Production value or how to shoot a catalog in Israel

When I showed Sharon Shaveet the photos that I did for Claudia Manukian a week ago she commented  "that's production value

That looks like a million dollars but cost pennies

All to your talent"

I immediately noted what Sharon said as it sums up so well fashion shoots and catalogs in general and especially here in Israel.

I have always said that as an Israeli photographer even if I am sent out into the desert without film(or a digital card)I would come back with good results :)

That's how it is here.We learn to work commando.

I try to always work under the best conditions,a professional team with a good budget,however I don't let the conditions affect my work.

I go for the desired results.

If there is a good budget I'm happy ,if not I suit myself to the facts.

Such was the conditions around the shoot for Claudia.

After a telephone call I noted down the direction and ideas of the shoot.

Avant- Gard attitude ,artistic background of concrete,dramatic.contradictory to the light and flimsy clothing,to have them shine through the stark surrounding,naked,not routinal.

I contacted Kadoorie,the stylist,because of what he could bring to the shoot,his experience with materials and to Nirit Hirshman,the make-up artist who specializes in a clean modern look.

I started a location search and found a wall in Jaffa and another large concrete wall on the way to the Exhibition Grounds.

Checked out how many tall models would be suitable for the collection and passed on the info to Claudia.

A short production meeting comprising myself,Claudia and Kadoorie,where we decided to add red accessories and shoes(as in Comme de Garcons) and other red objects and we had the general ideas for the shoot.

The day of the shoot came and with it torrential rain.

I insisted on trying to go ahead with the shoot outdoors as Kadoorie and I were still optimistic as in "the rain will give it a certain effect".

However we had to change location as a wet concrete wall just looks ugly.

Kadoorie bought up the idea to shoot under the Yarkon bridge.

We managed to do 4 shots before the model was too cold to continue and so regrettably returned to the studio.

This wasn't planed for.Now what to do to keep the integrity of the shoot?

We added the red background and by adjusting the make-up and accessories we closed on a slight Japanese effect.

Strong poses

a little nudity

theatrical.

Million dollar.

I recommended to Claudia to work with a certain graphic artist as it was important for me to bring out the best in the work.

I am now waiting impatiently to see the results.

A printed scatology and the internet site.

My first job from the net

I met Claudia Manukian on the net - first through The Marker Cafe ( Israeli social network )and then through Facebook.

From time to time she responded to my posts and I checked out her work and was impressed.

A week ago I received from her a call.She is in need of photos. And so began the first project for me coming directly from the net.
I must admit that it's very exciting.

I include some "behind the scenes " shots and soon will write a post on the actual shoot.

Kadoori,the stylist and Nirit the make-up artist arrange the clothes and make-up on Rima the
model.

Today,the day of the shoot,falls the heaviest downpour of the year.

We photographed under the yarkon bridge because of this and not on the background of a large concrete wall that had first been decided on.

After 5 scenes in the rain we decided to return to the comforts of the studio and continue there.

The model,Rima,simply was freezing in Claudia's light scarves.

In the studio you have to pay more attention to all the small details.

Claudia does some final Touch-up

and Kadoori sticks Q-tips into Rimas cuckoo to help it stand for the shot.

....more discussions and touch ups and not even the last ones.

Clubbing Tel Aviv Style

Last weekend I sat and watched , one after the other, the 3 installments of the documentary series "Dancing with tears in your eyes".

The wonderful expose of nightclub culture in Israel.

Apart from the nice fact that my photographs from nights at The Penguin, Kolnoa Dan and other places dominate in 2 of the installments , I really enjoyed the series.

The 2nd part reflected periods of my own clubbing days and invoked warm nostalgic feelings .
I could also feel the side effects of this culture on Israeli society as a whole.

I was surprised to discover how connected I was to the club culture.

My ,at least, weekly visits to the record shop "Fuzz" was for me a personal experience and I didn't relate to it as being an "in" place.

I went to the Underground club because it was close to where I then lived.
I never knew that it was the first New wave club in Tel -Aviv.

Yossi SuCarY (now a philosophy lecturer and writer ) gave a very interesting perspective of the scene in the 2nd part . I met him through a mutual friend and one of my first photographs was of both of them dressed up for a night out for a local magazine.

At that same time I photographed Yossi Elephant (r.i.p) and his partner Dina simply because they were around and looked cool.

So as I watched these images in their proper context appear on the screen I could see parts of my own life being played back to me.

Tamar Galbatz and Sucary's explanation of the De-riguer pose of the time ,that of dancing alone facing a wall with an air of depression,summed up the "attitude" of most participants in the clubs of the day.

To turn ones back on the sea.
(This was never a part of my life.I loved the sea and still do.)

What stood out at the start of the 90's was the intensity and urge of the need to party.To be happy.

Now that I have seen the facts of the time ,I am reminded of the pioneers and of the changes that Israel was going through.

From a culture of working the land ,and all for the good of the state ( the development of a new country,)  appeared a small group of individualists ,open to new ideas and pleasures ,willing to take risks not only on the battlefields but in the areas of Start-ups of night life in Israel.

At the same time the opposite was appearing in the move to tripping around India or moving to the Galilee, starting communes of like minded individuals seeking peace of mind as well as just plain peace.

I participated less in the last episode.I only showed up a few times at Allenby 58 at its beginning and then was busy with other things (like pregnancy and births ..)

I never even made it to Hauman 17 :)
Many times I planned to go but unfortunately never did. I did however get to photograph the club's image with Saar Friedman (creative director at Open ),including the iconic confetti shower at the end of the parties.

Babes with smudged makeup fixing themselves in the toilets and lounge lizards sprawled out on the couches and of course the guys dancing together .

I was also fascinated by the first episode on the 50s and 60s, which reminded me of my parents preparing for a night out to the clubs of Jaffa.   Stylish black and white photographs of an era.

In this episode Yoram Kaniuk (the famous Israeli author) gives some interesting insights into the society in Israel - certain aspects of eastern European decadence in contradiction to the ideals of the pioneers.

I never knew that the Romanians were such party people.He called them perverse.

Worth watching.The last 2 installments are being shown tonight and tomorrow on channel 8.