Erica Felicella - Art Chicas Unidas 2009

Art Chicas Unidas Reception November 14th, 2009

2009-11-16T08:34:00.000-08:00

Once parting with my young apprentices. I still had the post-production work to do. In one week I needed to edit, retouch, print, frame and install the series. With coffee and my dog at my side I got to work. I have posted a look at more lighting tests, edit picks before retouching and more at my flickr. Please take a look.

Here is what ended up being displayed out in the woods.

La Reunion – Art Chicas Unidas 2009

“The Price of Beauty”
Conceptual Photography Series by Erica Felicella

Crew:
Erica Felicella
Tammy Pitre
Cierra Geer
Britanni Johnson

Assistant Crew:
Erika
Roxanne
Cindy
Daisy

Statement about Concept:

This short series of work tells the story of a woman facing her own struggle with external versus inner beauty. In three images we watch her go from Recognition to Transition and end in Revelation. She walks into the woods a defeated individual, lost and aware of the need for change. A failed plan allows her to look within herself to see beauty and strength. Now aware of her true beauty, she continues on her journey out of the woods reveling in her new found strength.
This short visual story addresses the pressure placed on woman in our society and the misperception that they face. The “really beautiful” people are often not seen for who they truly are and the “other people” are obsessed with the idea of unattainable beauty. The ultimate beauty lies inside and knowing who you truly are.

The Price of Beauty
Archival Pigment Prints – Artist Proofs
12.5” x 17.5”
2009

1. Recognition
We found the character in this story at the point of recognition. She has begun her journey into the woods to find the change she seeks

2. Transition
Shortly after her failed attempt, she is sitting in the forest with her thoughts. She enters a place of contemplation.

3. Revelation
Coming to the end of her journey, she has been released from her former burden of self. Walking out of the woods, she stops to take a moment to revel in her in all the beauty.

Recognition - "The Price of Beauty" © erica felicella photography

Transition - "The Price of Beauty" © erica felicella photography

Revelation - "The Price of Beauty" © erica felicella photography

A big thank you to all of my crew, to the volunteers, La Reunion and the other 3 artists. What a great project!

Production Day with the Crew November 7th, 2009. Part 2

2009-11-16T08:19:00.000-08:00

Once the girls and I had a clear idea about what we needed to do. We started collecting the rest of the elements that were needed for the shoot and scouting for the third location. The girls were staring at stumps and branches, searching for the perfect location. They did a fantastic job helping me! The amazing stump in the first two shots was there find and the branch in the second shot. The third location was there pick entirely and I loved it!

Once we knew the elements it was time to pre-light before lunch. We did a really quick gear orientation and hopped to it. The girls helped in every way. Holding stands, taking meter readings, being the stand-in model. Things were looking great!

Pre-Lighting for Shot #1
About this time down the hill came our fashion stylist Tammy Pitre, Make-up artist Cierra Geer and Model Britanni Johnson. Before we broke for lunch the girls had a chance to ask questions to rest of the crew. During lunch, the sun broke loose from the clouds and poured out onto our location. So after lunch we had to change some lighting.

Pre-Lighting 2 for Shot #1.
Everything was ready to go and the full sun on the set turned out to be just what the story needed. We had an hour and thirty minutes to get the three shots captured. The girls were fantastic, the crew was fantastic. I could not have asked for a better day in the woods.

Production Day with the Crew November 7th, 2009. Part 1

2009-11-16T07:58:00.000-08:00

Woke up extra early this morning and was pleased to see that there was no rain falling from the sky. I headed out to the La Reunion land to unload my gear and do some prep before the girls arrived.

The land had a full week to dry out from a month of rain but the area of my original location pick was still mucky. I grabbed my camera and started framing out areas. I found a spot that was even better than the first pick.

Location for Shot #1 + #2

The girls arrived and we did a quick orientation with everyone and split off into our groups. I had four fantastic young women working with me. Erika, Roxanne, Cindy and Daisy followed me down into the woods to begin our day together.
I had prepared packets for them to read and a schedule of the day. Here is some of the information they received.
Location:
4585 West Jefferson
Dallas, Texas 75211

Park in the gravel area on the right hand side of the road. There will
be a empty garage up the hill to your right. Head that way and give
me a call. I should have someone waiting for you.

Schedule:
7:30-9:00 Erica Arrive and unload to location
9:00-9:30 Orient gear and prepare location for the day
9:30-10:15 Concept discussion and direction
10:15-11:15 Prepare Set and Pre-lighting
11:00 Crew Arrive to Set
11:15-12:00 Discussion with crew
12:00-12:45 Girls break for Lunch model in m/u
1:00-2:30 Shoot three shots for series
2:30-3:00 Wrap and Breakdown Set
3:00-3:30 Pack gear and head home

Project:
“The Price of Beauty” Series

Concept:
We have a woman who has great external beauty, the main character of this work. She lives in an unbalanced world that only pays tribute her outer self, leaving her empty and incomplete. In an attempt to end her life in the forest she fails, allowing her a chance to look within and see her inner beauty and herself as a whole. For the ultimate beauty lies inside and knowing who you truly are.

The main topic is the misperceived belief of beauty that women face in this world. The “really beautiful” people are often not seen for who they truly are and the “other people” are obsessed with the idea of unattainable beauty. Our main character is essentially a phoenix that rises from false perception of her own external beauty.

Tools for Describing the Story:
Metaphor - A metaphor is a direct comparison between two or more seemingly unrelated subjects describing one subject as being alike to another subject in some way. Metaphors are useful for illustrating ideas, simplifying complex subjects and making people think.

Visual Metaphor – “A visual metaphor is a device for encouraging insights, a tool to think with. . . .  
 "That is, with visual metaphors, the image-maker proposes food for thought without stating any determinate proposition. It is the task of the viewer to use the image for insight." (Noël Carroll, "Visual Metaphor," in Beyond Aesthetics. Cambridge Univ. Press, 2001)

Conceptual Photography:

Conceptual photography is a photography genre in which the artists makes a photograph of a concept or idea. Usually the conception of the idea precedes the realization of the photography. This kind of photography often involves use of computer editing, to achieve the desired effects.

Visual Clues for this series of work:

Most of the visual hints in this series approach the need for change in the young woman’s life. Her journey to the woods is all symbolic of the change of direction in her own thought.

Forest - walking through the forest, signifies a transitional phase. Follow your instincts. Alternatively, it indicates that you want to escape to a simpler way of life. You are feeling weighed down by the demands of your life. To be lost in a forest, signifies that you are searching through your unconscious for a better understanding of yourself.

Woods - To be lost in the woods, indicates that you are starting a new phase in your life. You are expressing some anxiety about leaving behind the familiar and what you know.

White - White projects purity, cleanliness, and neutrality. Doctors don white coats, brides traditionally were white gowns and a white picket fence surrounds a safe and happy home.
 How the color white affects us mentally and physically
 * aids mental clarity
 * encourages us to clear clutter or obstacles
 * evokes purification of thoughts or actions
 * enables fresh beginnings

Attempted Death - When "death" appears in a story, it is a very reliable indicator of growing and changing so profoundly that only the "death" of the old "me", (or part if "me"), is an adequate symbol of the psycho-spiritual process that is taking place.

After we discussed the concept and the direction of the day we jumped right into action.

Pre Production for Art Chicas 2009

2009-11-10T15:47:00.000-08:00

I was pleased as punch to be a part of Art Chicas for another year.
2009 artists were Myself, Nicole Horn, Kael Alford and Emily Stewart.
Now it was time to get to work. Things that needed to be completed for this year

Preliminary Location Scouting-

We went out to the woods and looked around for inspiration.

I took a couple of quick panoramas to have something to look at as a reference.

Find a crew -
I have had the pleasure to work with many amazing people on my projects in the past. What I needed for this series was

A Fashion Stylist, this person handles wardrobe and an extra eye for overall aesthetics
A Make-up Artist, this person transforms the models appearance to fit the need of the concept
A Model, this person will become the character of the short conceptual story

Prepare a production schedule-
When working on a series of images I like to lay out a time map that will allow for organized work flow on shoot day.

Pre-Pro Meetings -
I had a pre-pro meeting with the Stylist to discuss wardrobe and the overall concept, Many many emails for model and make-up selection.

Prepare -
This concept had me digging into some deeper topics and I wanted to be prepared for any questions that may come up. I also wanted to have a firm hold on my own understanding of the concept.

I prepared a production packet for the crew and the gals. Packed all of my gear and was ready for work day.

Art Chicas 2009 - Project Beginning

2009-11-10T15:31:00.000-08:00

Three years ago I prepared a project proposal for jury review. A new program for La Reunion called Art Chicas Unidas was underway. Now three years later I am still preparing project proposals for the same program. Years one and two had me teaching my medium to the girls and allowing them to produce a work of their own art.

My amazing group of ladies from year 2, Art Chicas 2008

This year was different, the girls were to be our assistants and the artists the mentors. Also we were to be working in the La Reunion woods. A place that has become near and dear to my heart.

I pondered how to proceed and kept mentally coming back to a concept I wrote down in a journal many years ago. It had
everything I wanted to talk about and ofcourse the series needed to be photographed in the woods.

So over coffee I typed up my project proposal for year 3 of Art Chicas.

Program Proposal for 2009

Objective:
To produce a small series of work with 4 helpers. The girls will be involved in the whole process of the conceptual project. Below is the basic outline of the process:

- Discussion about concept, understanding the statement of the work.
- Site selection and scouting
- Hair/makeup
- Lighting
- Shooting
- Editing
- Post Production (Retouching and final effects)
- Printing for outdoor display
- Preparing Artist statement of work

The majority of the work will be completed on site. The girls will have worked on everything from concept to set styling. There will also be time to discuss various other photographers and concepts.

Project:
“The Price of Beauty”

When the work comes together completely as planned there will be a story created in three simple images.

Concept -
We have a woman who has great external beauty, the main character of this work. She lives in an unbalanced world that only pays tribute her outer self, leaving her empty and incomplete. In an attempt to end her life in the forest she fails, allowing her a chance to look within and see her inner beauty and herself as a whole. For the ultimate beauty lies inside and knowing who you truly are.

The main topic is the misperceived belief of beauty that women face in this world. The “really beautiful” people are often not seen for who they truly are and the “other people” are obsessed with the idea of unattainable beauty. Our main character is essentially a phoenix that rises from false perception of her own external beauty.

Goal:
To have shared my process for conceptual photographic work. To have approached a hard topic and used the work to create dialog with a positive message.