Special feature: fashion shoot

A few weekends ago I had the pleasure of shooting with Jes Abiola (@theeyeofja) as part of a joint collaboration. The location was slap bang in the city centre of London. On Saturday, the usually busy location was eerily quiet - no suits to be seen, just a few tourists!

We decided on a look that was bold and a touch androgynous - a statement of self-expression and authenticity. A trouser suit, deep maroon blazer and an oversized checked coat. We went to around 5 or so different backdrops and tried out a number of varied poses. I quickly found out that smiles - on this shoot - were not allowed, and would go against the strong, intense look he had in mind (being naturally smiley this was hard!).

After the shoot, I was curious to learn more about Jes's photography, so decided to ask him a few questions. Read on for more - and enjoy the pics!

Okay, first up. How would you describe your photography?

I would describe my style of photography as simple and natural. I see my photography, to an extent, as taking a stand against the over-processed visuals we’ve become used to, especially in the social media age. Because of that I make very minimal (if any) tweaks to my subjects, and play with light and colour to bring out what is already there. 

Essentially, I want to capture their essence in an image. To quote one of my friends, “you’re capturing souls.”

Wow - kinda deep. Let's go into a bit more detail. What was the concept for this particular shoot?

The square mile is full of strong/powerful and striking architecture and visuals; this shoot was all about mirroring that strength through my wonderful subject - you! 

I also took some inspiration from fellow London photographer Koray Hussein - a real favourite of mine - which often has female subjects in powerful positions. The blend of an archetypal London backdrop with a subject in powerful positions proved to be a successful one. 

The location really was great! That brings me to my next question - what’s more important to creating a good shoot, the clothes or the location?

That’s a good question. I don’t know if there is a right answer here, as the two play off each other. The same outfit in different locations can evoke a different emotion, but the same could be said about the same location with different outfits. Impossible to choose a single answer here!

And finally, I'm turning the tables - sum up your style in a word.

Mercurial.

All pictures subject to copyright, for more, visit www.TheEyeofJA.com