Does the liquid effect in these photographs have a specific name?

Question

I aspire to become a fashion and wildlife photographer, and I am starting out in that mission today. Lucky me, and the first photographer whose works I came across is Jaroslav Wieczorkiewicz.

His photography involves (splashed) liquids dressing the models, stunning I must say. What an inspiration to start with. (And moreover, it doesn't involve photo-editing for the effects.) But I don't know what to call this.

Different terms were used, like "Water Angel", "Water illustration", or "Milk Illustration" (if milk is used), and etc. — but does this kind of photography have a specific name?

Examples:

• http://i.stack.imgur.com/ALKhA.jpg

• http://i.stack.imgur.com/wZLlx.jpg

source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaroslav/sets/72157626124758315/

Answer

Fashion For Walls

Similar photos have been done before such as by the ad agency TBWA for the "Fashion for Walls" campaign. In this case they used a combination of a real model, and a mannequin was switched out, and then they threw paint buckets at the mannequin. Then in post production the two were combined.

I wouldn't say that these photos don't "involve photo-editing for the effects" rather, they don't use computer generated imagery for the effect, they just post process multiple images together.

Milk & Water

For Jaroslav Wieczorkiewicz's work, details can be found at this stobist post here. The main idea is that he used very high speed capture to freeze the water on the black background.

Jaroslav points out that the most important aspect is the concept, beyond that the actual work of putting it all together is not as difficult.

I have not attended one of his workshops where he gives detailed step by step instructions on how to accomplish works such as MILK. From what I can tell his work is a composite of many water/milk thrown images and images that are of the models by themselves on black studio backgrounds. Mix that with very high speed shots and ultra fast strobes/lights and you have the main idea.

Information directly from Jaroslav on the "Playing with water shoot": Here

Fashion for Walls info: Here

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How to get started with fashion photography?

Question

So, I'm in a pickle, on a whim I decided to email a model who lives in Bloomington, IN. Told her how I admired her work and how I would like to take some photos of her in the spring at the Indianapolis museum of Art and sent the email on it's way. I didn't expect her to email me back, alas she did. So now I who knows nothing about fashion photography in any shape form or function must figure out how to this sort of thing before some point to be determined in the spring.

So, any tips for someone who knows a lot about landscape and flower photography but nothing about fashion photography? Oh and any books you could recommend would be stellar as well. Thanks.

Answer

The practical answer to your question is to find some female friend to photograph in that same location first, perhaps reading some tips online about photographing models.

Then you can see what works with lights, what poses look good, and practice asking for poses.

Also when you go out with the "real" model it would probably be good to take the same female friend along to make the model feel more comfortable, also they could hold reflectors or side strobes for you.

Basically you have the responsibility to try and produce some good photos for the model, it's great you are trying to get a good idea of what you should be doing but nothing beats practicing with a live person.

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