Saturday 21 November 2009

The good, the bad and the ugly of Russian "westernisation"

Before I criticise, please let me praise. I have been to a number of eastern European countries and in every one have totally enjoyed my stay - loved the people, the cities and the fun. Especially in Moscow.

Russia is a huge country, from tall and blond people in the north-west, solid and fierce in the south, to elegant and cultured in the east. As befits such a huge melting pot of DNA there are some striking beauties to behold - who we've seen dominating the tennis courts as well as the catwalks.

BUT! Too many photographers, and I guess many of them are Russian and/or eastern European, are HOPELESS. Picture 1 (right).

This photoshoot has a horrid selection of poses, which even the thumbnails reveal. The girl may or may not be named Gaby in real life but she should sue the photographer. Or at least get any money back she may have "invested" in the photoshoot.

The poses are just awful. It doesn't matter if Gaby was new to the industry or if she failed to understand. The photographer should NEVER have allowed some of these photos out of his camera (or computer or dark-room).

Let's now look at picture 2 (below left). This is a crop of number 10 from the thumbnails.

Gaby is gorgeous, with a perfectly symentrical face, bright eyes and an elegant mouth. Her breasts are small-ish and perfect, with wonderful nipples and areolae.

If Gaby was being photographed by MET-ART or Hegre then maybe we would have seen a photoset with every shot a celebration of this striking girl.

Those photographers encourage the models to pose in ways which accentuate their features, each shot crafted to show strength, innocence, attitude, athleticism, allure or plain sexiness.

Long legs, pert bum, big breasts or radiant face, the established erotic-art photographers know how to get the best from a shoot.

But now we have some truly shocking examples, which picture 3 helps explain. This is picture 4 from the set.

First, the pose is awkward for the model to hold. Her body is tense. Her face is tense. It is unkind in the way it accentuates almost a grimace of pain. Look at the cheeks.

The left arm is flopping, doing nothing - unless it's helping Gaby to balance in the awkward pose.

But the worst aspect is how the pose pushes Gaby's stomach out. I've seldom seen such an unflattering shot get published and wonder why.

Pictures 9, 15 and 16 are also atrocious, so bad I can't repost them or describe any detail.

But please, someone, track down this photographer and offer a few lessons. And Gaby, please find someone with a lot more skill for your next photoshoot (and hoping this one doesn't put you off totally).

Source: http://www.pretty4ever.com/

Saturday 7 November 2009

Brittany Flick - musician, model, merchandiser, MySpace maestro

The web is still going through enormous change but 5-minute-fame has been one massive effect of Web 2.0 and the various social media sites.

Although reality tv started a lot of the throw-them-into-the-spotlight-and-see-what-happens nonsense, modern web technologies have allowed the very obsessed to continue the exposure/drama/fandom to almost unlimited degrees.

Whether ardent fans pushing their obsessions or ardent wannabes pushing themselves, the opportunities are almost endless: website, blog, FaceBook, MySpace, YouTube and Twitter can all be used, alone or in any combination.

Brittany Flickinger (photo) has used a number of methods to keep her hopes and potential-career in the spotlight. After winning season one of Paris Hilton's Best Friend Forever tv show, Britt Flick (as she is often known) is still nibbling at the edges of modelling and/or musician and/or merchandiser.

It has been reported that Hilton didn't stay friends with Brittany because, "I loved her and I trusted her, but sometimes people get too caught up and they change."

Anyone who has watched the BFF shows will know that Paris is constantly changing her own mind. Nothing wrong with that as she has a multi-million dollar business to run. So although Britt is not in that league yet, she is a very good example of a modern Web 2.0 user in the better senses of the term.