TonyWardStudio.com

Jennifer Cole

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Jennifer Cole

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……….I absolutely loved being part of the learning experience of TW’s Photography & Fashion class recently at The University of Pennsylvania. Usually when I do a model shoot, it’s more about me. This time however I felt as though my purpose was more productive and with purpose. As a recent college graduate myself, it was interesting to be placed back into a classroom setting – watch the students learn, and even learn a great deal myself.

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In Professor Ward’s photography and Fashion class, he teaches his students the importance of creating their own brand. His lecture helped me see that every individual possesses elements in their personality , that as an artist, should stand out in their product. He illustrated the importance of creating and developing a label for themselves through their unique outlooks on photography and fashion.

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Through fashion, one’s ideas are expressed. The spectacle they are expressed upon are sometimes a model. Through shooting me, Tony demonstrated hands on to the class how he makes his creativity come alive, through me: his “sculpture”. In the process of any photo shoot: it’s important to seize the moment because while the model may bring a certain wardrobe, and the photographer is given a certain canvas, not everything that occurs is planned. Taking full advantage of what Tony called the “elements of surprise”, are what give birth to true creativity of a photograph.

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The way a model’s hands fall on her body or props, her facial expressions, the movements of her body… all these things are not planned out, and as Tony showed the class, are important moments to capture: Inflicting one’s creative/innovative ideas about fashion on a cooperative model – while also seizing moments of unplanned activity, are how the photographer becomes an artist.

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This experience and all similar experiences for me are always enjoyable and fun. For me, modeling is an escape. It’s a much welcomed distraction to my hectic and stressful life to play dress-up and let someone else do the thinking for a change; while I became the clay and they the molder. I naturally enjoy and thrive upon being on the other side of the camera. Especially this time however, the aspect of the experience I enjoyed the most was being part of another group’s learning experience.

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I would only hope that my enjoyment in being a learning aid was also paralleled with the class’s enjoyment with what they were taught. I look forward to having many more similar opportunities. I simply loved the fact that I could aid in another artists ambitions to make personal ideas into a reality.

To Be Continued……….