Behind the Scenes: The Beautiful and the Damned Photo Shoot for Molly Mishi May Couture Collection

back in Autumn of 2013, our dear friend Molly was hatching a plan for a gloriously gothic and dramatic shoot, including some of her most breathtaking gowns. Here is the story of that day in pictures

After meeting with Molly to discuss themes and designs, I came up with this Pinterest board, Byzantine embellishment was kicking in on the Dolce and Gabbana catwalks and would soon filter out to the hughstreet, (we even managed to find some rocking earrings in Clare's Accessories of all places!)

Photo Amanda Thomas

As you'll see from the Pinterest board, I was rather keen to add a contemporary element to the rather 'overdone' debauched banqueting table shoot idea. I was really taken with the close parallels that Baz Lurhmann found in his R+J between the bright colours found catholic imagery and commercial neon signs. I was searching round for a neon Jesus for a while, but to no avail. Until I found out about a tiny shop on Muller Road in Bristol called PML signs. A lovely guy in there lent me a restaurant sign...a bit random you may think (so did I to be honest) but it ended up being a playful dimension to a rather rich and luxurious shoot. It also did no harm that the set up was of a dinner table when there was a glowing restaurant sign in the background!

Amanda, summoning up all her modelling experience

Molly has some beautiful friends and family who all featured in the shoot. Amanda Thomas was heading up the team as photographer, with Inma Azorina and Becky Simpson on Hair and Makeup. I was assisted by Rebecca Wood and Amber Hards, two very talented designers in their own right.

Becky, Amber and Amanda

The location for the shoot was All Saints Church in Easton, a beautiful church with a fantastic bunch of people who let us move a LOT of rather priceless artefacts around to get our debauched banqueting scene

photo Amanda Thomas

Photo Amanda Thomas




Creating the Look: we got our hands on numerous church candles, and ornate tableware from Charity shops and friends, teamed them with the red velvet curtains and crisp white linen table cloths. For set dressing we drenched every surface in abundant grapes, sparkling jewels and wine filled goblets.

As featured in New York magazine CREATIVE SUGAR

http://issuu.com/creativesugarmagazine/docs/creativesugar_issue_8

Team credits

Photographer: Amanda Thomas
Dress Designer: Molly Mishi May
Stylist: Harriet de Winton
Stylist Assistants: Amber Hards
Rebecca Wood
Make Up Artist: Inma Azorin
Make up Assistant & nail tech: Grace Kingsley
Hair Stylists: Inma Azorin
Rebecca Simpson

Models: Molly Lewis-Smith
Arabella Lewis-Smith
Rob Norbury
Emily Breeze
Becky Mercer
Adam Coombs
Louis Lewis-Smith

Behind the Scenes: Photoshoot Molly Mishi May Bridal Shoot

Setting up in the morning, fighting the optical illusion of the brick wallpaper, and assistant Sophie wallpapering a box for the group shot. Note the rather obvious joins in the wallpaper highlighted by the side light from the expansive windows.

behind the lens: Amanda shoots Sarune

This is a collection of behind the scenes snaps and the finished product, to give you an idea of how skilled Amanda Thomas is at lighting and shooting, and showing off the skills of our wonderful photoshoot team.

the finished item: Sarune, Photo Amanda Thomas

sorting the group shot pose

seamless wallpaper, wallpaper box in use and perfect posing, Photo Amanda Thomas

Photo Amanda Thomas

Photo Amanda Thomas

Photo Amanda Thomas

Styling: Molly Mishi May Bridal Photoshoot

Photo Amanda Thomas

At the end of last year I styled and Art Directed my first Bridal shoot for designer Molly Mishi May, shot by Amanda Thomas.

The results were published in Elegant Magazine (above), and below is a sneak peak!

Photo Amanda Thomas

Photo Amanda Thomas

Photo Amanda Thomas

Molly is a fresh contemporary bridal designer, creating interesting styles and shapes around the needs and wishes of each bride. It was a challenge to find a new way of styling and shooting Bridal. Amanda, Molly and I recce'd a number of venues and chucked together various ideas until settling on a crisp cool setting of brick wall, allowing the dresses to 'do the talking'. The wall was in fact wallpaper with a brick effect, taped to a wall. Somehow, in Amanda's shots, the joins of the paper became invisible and no post production was needed for the background.