TOMAAS

Why I chose TOMAAS: TOMAAS stood out to me as one of my favourite photographers I have ever seen.  I love the variety in his work, and the way he looks at different social themes when photographing different models and placing them in different situations. It can be said that his edgy style is vibrant, dramatic yet at the same time it is subtle. Instead of just creating photographs to please the human eye, he creates sets which form a unique photographic experience where the model and subject, atmosphere and the location which he takes them in all correlate together into a narrative of his own stories. His images to me stand out as something you would see in a cinema, or a production on stage and I chose him to study more into his background and look at the way four of his images create such a presence in the beauty industry. 

Bio: Born in Hamburg, Germany TOMAAS has lived in NYC for 18 years and is now based in Paris. His images have been and continue to be shown in an ever expanding number of international publications such as Vogue Italia, W Magazine, VS, Marie Claire, Qvest, Twill etc. His work has also been exhibited in several New York galleries.

Candy Warhol is inspired by the work and pop art era of Andy Warhol. The pastel colours in this image soften the skin and compliments the subtle makeup used around the eyes and to create a subtle approach to a pop art movement. The wig used stands out for a contemporary image as it reflects one that would have been used previously in the 1960's and 70's. The lips are where most of the makeup is present, as it features coloured balls on the lips which consist of the candy hundreds and thousands commonly used in food. The composition of the image places the model slightly off centre, where her head is slightly tilted to reflect the wig and her bright hair. The different colours of the balls make the lips appear fuller but also gives the image a modern and funky vibe to it. 

The use of water in this image makes the model appear as though they are submerged beneath the surface. It makes the model appear as though they are trapped and unable to get out of the pane of glass. This is cleverly done by placing a frosted glass over the lens of the camera and placing the model closely behind it. Compelling as this image is, the colour of the lips still overpowers the dark border that surrounds the rest of the image. The eyes are darkened by the shadows and the cheekbones and jaw is maintained through the use of the specified lighting which is directed towards certain aspects of the face. 

Head piece is bright and creates a border around the head which lights it up. The face is softened high key lighting and the body and slim frame of the female is exaggerated by the dark shadows which define the body parts. Her clothing is white, which reflects on the paleness of the skin. The skin tone is so bright it is a huge contrast to the perfect black background. The model appears frail, but the necklace takes the attention away from her frail complexion and bone structure. The chunky necklace and accessories make the model appear more frail, and the headpiece makes the model appear more angelic through the idea that it is a halo above her head.

In this image, the female is looking directly away from the background. It appears to be from the same shoot as the one above. However, due to the change in composition and accessories, the image appears completely different. The female this time is facing completely away from the camera, we have a side on head shot of the model. This enables the audience to see the side profile, and it holds a lot of enigma codes. The audience is able to question what they feel like the female is looking at and why her face is so serious. The earrings used a modern, yet still large and exaggerated which make up for the lack of makeup which is on the females face. Beauty is therefore shown through the subtle makeup, and soft shadows of the females face. The headpiece used is contemporary and not something often used in either the beauty or fashion industry, however it makes the model appear unique and makes TOMAAS' style stand out in the beauty industry.

Influences

Summary