Dark academia
Warsaw, November 2023
Another “Targi Fantastyki” fair is approaching, and as usual, Isia is preparing to showcase her handicrafts there. She had been contemplating refreshing the graphic design of her online store for some time. However, the most pressing matter she has postponed for a while now is creating a new roll-up banner. Isia briefly told me what she would like to include on it, and immediately, an idea for a photoshoot came to my mind, which we managed to accomplish today.
I was very excited about these photos because I knew precisely what effect I aimed for. The main concept of the photoshoot was to depict the artist at work, surrounded by creative chaos. In my imagination, I had envisioned lighting reminiscent of Caravaggio’s and Rembrandt’s paintings, dark wood, and smoke. Embracing contemporary trends, I believe our styling fits nicely into the ambiance of dark academia. Most of the concepts were successfully executed but some ideas were modified. One of these was the color scheme, which I had planned to limit to a uniform, muted tone with a single contrasting accent – turquoise. During the photo editing process, it turned out that the purples came out so beautifully that it was a shame to discard them.
In addition to the vertical photos for the roll-up, Isia also needed materials illustrating her activities as a craftswoman, illustrator, graphic designer, and website creator. I had some concerns about whether I would be able to create a coherent image representing her multifaceted personal brand, but it turned out to be much easier than I had anticipated. The second potentially problematic issue was the bright walls in the apartment that we had access to for the photoshoot. I aimed for a dark background, so I overcame this obstacle by taking overhead shots (resulting in the dark floor becoming the background) and choosing angles where brown furniture was behind the model. Of course, placing the lights strategically can also significantly help in such a situation, positioning them so that the light doesn’t directly hit the walls and other large, bright surfaces.
I am very pleased with the result we achieved, and I can’t wait for the new version of Isia’s website.
Model, outfit: Isia Zarzycka
Epilogue
At the very end, I left a funny digression (but it’s one of those cringe-worthy stories) that explains the mystery of why Isia actually needs a new roll-up.
A few years ago, we were preparing a combined booth for a wedding-themed fair where I exhibited my handicrafts, and Isia did henna painting. It was the very beginning of my business, and I knew even less about it than I do now. 😀 Both of us wanted to create separate banners, which we were preparing especially for this occasion. Time was short, and we didn’t have any suitable photos. The main issue was the wedding theme of the fair because all the photos with models I had in my portfolio were in an alternative style. I knew I wouldn’t manage to organize a new photo session, so without much thought xD, I decided to just use one of my own photos in a bright style because, well, why not. Apparently, Isia didn’t think this through well either and, just as impulsively, chose a photo with her own face for the roll-up. I’m not sure at which moment we realized how absurd it must have looked. Two ladies behind the counter, each with their own printed, gigantic head behind them. I’m afraid to guess what people passing by must have thought of us. xD Or maybe it wasn’t that bad…? Hmm. 😀
