LSP and HARIM: a hymn to cultural growth.
HARIM Academy, (Accademia Euromediterranea), and the London School of Photography are ready to launch new stimulating activities dedicated to photography. Calling it a hymn to mutual cultural growth. Photography will be the main feature in the form of landscape, street and fashion and more.
The partnership begun with a photo shoot that involved LSP Founder Antonio Leanza, Fashion Design (Maria Teresa Lionti), Stylist Gabriella Ferrera (Artist and President of Harim Academy) and our wonderful Director of Training Giovanni Barsanti.
Antonio now talks about the collaboration and gives insight on the inspiration and creative process behind the photo shoot.
Q: How did this collaboration between LSP and Harim Academy come about?
A: It was pure synchronicity, a lot of coincidences all at once. I was coming back from a short break in Sicily and Marco Aloisi and Gabriella Ferrera, the Founders of Harim Academy were sitting right next to me.
Now, I didn’t know who they were or what they did, I was happily downing some Gin & Tonic and we just started to talk.
We had a great connection and kept in touch. The next time I saw them, Marco told me that I had been chosen for the Madeinmedi Award. I must say, I was blown away. I have never received an Award 🙂 It was an amazing experience and I am very grateful for it.
From this connection; Castdiva Models Management, which is part of the Harim
Network There, at a Multicasting Event, I was given the privilege to be part of the Jury and choose two models for a photoshoot. My choice was Gaia & Andrea for the Psyche & Eros project, and the photo shoot took place on October 20th.
Q: Can you talk about the inspiration and creative process behind the shoot?
A: I was visually attracted at first by Gaia’s unique and fresh beauty. Her red hair stood out
in particular, and Andrea seemed to fit perfectly next to her; the perfect match to create something painterly, an Art Portrait. That’s how it all started.
Of course, at that time, in June, it was all fuzzy. I had no idea it was going to be Psyche & Eros, I knew I wanted something evocative, and arty not just another catalogue shot. The actual creative process started at the end of September, in Sicily. The first step was defining the Theme, Mood and Story. I did this through research, diving deep into the Renaissance, Pre-Raphaelites and Mythology.
Now, I had a name for the project, Psyche & Eros, inspired by Apuleius Metamorphosis.
The next steps were, to find a location, a Stylist, a Hair Stylist, a Makeup Artist and, deciding on the Lighting Design, therefore finding the necessary tools.
All this took three weeks, I remember we received the reflector we used 15min before going on location for the shoot.
The actual Production Part, the photo-shoot, was only 1hr. Very little in comparison to the Pre-Production, the research, putting together the team, mood board and everything else. The Post-Production, the editing and processing of the pictures, took also three weeks before publishing.
It could have taken longer because when it comes to my personal work, I like to let the pictures decant. I want to look at them afresh, when I’ve managed to detach myself from them. We need to let it go for a while because we are too invested in it.
