Seven Photographs That Changed Fashion 2008 - Rankin

We watched the Rankin documentary 'Seven photographs that changed fashion' on BBC4. In previous assignments I have researched Rankin and I'm a fan of the work he produces. Watching how he recreated seven fashion photographers work, known to be the most influential fashion images of the twentieth century, was great to see. The outcome of his work was fantastic in comparison to the original images.

 This Piece of work was originally photographed by Cecil Beaton in 1934  known as Hat Box. Rankin used the English singer Sophie Ellis Bextor in his recreation of the photograph. Many people have also tried to recreate Cecil's work but personally from the one's i have come across myself Rankin's is my favourite. Rankin used the same lighting and camera as what Cecil used when he originally took his photograph and looking at them side by side they are very similar, with Rankin having the slightly more modern look about it with the hat he used and shooting on digital
This photograph was originally taken by Herb Ritts Fred with tires 1984. Herb was a best known fashion photographer before he was out of his early twenties. The image shot was intended for an Italian designer advertising Levi Jeans, but when the clothing arrived Herb and his stylist rejected them, dressing the model in overals instead. Making the picture not what the magazine wanted. But as the image was so powerful the magazine ran them anyway causing a sensation. Rankin chose to locate the recreating shoot in a scrapyard, photoshopping the background darker so it was more like Herb's. The model Rankin used was former Dolce and Gabbana model David Gandy, and was a different experience for him as Rankin isn't used to doing this type of shoot with a male, he wasn't quite sure what to do with him. But nevertheless the image he produced was very similar to Herb's. Herb being able to connect with his models wether they be male or female. Hence the reason to Rankin's image looking more like a typical male, and Herb's being more sexual with the structure of the model, and a certain look in his eyes.


This image was originally photographed by Helmut Newton, a German-Australian photographer, 1975 Rue Aubriot in the streets of Paris, outside of his apartment. He was known to be a provocative fashion photographer. Rankin also photographed his recreation of Helmut's work in the same street of Paris at 4am, with the original model, Vibeke helping out. He chose to photograph Jade Parftitt. I personally prefer Helmut's image as the texture on the ground and the stance of the model gives the photograph a more natural feel, Rankin's image comes across more
posed.

This image was originally taken buy Guy Bourdin, a French fashion photographer, in 1970. His work is very sensual, provocative, exotic sometimes sinister. Guy was influenced by his mentor Man Ray, photographer Edward Weston, the surrealist painters Magritte and Balthus and film maker Luis Buñuel. When doing photo shoots Guy would easily take 700+ images and end up with a final one or two, and all his images were taken using lighting and a camera, no image manipulation. Personally I prefer Guy Bourdin's image to Rankin's recreation. Out of all the recreation images he took I feel this one is the least similar to the original, with the Red tights he put the model in, and the blonde/black hair. The position of Rankin's model isn't as strong as Guy's, and I prefer the look of the background in Guy's photograph that Rankin's

This Vogue cover was originally done by German photographer Erwin Blumenfeld in January 1950 (Model Jean Patchett). He began taking photo's professionally in the 1930's publishing his first work for Vogue in 1938. Here I again prefer the original photographer Erwin Blumenfeld's work to Rankin's recreation. Rankin tried to make his image more modern with the model, Heidi Klum, licking her lips, making the image a 'raunchy' version of Erwin's. He also added in her nose unlike Erwin. Although Erwin's photograph doesn't have anything more than lips and an eye it works, nobody questions where the missing features are. The recreation has been done extremely well though with the model Rankin chose looking very similar to the one Edwin Blumenfeld photographed.

This was originally photographed by Richard Avedon in 1955, he has a reputation for shooting his fashion work on location, this setting being more unusual than most, inside the famous cirque d'hiver in Paris. This image was set up intended to showcase new work by French designer Christian Dior. The model Richard used was Docima, (Her real name being Dorothy Viginia Margaret Juba). Rankin used the catwalk model Erin O'connor to recreate this image, and I prefer his to Richard Avedon's. This being because the circus elephants on Richard's photograph are chained up, looking uncomfortable as if they are trying to get away from the model. Rankin's photograph looks more relaxed. But I do like that on Richard Avedon's photograph the model is actually making contact with the elephants in the shot. Her hand on the trunk and her head leaning against one of their faces, instead on just in front of them reaching out like Rankin's




This image was taken by David Bailey originally in 1962 with the model, his girlfriend at the time, now wife, Jean Shrimpton. I feel This image is a slightly sexual, seductive image with the expression on the models face and with the pose she is doing. When I first glanced at David's photograph I thought the model's hair was in an un-do, but in actual fact he used a piece of card to give it a windswept look, revealing her neck again giving it a quite sexual seductive look. Rankin also used the card trick when recreating his image with his now wife (girlfriend at the time), model Tuuli Shipster Rankin. I prefer the work of David Bailey's compared to Rankin's due to the stance of the model on David's photograph I feel is stronger. With the arched hand on the head showing the muscles in her back, instead of it being flat as in Rankin's. It doesn't show as much detail on Rankin's models back. I also feel that on Rankin's image the dress is slightly too revealing on the models breast making it stand out. The facial expression on both of the models face is almost identical but i personally wouldn't have used a blonde model when creating this recreation image. As David Bailey chose to photograph his girlfriend and Rankin was recreating his image, this may have been the reason he chose to use his own girlfriend in this shot.