Fashion Photographer Spotlight: Che Correa

 Sometime in late 2012, I was far from home physically and metaphorically, wandering the spectacular movie-set-quality TeslaCon event in Wisconsin. TeslaCon is famous the world over for its genius visual and immersive experience, created by Eric Larson. Between jetlag, though, and a stomach bug, I had spent most of the first two days of TeslaCon hiding out in my hotel room. By the third day, I reemerged to find that my friends were quite busy with their scheduled appearances at the event and I was quite alone, so I poked through the dealer room and ballroom. Along the way, I met a group of cool goths who looked as if they might have time traveled back from a war-torn, post-apocalyptic wasteland to share their desert-chic fashion sense and enjoy some cold beers, and a beautiful young woman wearing a colorful dress and some truly awesome glasses.

What started out as a chance encounter ended up becoming a night of laughter, whiskey shots, cheese sampling and an ongoing contact with photographer and cool nerd Che Correa.

Midwest-based Che Correa has an eye for dark subject matter, interesting lighting, and poses that are subtly provocative. Her style is perfectly jarring at times, and blends a feminine and masculine eye for fashion and shapes. Her personal style is enviable as well, mostly because she always looks so at-home in whatever she wears.

I had the opportunity to chat with her recently about her photography, her work for Cloud Orchid Magazine, an alternative fashion magazine that promotes fascinating new talent, and some tips she can give models who are interested in increasing their chances at landing gigs.


1. As a fashion photographer what is the most important thing you look for in models?

What I look for is the ability to transform into a character. To feel the emotion and transpire it onto the photograph. A grace and flow when it comes to the body and awareness of the light when posing.

2. Do you have certain settings that you prefer (indoor, outdoor, etc.)

Right now I'm working solely on studio settings. My ultimate goal would be to create my own sets or go to locations where I can create elaborate stories.

3. What is your advice for curvy fashionistas who are interested in becoming models?

Whether you are curvy or not, it is essential that you take care of your body. Your body is the tool you use the most to do your job, so take good care of it. Exfoliate, lotion, keep moisturized, and pamper your skin; condition and nurture your hair, etc. It shows when you walk in the door when you are trying to book a gig.

4. Who are some of the fashion designers you'd love to shoot for?

I would love to work with designers who love geometric shapes and pastel colors. That's why I really enjoy the works of Not Equal, which you happened to introduce me to. Also, I recently saw some of Amato Haute Couture gowns and they inspired me so much and Would love nothing more than to collaborate with them. I am also particular to masks and head dresses and one designer that stole my heart with her fabulous designs is Miss G Designs, from California.

5. I've seen that in your photographs, too, that eye for geometry. And NotEqual does certainly fit the bill, so I'm more than happy to have introduced you to their work. Now, you have to tell us a bit more about Cloud Orchid Magazine!

Cloud Orchid Magazine is a labor of love lead by my friends and partners in crime, Bryan Thompson and Little Alice. It is a magazine that focuses on Independent and new designers with a taste for Alternative Dark Fashions. We encourage designers with wild looks and fresh new designs to submit images for publication and love to see amazing photography showcasing the new fashions.

6. Very cool; designers, listen up! So, what do you think about Steampunk? We did, of course, meet at TeslaCon...

 I think Steampunk is the work of genius. The fashion is amazingly complicated and fun. The characters I've met make me want to dive right into that world and seriously never return. It is beautifully addictive and enchanting. I love it.

7. What is the best way for people to keep up with what you're doing?

The best way to keep up with via Facebook at facebook.com/CheCorreaPhotography, however, I also encourage people to follow me on other social media avenues, such as: 

Instagram: @fire_lies_within
Blog: http://checorreaphotography.wordpress.com/
Google +: +Che Correa.

8. If designers or models are interested in being featured in Cloud Orchid, who should they contact?

They should contact Bryan Thompson, Co-editor of Cloud orchid at Bryan@cloudorchid.com.



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Thank you so  much to Che for the interview. I definitely suggest everyone check out her work, and follow her on social media. She promotes healthy lifestyle choices and posts interesting anecdotes about life as a photographer, as well as travel stories and links to art she loves.


**ALL photographs in this piece are courtesy and property of Che Correa. Do not post elsewhere, cut, or alter these photos.

(Me- far left, and Che, third from left, at TeslaCon! Photo courtesy of Cloud Orchid Magazine)

Accessory Artist Spotlight: Louzart

Louzart is perhaps more of a state of mind than even a jewelry mind. It's colorful, unique, and screams for attention. The creator of Louzart, Lou Romine Ratliff, is similarly fabulous. I had the honor recently of chatting with her about her steampunk-meets-high-art creations. Read on to learn more about Louzart, hear Lou's advice for curvy fashionistas and much more...

I’m such a jewelry lover myself, and usually I feel frustrated that jewelry just isn’t… well, big enough! Outrageous enough! Colorful enough! Is that why you started creating jewelry?

I’ve collected wild and large jewelry pieces since I was in high school. I’ve never had my ears pierced, as I have hundreds of pairs of huge colorful vintage clips that I wasn’t going to get rid of or pay to have retooled. I taught middle school for 30 years, and my jewelry was always my banner of recognition, not to mention unusual clothing and accessories. The kids really liked my “look”. When I retired, I began looking at some of the pieces and thought I could probably do this, too. And, I did. That’s how my little jewelry industry began.

  

Louzart uses some wonderful, unusual materials, many of them looking vaguely like ‘found’ items from the past. What’s the most unusual material you’ve ever used in your jewelry?

The most unusual piece of jewelry I ever created was a cuff bracelet made with fake dog poop. I saw it in a gag shop and thought it would be a hoot as jewelry. It sold immediately! So did the necklace I created out of fake barf! I never created with those two items again. I didn’t want a tag on my jewelry that it was nothing but crap.

Haha! I doubt very much that anyone would think that. So, do you wear your own creations?

Sometimes I wear my own creations and have sold them right off of my body! More often than not, I wear my own collection pieces.

How did you first find the steampunk aesthetic, and what do you love most about it?

Ah, steampunk…I’ve been a devotee for several years of the Victorian/Edwardian industrial period. I like the raw, heavy and industrial tool box look about it. My father collected mechanical pieces small and huge, most were steam powered, and as a kid, the look of it with all of its brass, cast metal, noise, and smell, etc. fascinated me. I’d give him the credit from my love of steampunk.

 

I think that definitely makes you one of the most authentic people in steampunk right now, then. How can new fans find and buy your work?

The easiest place for new fans to find me is on Etsy at my shop called Louzart. They can find all manner of jewelry, in different genres, altered bottles and jars, altered dolls, plus wall hanging décor, and in the summer they can find my clothing line called Gypsy Rags. All of my items are hand done using a myriad of media and none are ever duplicated. If an item is small enough, I’ll upcycle it into something that I find interesting and wearable.

I’m also in retail at the prestigious Mac Worthington Gallery of Contemporary Art in Columbus, OH, as well as shops called Simply Vague (one at Tuttle Mall & one at Polaris Mall) in Columbus, OH and a kicky little boutique in Grove City, OH called Déjà vu. 

 

What’s your greatest advice for curvy fashionistas?

I’m not sure how to raise consciousness for the curvy or older fashionistas.  I always get oodles of comments, all good – though there are snickers from time to time, from strangers.  Many of them say they love the look but couldn’t carry it off. I think younger gals in the majority know exactly what their style is, or the look they want to achieve, curvy or not. They’ve been exposed to a lot more edgy fashion and accessories than us older gals. As for the curvy gal…GO for it. That little black dress and black hose look is OUT. Many of the plus size retailers were heading in the right direction, but then got slack. It’s just too plain and everyday for my tastes. I’m hoping that my style will translate into a statement to the curvy gals, don’t worry about it. If you’re covered up, you can do it!

Are there any celebrities that you especially enjoy watching for cutting edge fashion or accessories? Are there certain songs, bands or movies that inspire your work?

I’ve never modeled myself after any notable gals. Perhaps I’m just too independent for that. I’m not inspired by movies, books or music. I’m only inspired by the firing of my mental synapses and don’t always know how anything’s going to look when completed.

Just the way I'd expect a lovely and independent gal such as yourself to be! What are your biggest plans for 2014?

My biggest plan for 2014 is to continue with Louzart and remain focused on the rare and unusual. 

A Happy Birthday Wish...

"My friend Ricky is an enigmatic subject in photos. There’s something about him that seems mysterious and otherworldly when you view him from the distance of a lens. He has crazy eyes, for one thing, but also a sort of elfen build. He’s inspired me (literally) from the day I met him. I’ve written two characters for him, one in a short story called Second Thanksgiving, which I wrote the day I met him, and the other is Death."- Source

A few years ago I ran across a blue-haired wisp of a creature, sitting with his arms crossed over his chest and his legs propped up, crossed at the ankles. He looked as if he was guarding the door to the event we were both attending, though maybe he was just resting from walking around all day on 2 inch heels. I'd never seen anything like him in real life, even if the glittering abyss that is my imagination had always supposed people like that existed in some form or another. He spoke to me, solidifying his existence and surprising me... after all, I was new to the science-fiction convention circuit, self-conscious and about 20 minutes from a full blood sugar crisis thanks to skipping lunch. We chatted a bit, though I barely remember our conversation. I know I mentioned to him that I was an author, and I mentioned that my book was for sale at a table in the dealer's room, which he seemed to be guarding as a benevolent bright blue sentinel.

We ran into each other again, later, among thousands of strange faces, interesting costumes, world-wide travelers, just as both of us were about to leave. By the time we ran into each other that second time, though, I'd already re-envisioned him as a reluctant young survivor in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, caring for a band of children he'd rescued. I couldn't help feeling surprised to see him that second time, in the painful sunlight of a bright January afternoon, blinking behind glasses. A part of me figured he'd just been a specter, a product of my exhausted mind. After all, the convention had opened my eyes to a world I'd never known had existed, complete with all sorts of alternate lifestyles, drunk nerds, deep discussions about time travel (a favorite subject of mine) and a brand new job offer. I'd barely slept in days and couldn't be sure of the line I walked between the world of the convention and the cold, harsh light of the world outside.

We exchanged social media information and said our goodbyes.

Ricky has this effect on many people, I'm told. At first he seems otherworldly and intense, even while standing under five and a half feet tall. He's a modern dandy, complete with gadgetry on his belt, pinstriped pants, vests and ties and smudged eyeliner. Over time you realize he's actually not half as intimidating as he seems at first glance. He's genuinely goofy and warm in turn, but there's always a sense that a hundred characters live inside him. Maybe he doesn't even know these people, but they live there. Authors see them. Artists see them.

In 2012 I had the honor of traveling quite a lot with his band of beautiful misfits and fashionistas, all of us mismatched gypsy artists. There were good and bad times, confrontations, hours of laughter, meals that mirrored the closing 'shwarma' scene in Avengers, 3am conversations, arguments and childish emotions. Many mornings found our group crawling out of bed at 6am, dark circles under our eyes, to fight for use of the shower and then stand hip to hip in the full length bathroom mirror to add more circles around our eyes, this time with kohl. I like to think of myself as being quite fun and colorful with my look, spending enough time to properly present myself, but no one spends as much time preparing himself for the world as Ricky, when he's incarnated as Locke Valor. He genuinely cares about his fans and followers, and will take over a bathroom with his army of hair products and makeup, take his time and make sure he's prepared before he steps into the world.

It's his birthday today and I wanted to offer a little tribute to this icon of the science fiction world, to a personal muse of my own, to the boy on not one but two of my book covers, and to a friend. Though I haven't seen him in a long time and we've both careened in somewhat different directions in life, I hold those memories dear. It's not every day that you meet a creature from another world, a modern dandy.

Happy birthday, man.