FLASH BACK # 10: Jenny / 2011

Photographer: Martin Van Niekerk
Model: Jenny
MUA: Candice Harker

TIE ME UP, TIE ME DOWN # 3: Designs by Saskia Wicomb for her label IEMAND

BY ERIKA

Stellenbosch designer Saskia Wicomb's contribution to the Save The Tie, Save a Child fashion event organised by Mrs Cape Town 2013, Chantal Witthuhn at the All Star Theatre in Cape gate at the end of June.

All the outfits were made from neck ties collected all over the Cape Town, Boland and Overberg areas.

TIE ME UP, TIE ME DOWN # 2: Save The Tie, Save a Child designer outfits made from neck ties

Three designs by Marshal Enyioma, fashion designer and owner at 

Perfect Touch Garments, Cape Town

BY ERIKA

As sponsoring photographers, we photographed some of the designs by Saskia Wicomb and Marshal Enyioma for Save the Tie,Save a Child  fashion show, on a very cold but bright winters day at The Garage on Mhondoro farm on Blaawklippen Road outside Stellenbosch.  

These designers with Hein Smit, were asked to use neck ties to create beautiful outfits such as the ones we have pictured here.

Hair styling and make-up for the ten models models were done at Kuif 53 in Dorp Street, Stellenbosch before setting off to a freezing cold workshop where they were posed among old cars and metal shaping equipment. And not one complaint! 

The Save The Tie, Save a Child event which is being held on  27 June and 28 June at Emo Adams’ The All Star Theatre in Brackenfell is part of Mrs Cape Town Chantal Whitthun’s fund rasing project for RoleModels Foundation and the children of Imfundo Project.

To see the rest of the collections, book your tickets at Computicket and join the Save the Tie, Save a Child Facebook-page.

And watch this Die Burger video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQ8LxGJZy3g

Design by fabric architect, Saskia Wicomb of Stellenbosch

Models receiving the royal My Tie treatment at Kuif 53 Dorp salon in Dorp Street, Stellebosch
before the shoot

Couture and cars in The Garage on Blaauwklippen Road, Stellenbosch

FLASHBACK # 7: Madelein in the Blue Dress / 2010

Madelein in the blue dress photographed four years ago.

FLASHBACK # 4: Pauline / 2011

FLASHBACK # 1 Shannon / 2012

BY MARTIN

Sometimes on a studio shoot, in between wardrobe changes you see a shot that just works. 

Like this one of Shannon with the light streaming in from outside. Couldn't have lighted the image any better.

HAIR SHOOT FOR SALON ELAN, SOMERSET WEST: Like a drop of ink in a glass of milk

BY MARTIN

Like a drop of ink in a glass of milk.

The words of Thirity Umrigar’s from her novel The Space Between Us, keep popping into my head when I look at this image.

Opposites.  Black and white. Sultry and sweet.

A hair style that entangle and a teddy bear tattoo. 

It all flows together in this striking hair style created by Rene Erwee of Salon Elan in Somerset West for model, Stephanie.

And thanks to Louna Van Zyl for the make-up.

PINK, PURPLE & PLAITS: Salon Elan, Somerset West

Photographer: Martin Van Niekerk 
Hair stylist: Rene Erwee, Salon Elan, Somerset West
MUA: Louna Esterhuysen Van Zyl, Make-up by Louna, Somerset West
Model: Paige

MVNP STUDIO SHOOT, STRAND / SOMERSET WEST: Tanita

Photographer: Martin Van Niekerk

Model: Tanita

MUA: Charyke Steyl Coetzee

Photographer: Martin Van Niekerk
Model: Tanita
MUA: Charyke Steyl Coetzee

Photographer: Martin Van Niekerk
Model: Tanita
MUA: Charyke Steyl Coetzee

Photographer: Martin Van Niekerk

Model: Tanita

MUA: Charyke Steyl Coetzee

Photographer: Martin Van Niekerk

Model: Tanita

MUA: Charyke Steyl Coetzee

MVNP STUDIO SHOOT: RONEL, STRAND, CAPE TOWN

Photographer: Martin Van Niekerk

Model: Ronel

MUA: Candice Harker

CURVE - MVNP Studio Shoot, Strand / Somerset West / Cape Town

Photographer: Martin Van Niekerk
Model: Lynette
MVNP Studio, Strand / Somerset West / Cape Town 

INTERWEAVE - Salon Elan, Somerset West

Lattices and loops created by Rene Erwee of Salon Elan in Somerset West

Photography & Retouching: Martin Van Niekerk
Model: Chante
Hair Styling: Rene Erwee, Salon Elan, Somerset West
MUA: Candice Harker
MVNP Studio, Strand, Somerset West

STUDIO WORK IN STRAND / SOMERSET WEST: Chante

Photographer & Retoucher: Martin Van Niekerk
Model: Chante
Hair stylist: Rene Erwee, Salon Elan in Somerset West
MUA: Candice Harker
Photographer's assistant: Dominique van Wyk

Sometimes it takes the merging of more than one image to create the look you are after. That is what happened with this photograph which was taken in my studio recently. 

In the image that I liked best, the one in which her hair did what I had envisaged, Chante's eyes were closed. So I selected elements from another photograph to merge with the preferred image.

I then added a textured background made up of a repeated pattern of spring blossoms as well as layers of graduated filters, and the image on my screen became the one I had in mind  for the shoot.

The final product

The top two images were combined to create the third.

Left, Rene Erwee of Salon Elan creating the hair style I had envisaged for the shoot.

MEER OF MIN 'n MEERMIN (More or less a mermaid) MVNP Studio Shoot, Strand / Somerset West

Meer of Min 'n Meermin / More or less a Mermaid 

Photographer: Martin Van Niekerk

Model: Ester

Hair stylist / Stylist: Rene Erwee

MUA: Candice Harker

Earlier this year I did a shoot for Ester who wanted to enter the Sarie Voorbladgesig van die Jaar competition. It was her first time in front of the camera but she showed such poise. So when hair stylist, Rene Erwee of Salon Elan mentioned doing a shoot depicting a mermaid, I immediately thought of Ester. Of course it helped that she has beautiful long hair. 

But how to go about transforming her into a mermaid?

For a long time now I have been thinking of incorporating different art media such as drawings and paper cut-outs into my photographs. Previously Rene and I had played around with using paper garments and we were very happy with the outcome. So we decided to take the idea further. Not only were we going to use paper to sculpt the fish tail, we wanted to create an entire paper ‘world’ for the mermaid.

Although the size of my studio is adequate for standard shoots, creating a life size seascape scene in there is impossible.

Downscaling, that was the solution. I decided to build a small scale stage.

As a student at art school I had often used the Noddy and Big Ears toy theatre I had been given as a child, as inspiration for works of art. I could resurrect that idea in the studio this time.

I decided to start with Ester in the studio and then creating the backdrop and photographing that. The two images then had to be merged using computer editing programmes.

It was no easy feat but in the end I am very happy with the outcome.

This post tells the story of the Meer of Min ‘n Meermin shoot.

Rene and I cutting a piece of backdrop paper to use as the mermaid's fish tail

Multi talented: Rene helps sculpt the mermaid fish tail in between styling Ester's hair for the shoot 

Mermaid with hair curlers: Ester's transformation and marathon sitting session has begun

And still she sits patiently ...

Rene was also responsible for creating the mermaid's seaweed and shell 'jewellery'.  

Ready to roll 

Designer Ronel Van Heerden of NineNinetyNine dropped in for coffee and ended up doing some art directing.

With the shoot over, it s time to construct the backdrop. 

All set up.

The theatre has been constructed, lights have been set up and Ester's 'stand-in' sitting on the rock has been positioned.  

MVNP STUDIO SHOOT, STRAND / SOMERSET WEST: Melissa

Photographer: Martin Van Niekerk
Model: Melissa
MUA: Candice Harker
MVNP Studio, Strand / Somerset West

STUDIO WORK IN STRAND / SOMERSET WEST

Photographer: Martin Van Niekerk
Model: Ronel
MAU: Candice Harker

RENE IS READY FOR REDKEN: Charlise

Rene Erwee of Salon Elan's third entry for the Redken Ultimate Chromatics Haircolour Contest. 

Photographer: Martin Van Niekerk
Hair stylist: Rene Erwee, Salon Elan in Somerset West
Model: Charlise
MAU: Candice Harker

Charlise before and after ...

... and during!