NOTE: This post has been altered since it was originally published to conform to Google Ad Sense's provisions.
Ordinarily I do an annual post on the most amazing and artful calendars for each new year, but this year snuck up on me so quickly, that other than the Lavazza 2011 calendar and recently, the 2011 Miss Tuning calendar, I didn't get a chance to share this wonderful example with you.
The Berlin photographer's latest series, "Extra Virgin", was shot on the beaches of South Africa with a bunch of stunning models from Vision Models. The images utilize the landscape as much as they do the interesting masks used as props on the undressed women.
The following images can be enlarged by clicking upon them. I advise you to view them in a new window or tab, so you can easily return to the post.
credits for this shoot: Concept & Realisation: zu Pan Hair and Make-up: Melanie Schöne & Henriette Höft Models: Vision Models - Cape Town
I asked Kerstin a few questions about her latest project and she kindly obliged me with the following answers.
What was your inspiration?
The rainbow theme is something I worked with in the last years in my Fine Art projects. In my new series "Extra Virgin" its reduced, but still the basic inspiration.
What is the signficance of the masks?
Last Year I bought 20 masks in all colours in a giftshop in Singapore, and I knew immediatley that I wanted to shoot them in South Africa in these white dunes. Masks are a nice accessory to work with - they always let the viewer guessing whats behind - but the reality will never be revealed.
Why do the models lack any genitalia?
You know, I think with pictures it´s the same like with jokes... they get destroyed when you explain them.
Supermodel mother of two, Claudia Schiffer, is pregnant with her third child, due later this month, with husband Matthew Vaughn.
The blonde statuesque model graces both the cover and much of the interior of the 2010 June issue of Vogue Germany.
For the cover Claudia, who has been a longtime muse of Karl Lagerfeld's, is nude and very pregnant in a pose strikingly reminiscent to Demi Moore's August 1991 Vanity Fair Cover shot by Annie Leibovitz.
While the magazine's interior editorial features more shots of the model by the likes of Ellen von Unwerth, Camilla Akrans, Francesco Carrozzini, and Jan Welters, I'm going to share with you the hauntingly beautiful shots by Karl Lagerfeld taken on April 22nd of Claudia, some of which are featured in the editorial and others are not.
With obvious religious overtones, the model channeling the Madonna, is shown in classic black and white Chanel.
all images, except the cover shot, courtesy of Chanel.
To see other images of Claudia from the published interior editorial by other photographers, go here.
Born and raised in New Orleans, Craig Tracy, shown working above, first started body painting in 2002 and opened his Louisiana gallery, Painted Alive Bodypainting, in early 2006.
Using a traditional paintbrush, an airbrush, sponges and finger-painting, Tracy's body paintings each take approximately one full day to complete. He uses a different model's body (and in some cases, multiple models) for each image.
above: " Toes" by Craig Tracy
His work has been used in several ads and other commercial applications. Being from New Orleans, it's not surprising that he has many jazz related images, but my favorites, without a doubt, are his nature and animal works.
above: "Elements" by Craig Tracy
The images of his work in this post are actual photos of body art in which Photoshop was NOT used.
Eminence (Lion):
the process:
Tiger (on breast):
the process:
Twee Fwog (his title, not mine):
The process:
Shelter (Elephant):
the process:
"O":
before and during:
South Side:
the process:
Koi:
the process:
Inferno:
Inclement:
His stunning illusory image of a tiger was created with three models to increase awareness and benefit a cause that is near to the heart of the artist:
Tigers have always been his favorite animal and when asked to aid in the effort to protect, repopulate and re-wild this the most endangered tiger in the world, Craig immediately said yes. "Only 100 South China Tigers are reported to remain alive and if my body painting can help increase that number by one then I'll have lived with purpose." states the artist.
