Posing Pretty: Modern Pinup Photoshoot
I may not generally act like it, but I have always loved classic, American pinup. For some time, I was obsessed with anything to do with the glorious Bettie Page, and I'm still a fan of her legacy. Pinup walks that fine line between scandalous and subdued. It can be done in a racy manner, or in a more innocent way. I love that it is such a versatile category of art, modeling, and photography.
Justin Barr approached me and asked if I'd be interested in doing a photoshoot of some sort, and we both agreed on a pinup style. Although I have no problem doing my own makeup, I thought this would be a great opportunity to enlist the help of my super talented friend, Megan Gad. She is a hair and makeup whiz at KINK Hair in Clayton, and a blogger as well. I stopped by her place and she so graciously did me all up to look absolutely amazing! I then headed to meet Justin at Fresh Art Studios in Webster Groves, which is an incredible space. I had no idea what to expect, and was surprised. The location features multiple rooms and backdrops, photographers and subjects have plenty of room to spread out and feel comfortable while working.
At first, I couldn't decide if I wanted to bother with renting retro clothing from a shop in town, or wear my own clothes. If you know me, you will know that I have SO MANY CLOTHES, so I opted to shop my own closet, and I think I did quite all right! I ran out the door with just a few items that already reflected my style, but also fit the parameters of a more modern, "everywoman" kind of pinup.
Justin found and cleaned up this gorgeous blue chair for us to have some fun on, and before anyone gets their panties in a bunch, I was wearing a strapless lace bra AND shorts under this blanket. It's okay, Mom, I wasn't prancing around naked just for the sake of photography! Because I adore Bettie, who memorably posed with a cheetah, and because spotted cat print is almost synonymous with pinup style, we had a bit of fun with a leopard-patterned blanket.
Because I'm a total goof, you know I had to have a bit of fun. What, you don't blog like this, too?!
Justin was so much fun to work with and really made my attempts at being a model for a day feel more natural than I expected! I can't thank him enough for his time and awesome skills. We actually took a few more shots of me as DJ promotional images, which I'll be sharing soon here as well!
And many thanks go out to Fresh Art Studios for allowing us to use their space. One of the women involved with Fresh Art, Tricia, was there while we were shooting, and she is just the sweetest thing. I highly recommend that you check out the space for any of your studio needs.
Photography: Justin Barr Photography
Makeup and Hairstyling: Megan Gad
Haircut and color: Stephanie Mattina of Nova Salon