CThru.com Presents Tony Ward Studio

Photo: Francesca Nichol

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Francesca Nichol

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……….In this series I wanted to look at a way to commercialize sexual aspects of the body like penises and breasts using media we are all used to. Advertising is a huge part of any business and brands, particularly in fashion, use of the idea of sex in order to make their products appealing. I explored the idea of sex and nudity becoming more accepted in advertisements and created an underwear brand that doesn’t hold back with its message. The brand name itself was created from my middle name Ysabel and the logo was developed in as a phallic emblem mirroring the erotic content in some photos. The resulting advertisements attempt to sell underwear with a twist. Stripping back the not so subtle subtleties of images seen in magazines, movies and billboards I pushed beyond the boundary set by exposure rules in advertising and fully exposed the message behind the image. Selling products with sex.

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Photo: Francesca Nichol

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The slogan “More than underwear” not only describes the obvious physical appendages that are being shown but also relates to wider selling points of successful advertisements. Indeed advertisements sell products, but more than that they often attempt to sell a lifestyle. They imply that buying a certain brand gains you access to an elevated or more luxurious lifestyle where you might be as desired, sexy and beautiful as the models advertising such products. Similarly these photos advertise YSBL underwear along with the possibility and encouragement to look that good while adding thoughts of foreplay and sex to the mix. Selling just underwear is one thing but the erotic nature of these advertisements sells passion, foreplay and sex appeal.

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Photo: Francesca Nichol

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Wanting to give the photos a lighthearted twist, the slogans “Pick your colour” and “What’s under yours?” adds a cheeky narrative to a subject that some may find shocking. These types of ‘advertisements’ are not commonly hung on giant billboards or used in magazines, but the subject matter can be fun and not pornographic.

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Photo: Francesca Nichol

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With so much sexual content in mass media and the increasing commercialization of eroticism in literature and film tolerance for nudity has increased. While these photos certainly go beyond the “acceptable” level of tolerance my aim is not to offend or disgust an audience but rather to show the viewer a distinction between erotic photography and pornography, to really analyze what distinguishes these two genres, and in light of the increase in commercial eroticism in literature and movies to present erogenous zones in the most commercial way possible, in an advertisement pushed one step beyond the norm.

Editor’s Note: Francesca Nichol is a senior enrolled in the College at the University of Pennsylvania, Class of 2013. Ms. Nichol plans to work in advertising, photography and related fields upon graduation.

Photo: Natalia Quinteros-Guevara

Posted on December 2, 2012 nu Natalia Quinteros-Guevara

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……….Meet Pascuale Scioli. He’s a tailor in South Philadelphia’s East Passyunk neighborhood where he has been operating his own store for over 20 years. Pascuale, or “Pat”, as he has people call him, is a petite powerhouse of energy. He was outside of his shop when I first met him, talking to a neighborhood woman about the dying art of hand stitching. He continued to tell me how he uses the methods his grandfather used as a tailor. Pat is a very proud and extremely friendly guy who was more than willing to pose for a series of photos. This series aims to highlight the importance of artisans.

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When I went to photograph Pat, he was helping a customer who drove all the way from New Jersey to see him. “Shirts are made in a generic size nowadays,” he explained to us as he proceeded with his work. “The most important part of a shirt and suit is a good fit and attention to details”. We were all having a great time listening to Pat tell it like it is.

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Photo: Natalia Quinteros-Guevera

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Pat measures everything twice on the person before making some quick reference hand stitches for the alterations he will make. The entire fitting and alteration took 15 minutes at most. His hands are extremely fast and agile. An impressive site.

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The master craftsman shows me how he must iron out all pleats and folds made from a stitch in between each alteration to see how the pants fit. His iron was an amazing old school iron that had valves connecting to a continual feed of steam.

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Photo: Natalia Quinteros-Guevera

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One of the many things that fascinated me about Pat was his simple use of tools and how he had everything set up. Stools double as tables. Soap doubles as fabric markers. The dish has a sponge with water to make hand threading the needles happen in a second. The thread only in two colors to show up on their contrasting fabric. A simple and streamlined method from decades of experience showing that the more you know, the less you need.

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Photo: Natalia Quinteros-Guevera

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The pants from the proceeding shot are now at the worktable where he finalizes the alterations. His work space houses all essential items only. I imagine the ashtray as a harken back to times when people puffed away on cigarettes while being sized for a suit. Now the ashtray is being re-purposed for thimbles and needles, but it’s still on his table.

About The Author: Natalia Quinteros-Guevara is enrolled as a candidate for Master of Fine Arts in Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania.

Front Porch

Posted on December 1, 2012 by Lauryn LePere

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………..East Brady, a small town located on the Allegheny River, can be found 70 miles north of Pittsburgh. While the town used to be a coal-mining community, it has since become a summer destination for city dwellers.

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On any summer day the river is generally bustling and full of life. As you sit on our porch you can hear boats driving by, music, and waves splashing into the shore. However, during the winter months not a sound can be heard except the occasional car traveling over the bridge. All of the summer residents have retreated back to the city.

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Church

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Due to this mass exodus, the population of the town diminishes drastically when the weather cools off. So much so that the only grocery store in the town closed this fall due to insufficient business during the winter season. Sadly this is not uncommon. Many new business ventures fail to survive once the summer residents leave.

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Back in the day, the town of East Brady was where the affluent owners and managers of the coalmines lived. The remnants of their wealth can still be seen today in the architecture. The grandiose house of the wealthiest family was donated to the town, and now functions as a church, library, and town hall.

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Mansion

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As the wealth of the town deteriorated, so did the previously beautiful houses. Some individuals have worked to restore them to their previous grandeur but others have allowed them to continue the downward spiral into decomposition.

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Local Residence

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A quick drive down the main residential street reveals the stark contrast between the full-time and summer residents. Most of the typical residents work low-paying, blue-collar jobs in the manufacturing plants that are nearby, whereas the seasonal residents own their second homes in the town.

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Camp

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My family has been going to East Brady for generations, so we have been able to observe the shifting demographics of the town. More and more seasonal residents are becoming quasi-permanent residents as they retire. I hope that these new additions to the population will help to rejuvenate the town during the dreary winter months.

About The Author: Lauryn LePere is a senior enrolled in The Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. Class of 2013

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Photography by Lauryn LePere, Copyright 2012

Photo: Amanda Stevenson

Posted on November 29, 2012 by Francesca Nichol

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………..A couple of weeks ago, our Digital Photography class at the University of Pennsylvania had the opportunity to meet Amanda Stevenson, an internationally renowned photographer based in Philadelphia. Amanda retraced her journey to becoming a photographer, in the process showing us her own work while giving her honest opinions on the photography business, and offering advice helpful to anyone wanting to pursue photography in a professional capacity.

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Our first introduction to Amanda came when she generously joined the class in critiquing our current projects. Her perspective as a female photographer gave us new insights into the ways we could approach and interact with our subjects in order to achieve a better visual connection with a potential audience.

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Photo: Amanda Stevenson

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After the critique, Amanda demonstrated her range of interests and skills by presenting a large portfolio of what she called her “scrap work.” While we were able to see many of her own creative projects involving ballerinas, fashion, and beauty, there were also sports, family, and travel themes present in her repertoire. Commenting on the range of her photography, Amanda described the notion of keeping three things in mind, – big clients, creative work, and pro-bono work – in balance.

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This concept truly resonated with me as someone wanting to pursue photography and advertising simultaneously. She spoke about ways in which one can break into the photography world, sharing some entertaining anecdotes about her work as a photographer’s assistant in her youth with the likes of Annie Liebowitz and Francesco Scavullo, while we perused an elegantly crafted portfolio book which she often shows to prospective clients.

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Photo: Amanda Stevenson

Amanda’s visit was personally very eye opening as she made me aware of just how many applications photography can have, all the while providing an insight into the life of a professional working in the industry. As a class we would like to thank Amanda for her time and advice. We await her future work eagerly.

Photo: Amanda Stevenson

About The Author: Francesca Nichol is a senior enrolled in the College of the University of Pennsylvania. Class of 2013.

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Editor’s Note: To learn more about Amanda Stevenson’s photography log on: www.AmandaStevensonPhoto.com

Photo: Jack Ward

Posted on November 25, 2012 by Elisa Gabor

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……….Jack Ward – Advertising photographer for Marlboro Cigarette campaign for over twenty-five years. The “Marlboro Man” was created through his camera lens; changing the branding of cigarettes, advertising photography, and some say western-wear fashion for years to come. Jack graciously visited our Fashion Photography class at the University of Pennsylvania last week. The students are working on projects for which they are required to develop their own brand. As young photographers in today’s market, they are being taught to take advantage of their multi-disciplinary talents, and to not only create amazing photographs, but to understand the importance of self-branding when it comes to finding one’s place amongst their competitive peers.

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Photo: Jack Ward

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Photo: Jack Ward

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Jack was fantastic and eager to get to know the students and overflowing with interesting stories from his times on the campaign. I was thrilled to listen to how excited he was about photography; about the thrill of watching the scenes unfold in the viewfinder. It became clear that the only way that someone could do what he did for so long was through a genuine love for the medium and the American West.

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Photo: Jack Ward

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Photo: Jack Ward

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As the class looked through Jack’s portfolio (he had not seen this particular grouping for several years), the photographs of the cowboys and the sprawling, western landscape did not look like advertisements. Later we saw how Marlboro put their stamp on top of the images. But before they were processed with art directors, clients, and witty slogans, the photographs were of refreshing, humble scenes. Jack was right, real cowboys do have a certain “way” about them that only cowboys can have.

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My favorite story that he told us was how the campaign managers had hired a former professional football player to model in the shoots. Jack commented, although the former New York Giants quaterback was deathly handsome, apparently he could not ride a horse with precision, so from that point on, Jack only photographed real cowboys.

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Photo: Jack Ward

This is what made the Marlboro photographs successful in my view: the posture of the men on top of their horses, the coarseness of their hands, the fact that the general public was observing them doing actual work. Yes, there was a product to sell, but regardless of this, the artfulness of the imagery and the sincerity of the people involved transported me to Marlboro Country.

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Photo: Jack Ward

Photos: Copyright 2012 by Jack Ward.

About The Author: Elisa Gabor is enrolled in the Master of Fine Arts program, University of Pennsylvania.

UPenn: Photography & Fashion

Posted on October 2, 2012

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Photo: Brian Chaffinch
Designer: Mariel Rojo
Model: Kassie Dunn
Agent: Main Line Models
Copyright 2012

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Editor’s Note: To see more fashion designs by Mariel Rojo, log on:www.MarielRojo.com

UPenn: Photography & Fashion

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Photo: Tony Ward
Model: Becca
Agency: Main Line Models
Fashion Designer: Mariel Rojo

Copyright 2012

Poster by Mikel Elam

Posted on September 22, 2012
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Get out and vote on Election Day, Tuesday, November 6, 2012.

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Editor’s Note: To learn more about Mikel Elam’s work, log on: www.MikelElam.com

www.Handcraftica.com

Posted on September 1, 2012 by Jennifer Ellen Cole

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……….There is artwork that hangs in museums and galleries, and then there is Handcraftica. An authentic work of art brings on a whole new meaning when instead of hanging on a wall, it hangs ever so delicately and beautifully on a neckline…

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www.Handcraftica.com

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You won’t find pieces like these anywhere else. Each and every necklace, earring, bracelet, and headpiece has been painstakingly articulated and hand-crafted by Amy Christine Pyles. Throughout her life and in her spare time, she has produced hundreds of beautiful, custom made pieces of jewelry. Whether it’s an earthy stone found on the ground, a metal wire taken from a belt, or an earring without a match, it’s more than likely you’ll see it woven into something new and fresh.

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www.Handcraftica.com

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Welcome to Handcraftica. Business owner Amy Christine Pyles has turned her lifelong fascination with shiny rocks, stones, and various other gems, into a mass production of fashionable, wearable art. My focus is to attribute fame to her name. It’s definitely different when a client is also a close friend of yours because your heart is always that much more into working to produce the outcome you both want. Coordinating Amy’s business functions has become a new-found passion for me.

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www.Handcraftica.com

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As part of a bigger project I’m working on, an initial step was to produce classy and sexy photographs of models showing off Amy’s jewelry. While the look of the model was important, more importantly the jewelry was what really needed true time to shine. The images needed to be particularly eye-catching and distinctly creative as to be indicative of each piece’s special uniqueness. With these bullet-points for the shoot on my mind, it became apparent that the most efficient way to accomplish this task was in requesting Tony Ward’s assistance.

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www.Handcraftica.com

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With TW’s exceptional skills and vision, we were able to collaborate on a beautiful production of finished images focused on Handcraftica. With the public now accessible to these images, one can truly see and appreciate, and maybe even someday wear one of Amy’s works of art. Take for instance the denim fringe necklace which Amy created from pieces of an old jean skirt. Or the gold chain from an old belt turned into a necklace filled with semi-precious stones. Each and every piece of jewelry has taken careful time and thought by its creator.

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With additional collaboration from make-up artist Jessica Saint and models Heather Painter, Ava Adames, and Heather Hemmer , volume 1 of the “Handcraftica Portfolio” was successfully produced. The good thing about art is its beauty never has to end. Fashion and photography is only one avenue of elaborating upon a work of art’s beauty. The jewelry’s beauty from Handcraftica will never cease to continue growing because there’s always a different outfit, a different color, and/or a different accessory to wear it with or pair it up with…

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www.Handcraftica.com

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Playing dress up never goes out of style and Handcraftica jewelry will continue to offer unique and custom made looks for endless looks, occasions, and fun.

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www.Handcraftica.com

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www.Handcraftica.com

Credits

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Models

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Ava Adames
Heather Plank
Jennifer Ellen Cole
Heather Hemmer

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Hair & Makeup by Jessica Saint

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Photos by Tony Ward, Copyright 2012

www.Handcraftica.com

Photo by Tony Ward, Copyright 2012