Tag: Leah Hawker photography

Corporate Commission: Alan Walt Architects & Ass.
The Client Christmas Card 2011

Post author By Leah
Post date September 26, 2015
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The Client Christmas Card 2011

Be Cool

If there’s one rule to this game
Everybody can name real plain
It’s, be cool!
If you’re worried or uncertain
If your feelings are hurtin’
You’re a fool if you can’t keep cool
Charm ’em
Don’t alarm ’em
Keep things light
Keep your worries out of sight
And play it cool
Fifty-fifty
Fire and Ice

Joni Mitchell

I had worked with Alan Walt in 2007 when I produced our first collaborative end-of-year card together. This would be our 3rd collaboration (our second was unsuccessful in 2008).

Alan had a reference image which would be the basis of his 2011 card; it was an image of a woman’s bum after she had been sitting on a woven chair for quite some time. The seat of the chair had left an imprint on her skin and it was the combination of the mark-making on a private area of the body, which Alan was interested in.

I eventually found these references Alan sent me... — I eventually found these references Alan sent me…

We had the “Alan Walt Architects” logo cut out of black perspex and I asked a friend who had posed for me before to come into the studio to sit on it for half an hour before I took a photo of her bum, now branded, for Alan’s card.

The idea of branding or ownership is interesting, especially in the sense of this being a corporate commission. There is a play here on elements of the private/public sense of identity which, combined here by Alan with the Joni Mitchell lyrics “Be Cool” make for an expressive and personal statement from my client to his.

Elements of this commission left my head bemused with ideas about “branding”: branding cattle, branding clothing, brand advertising, branding my friends bum with my clients logo, etc.
The other side of Alans commission which also interested me were the elements of the business game which he points out quite unabashedly: being visible, sensationalism in marketing, staking acclaim to material objects or property/ownership all connected to, again, private/public notions.

Below is the laid out document he mailed to his clients at the 2011 year end.

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A Collection of Female Attire

The Collection: Panties
#48- #50

Post author By Leah
Post date September 16, 2015
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#48- #50

(Please note: This is the “archive” of the collection of shoot props (generally lingerie/womens attire somehow) that I have gathered over the last 11 years of my career.
They are catalogued by number, and description for now as well as any other relevant information about their individual histories- how I came to have the items, what shoots they might have been used for, etc.
The style in which I document an item may vary according to the type of garment/object it is).

#48 – Panties
Plum coloured, lace, boyleg panties. I didn’t expect these to look so pretty when shot, but they do. They are La Senza brooks which were gifted to the collection a few years back and have not been shot with yet. I like the slit and bow details on the front mid thighs.

#49 – Panties
Black, opaque and mesh high waisted panties. I bought these goodies at Woolworths in 2013 for the Miss July Playboy Playmate photoshoot which took place (last minute) in my Woodstock studio. The knickers are a really nice cut and design.

#50 – Panties
Black lace and mesh, side tying thong. I reckon I must have come across these at a Chinese supermarket at some stage. They are so flimsy and badly made its actually impressive.

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A Collection of Female Attire

The Collection: Panties
#45- #47

Post author By Leah
Post date September 12, 2015
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#45- #47

#45 – Panties
La Senza, size medium, black & pink floral printed, high waisted knickers with frill and suspender detail. I was thrilled to buy these. They were a sale item at La Senza’s factory shop about 9 years ago and are such a great design by this brand. They remind me of some of Ellen Von Unwerth’s earlier B&W work.
The ruffles are reminiscent of 40’s designs and the suspender clips are detachable.

#46 – Panties
Acid green/yellow lace knickers with back lace-up detail. These were amongst a batch of undies, all from La Senza, that a friend decided to inherit to the collection after she broke up with her partner.

#47 – Panties
Size small, white, mesh and lace knickers. I bought these on a scouting mission for a Playboy photoshoot a few years ago. It was, I think, the Miss July Playmate story which was shot in studio very last minute. The knickers were never used in the shoot at the end but they’re still hanging around, brand new…

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Women I've Shot

“The Housewives”, Private Commissions:
This is Louise

Post author By Leah
Post date September 10, 2015
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This is Louise

(Note: “The Housewives” was a term I fondly coined in 2006 after I started getting shoot requests from private, individual women who became my clients. Many of the women who contacted me were married and in their mid 30’s and were doing the shoots as gifts to their husbands. The folder in my archives is still called this and so I’ve stuck to it, in part just for the irony: most of these women are not “housewives” at all, but strong independent and forward thinking women who I have had the honour of documenting.

All are private commissions and the demographic has changed substantially over the years. Some I’m still in contact with, others I’ve totally lost contact with, some have become friends, some may wish not to have their real names used, others don’t mind, some may have their faces obscured for privacy reasons, others have generously shared their experiences of being photographed.)

I met and shot beautiful Louise in September 2006.

She may have been the first private commissioned job (in this genre) that I photographed on location.

Louise inspired me then and she inspires me still. She had a strong sense of self and a confidence about herself and her body that I admire.

We started her shoot on Witsands beach early in the morning. It was overcast and freezing, a few surfers were braving it out in the swell, we began in the dunes, a little way back from the beach. Louise must have been quite cold but she was also determined and absolutely accommodating to each of my ideas. Her goosebumps show the temperature but also add to the vulnerability of the open-air environment and therefore to the tone of the resulting pictures.

I brought a handful of natural props to the shoot but focussed more on highlighting the moody ambience of the morning and the beach textures in contrast with her femininity.

We shot a series of different bedroom-type looks later.
This part of our shoot together was a creative medley of props and looks we had pre-discussed. We used lingerie, accessories and backgrounds to create variety, some playful and fun tones, others more sensual or themed. The below images are a few examples.

Louise had opted for a more outdoorsy feel overall and so, towards the end of the day, we left for Llandudno beach to catch the sunset, set against giant granite boulders there.
Just to the left of the main beach are a small series of mini-beach-alcoves which are beautiful and very secluded for shooting in, it depends of course on the time of the year, sand and the tides but we were lucky- the rock was perfectly exposed, tide was out and the light was magical.

We brought and used minimal props,- just a few items such as cloth and oil which complemented the textural quality of the environment.

Looking back 9 years on work I shot at the start of my journey is gratifying. Each interaction with a woman I document is like a peek into the nature of women, femininity, their/our vulnerability and strength.

These images of Louise remind me not just about how much I’ve learned since I worked with her but about how each experience I’ve had has moulded my own understanding of our individuality and identity within the culture we reside.