bay are fiercely fashion-forward, while still evoking gothic romance,” said Paul. “Aside from one dramatic lace blue dress, we intentionally selected all black and white pieces. We kept color to an absolute minimum during the shoot, letting the lighting – and lack thereof – tell the story.”
So what happens when our heroine returns to Manderley? Will she exert her authority over the iconic estate, or will she suffer the same mysterious fate as other mistresses who went before her?
Paul leaves that final question up to our imagination.
Contact:
Steven Paul
info@stevenphotography.com
stevenphotography.com
Fashion Affair Magazine:
Teresa Lipsey Editor
Teresa.Lipsey@FashionAffairMagazine.com
FashionAffairMagazine.com
Contact
Steven Paul Photography
Steven Paul
1.347.690.5570
stevenphotography.com
Steven Paul
1.347.690.5570
stevenphotography.com
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