One of my first inspirations to get into photography was Fashion Photography. As a typical young girl I would look on fashion blogs and in fashion magazines, which is where I was first introduced to this sort of photography. Fashion Photography is originally devoted to displaying clothing or other fashion items when photographing but has now developed into a way of challenging controversial ideas or creating a mood. What really inspired me was a particular piece by Steven Meisel, which appeared in the Vogue Italia magazine in 2011, but only came to my attention in the last 6 months.

These were the original images I first seen, as you can see the model’s waist is being pushed in by a corset, which makes it almost non-existent. A radical demonstration of the pain some go through in the name of fashion. These photos are apart of a series of photos, which I later found out was called ‘The discipline of fashion.’

As you look and analysis these particular images, you are then made aware of how the facial expression and body language of the model can change the mood and feel towards the image. These types of images can battle controversial matters, Steven Meisel is a Photographer who likes to use theses as his starting point.

I feel these 2 photographs together capture the story and meaning behind these selection of images. They show the pain woman in particular go through to make themselves fashionable and appealing to the public eye. In the first photograph you can see the marks that have been left indented into the skin by the leather gloves she was wearing, these indents shape lines on the skin that almost look like self harming scars, which also relates to pain and expectations. The hand hangs there with no real purpose as if it numb or aching. The second image you can see her tiny waist, which over exaggerates other features in her body such as her hips and shoulders. She is hunched over, almost as if she is in pain while she holds her chest. Her eyes are looking down and she has a serious look on her face as if she is uncomfortable.

These sort of images inspire me because the model is dressed in couture clothes, modelling the clothes and fashion items, which will later be published in a fashion magazine but also has an underlying theme that contradicts the magazine’s purpose. This shows the effects of ‘the discipline to fashion’ in a fashionable and stylish way.

On the dreaded return to school, I was assigned the task of describing what inspired me over the long summer break which served more of a problem than I initially thought. In retrospect, I struggled to conjure up an exact moment in which I felt inspiration as the melancholy Jersey weather really prevented me from wanting to go out or participate in activities as much as I would have liked to, restricting me to exploring the depths of my house and my friend’s houses. However, looking back I can conclude that my primary source of inspiration was attained away from home and actually in the Asian sector of Turkey as my family booked a last minute and spontaneous holiday for the middle of August

Leading up to the family excursion, the weather in Jersey remained very miserable and wet, barely reaching 13 degrees despite being the “sunniest place in the British Isles”, yet the weather reports from Turkey were portraying air temperatures exceeding 35 degrees which provided us and the people I’m closest to, with excitement for what lied ahead.

The process of packing my bag was a very fast yet efficient one as not only was I scrupulous with packing my clothing and delicate belongings but I was packed as soon as I got word of the holiday booking. This attitude was reciprocated throughout my whole family, including my five year old sister who was sure she packed all of favorite toys as she didn’t want to make them miss out either. Our family hadn’t been on holiday together for three or four years as my parents became wrapped up in the mundane Jersey life where work is priority, making it easy to forget what is important.

When travelling through the airports, particularly when boarding and exiting the planes, there was a real sense of ambition and opportunity in the air, as if there was a new start and the stresses that real life provides are irrelevant, although we knew they’d all be returning in a matter of days.

I thoroughly enjoyed the trip on the whole. Exploring and embracing different cultures, different people and different settings really helps put things in perspective for when you’re back home, as if your priorities all become aligned and by embracing the Turkish tranquility whether it be the weather, massages or scenic views really helps you realize what is worth stressing over and what isn’t. Fundamentally, getting away with my family really provided me inspiration and motivation for working hard in school because being successful with qualifications is the only sufficient way I can achieve my life ambitions of seeing as much as possible before I die.