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Jean Muir Fashion Photography Competition

The winners announced!

Entrants were invited to submit work inspired by the recent Jean Muir: A Fashion Icon exhibition and were judged not only on their interpretation of this theme but also on the quality and creativity of the three images they put forward.

The standard was very high and the breadth of talent out there presented no easy task for the judges.

On the panel were internationally acclaimed photographer David Eustace, stylist Kelly Cooper Barr, Kristina Stankovski, curator of Dress and Textiles at National Museums Scotland, and Craig Boyd Alexander, picture editor of The Herald Magazine.

Winner - Adeline Scott

Adeline ScottFirst place goes to twenty-four year old Adeline Scott, a call centre worker from Glasgow. Adeline is self-taught and only became seriously interested in photography in the last three years but would love to do it full time. Her prize of accompanying David Eustace on a shoot will give her a real insight into the world of fashion photography, a particular interest. She says, “I still quite like doing portrait photography but fashion photography allows for a lot more creativity. With fashion you’ve got a lot more freedom.”

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Judges' comments:

Adeline appears to have thought the whole story through. The make-up is simple, as is the styling, complementing the extremely shallow depth of focus. By lighting the model’s legs from above it’s as if they fade into the background, putting the emphasis on the clothes. The three images show different parts of the clothes, using the focus to show off the outfits and fabric.

Second place - Lorna Campbell

Lorna CampbellRunner up is former accountant Lorna Campbell, originally from Hamilton. After an evening course sparked an interest in photography, Lorna enrolled at Reid Kerr College in Paisley for a two year course and is now studying Fine Art Photography at Glasgow School of Art.
Although fashion is not a particular interest, fashion photography is. What she loved about her entry for the Jean Muir competition, shot in Marks Hotel in Glasgow, was the chance to tell a story, “the idea of this girl in this hotel. Is she hiding out or waiting for somebody or up to no good? What’s she all about?”

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Judges' comments:

Lorna has focused on using just one outfit, photographing it from varying angles. She has also considered the subtle use of colour – orange – between certain elements of the styling and the background. She has attempted to incorporate a shape and structure with the model’s pose.

Third place - David Howat

David HowatThird place David Howat impressed the judges with his embracing of the Jean Muir theme, using copies of sketches by the designer as a backdrop. David, a solicitor by trade, has recently got back into photography as a serious hobby and loves the creative process. “The nice thing about fashion photography is you create it from scratch. You’re literally starting with a blank stage, a set, and you’re creating every aspect of it. You have total control of the model, the dress, the lighting. You’re literally putting something together and that’s very very satisfying.”

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Judges' comments

David has tried to work with simple lines, keeping a cleanliness to the overall image. His choice of outfits works well – they complement each other. David has kept the images natural. He has mixed black and white with colour, using the light to show off the texture of the clothes – he gave a real feel of the silk skirt in the black and white shot.

The Jean Muir Fashion Photography Competition was run in partnership with:

The Herald