www.ashleyholloway.com

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Lenore

Every year I try to make at least one editorial with Autumn and Halloween in mind. Halloween is my favorite holiday, because I love the dark and eerie tones that this season brings to my work.  This editorial has a darkly romantic mood, which is one of my personal favorite things to shoot. I enjoy "pretty pretty" things, but photographing pretty things with a dark or bittersweet tone is what has my heart at the end of the day. The editorial is named "Lenore," after Edgar Allan Poe's ill-fated young lover in "The Raven." I always imagine Lenore as a sweet, young bride, who becomes, after her death, a dark memory for the narrator of the poem, a painful reminder of the love he's lost. The transition throughout the poem is something I wanted to capture, as she eventually turns, in his mind, into the Raven itself, dark, twisted, and haunting and nothing like the once beautiful memory of his youthful bride. If you've never read "The Raven" before, I highly recommend giving it a read as it's one of my favorites, although it's even better read-aloud by somebody with a great voice: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/178713

"Lenore," featured in Jute Magazine online: http://www.jutefashionmagazine.com/webitorial/lenore-by-ashley-holloway/


Photographer: Ashley Holloway (www.ashleyholloway.com)
Model: Carson H. @ Modern Muse
Millinery: Monstruosite by Dolly Donshey (www.dollydonshey.com)
Gowns Provided by: All Brides 2 Be & Formalwear (www.allbrides2be.com)
Hair Stylist and Makeup Artist: Laura Reynolds Hair and Makeup (www.laurareynoldsartistry.com)
  
 


 
 


 Impossible 600 round film, shot with Polaroid Impulse



























Tuesday, October 6, 2015

A Quiet Dance in the Dark

There are moments when unplanned things arise and sometimes you like the unplanned better than the planned. As Darlina was expertly curling and clipping Alex's hair, I was telling her how I had always wanted to photograph somebody with their hair just like that. Darlina just looked at me and basically said, "Well, why don't you then?" So we did. 

I had ebay'd this vintage Laros nightgown and peignoir set a couple of months back after seeing the same pair online elsewhere, so I was quite happy to finally photograph it. I have a fairly large collection of vintage nightgowns from the 40s-60s, and they're pieces that just make me smile in the biggest way. They bring to mind, for me, so many conflicting but intriguing qualities: mystery, innocence, and sensuality.

Model: Alex Bouchard
MUA & Hair Stylist: Darlina Conto
 














Thursday, October 1, 2015

Faerie Caves

I love shooting with Ricky Lindsay not only because he brings me wonderful fairytale gowns to photograph, but he is also just an insanely wonderful person who has a mind as beautiful as the gowns he creates! A couple of months ago, he asked me if I wanted to tag along with him to "the caves," as he referred to them.  It sounded right up my alley, so I agreed!  Everybody had their hair and makeup done at my home, and then we headed off!  It was a fairly long walk up a trail to get to the caves (well, a mile and a half isn't that long but when it's super hot and you have 20lbs of gear it is!), but I was quite enamored  once I got to the location.  It was truly impossible to capture how enchanting the location truly was and I hope to go back again soon, especially because I didn't get any shots inside of the caves.

Models: Zoe Thomas and Julia Marie Chew
Designer: Ricky Lindsay Couture (www.rickylindsay.com)
MUA: Marina Conde
Hair Stylist: Tony Gonzalez



fp3000b film, shot with Polaroid 420
fp3000b film, shot with Polaroid 420 



Can you spot the butterfly?


                                                              





A darling little mushroom


The Butterfly Queen emerges from the cavern 












Impossible Project gold-framed 600 color film, shot with Polaroid Impulse