UK model Lara Lockwood is on location in NZ with photographer Jack Willingham on a very stylish road trip, complementing the natural landscapes they find with local fashion in a dramatic way, using nature as a living prop to blend with the colours and textures…
Lara on Location – Part Two – Prepare to be Fascinated
Jack and I began our New Zealand journey in Christchurch. The city is home to Abbey of ‘Forge Fashion’ (www.forgefashion.com) who makes fantastical clothing and accessories. We took a few selected items with us along the Banks Peninsula. The area was astoundingly beautiful and we shot the matching steampunk corset set, with a matching leather collar, in two locations. Firstly, on a grassy hillside at a sheep farm where we were staying and, secondly, at a pier overlooking some beautiful hills.
Forge Fashion steampunk corset and skirt set with ‘Octo’ leather collar
Banks Peninsula
Jack wanted to shoot the collars in a dramatic way and he found a wonderful old tree in the Christchurch Botanical Gardens to act as a living prop to blend with the colours of the leather. On leaving Christchurch we meandered up the West Coast of the South Island and caught the ferry from Picton a few weeks later.
Forge Fashion ‘Komodo’ leather collar
Christchurch Botanical Gardens
I had been conversing with Nicola of Black Widow Fascinators (http://www.facebook.com/pages/BlackWidow-Fascinators/167290666509?ref=ts) since late 2009 so it was wonderful to arrive in Wellington for this final shoot in April 2010. We had been on the road for ten weeks and to get to the last stage was exciting! So much planning had gone into this two-day shoot as capturing eight looks in such a short time frame was daunting. I had drawn out each make up look carefully – this meant that when my brain froze after a few hours posing and with low blood sugar levels that I’d still be able to put together another dramatic make up look! The first day at the Wellington Botanic Gardens was a sparkling day of pure sunshine and no breeze. Everyone had warned us of the Welly winds so we were thrilled by our luck. The day started early with the alarm going off at 6am and I can honestly say that I didn’t stop until 7pm that night.
Fascinator – Black Widow Fascinators
Hair – Julia Scirkovich
Assistant – Rob Taylor
Wellington Botanic Garden
The first set was shot in a delightfully twisted tree. I wedged myself in between some branches and reflectors were pushed between gaps in the foliage. Jack balanced precariously on boughs in unsuitable footwear. I think the final image (intro image above) portrays none of this mayhem!
Behind the scenes shot at the Botanic Gardens, Wellington.
Lara Lockwood and Jack Willingham
The following photoshoots were complemented by the hothouse and its tropical, flame coloured flowers and the beautifully manicured gardens. Our second day was rather different, it was Gothic themed and I was very much looking forward to the make up looks. I love the drama of dark eyes and lips, and the freedom of mixing up loose powders and waxy stage products without any need for subtlety. The day was overcast and distinctly chilly – ideal for the macabre looks we had planned. The morning was spent at Bolton Street Memorial Park, in Wellington. This is the site of Wellington ‘s earliest cemetery, which dates from the founding of the city in 1840. The area is beautiful and tranquil even though it is so centrally placed in the city. Corsets from Flo Foxworthy Costumier (www.flofoxworthycostumier.com) beautifully complimented the two looks that we shot here. I became rather attached to the sparkling blue under bust corset!
Lunchtime gave me an opportunity to eat a huge burger and to whiten up my skin with a luminous powder. Looking distinctly more ethereal I drove to Karori Cemetery. This burial ground was established in 1891 to replace the overcrowded Bolton Street Cemetery; it covers nearly 40 hectares and is the resting place for around 80,000 people. It was very cold here and treading carefully over graves we negotiated the steep slopes packed with gravestones to find suitable backdrops. The cold was getting to all of us and the final set was shot in record time as we raced to finish before the sun disappeared behind the trees. I barely remember posing for this set as it was so bitter. However, it did produce my favourite shot of the day!
We had such a wonderful time shooting in New Zealand and loved the open, creative characters that we encountered. I’d like to thank Abbey at Forge Fashion, Nicola at Black Widow Fascinators, Julia for styling my hair, Rob for his assistance and the loan of some of his photographic kit, and to Clare for spending an entire day in the cold assisting. And final thanks to Megan at Thread for her interest in our travels and work. We hope to return again next year – do get in touch if you’d like to work with us!
By Lara Lockwood, April 2010.
Model and make-up artist: Lara Lockwood.
Photography: Jack Willingham.
Intro image above:
Fascinator – Black Widow Fascinators
Hair – Julia Scirkovich
Assistant – Rob Taylor
Wellington Botanic Garden.
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