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Writer's pictureGwennan Jones
Jul 216 min read

Week 4: Creating an Image Catalogue

Introduction

I contracted covid during Week 4, therefore it was a relatively reserved week. For this reason, I focused on creating an image catalogue to use further down the line when compiling the book, to save time on referencing images. As a more relaxed activity, I additionally began the process of describing best dressed looks after gaining confidence in my skills of expressing things fluently through written text.


Classwork

Graduate Exhibition Briefing / Masterclass with Armand Cordero

For my graduate exhibition, I am still thinking about having a flat-screen on the wall to showcase the Met Gala live stream and set the mood for my IFP for the focus of my product. I am considering having a QR code for guests to obtain my professional details. As I am printing my publication for the exhibition, print files need the CMYK colour profile, unlike on-screen images that use RGB. For this reason I will convert colour to CMYK for accurate printing.


This was amplified in the masterclass with Armand Cordero, which encouraged me to think further on: context (e.g. magazine), effective type size, correct file size, understanding bleeds, print finishing techniques, logistics and planning (turnaround time, cost, delivery) and printing locations.


Masterclass: Fashion Photography with Ed Miles

Due to contracting covid during Week 4, it meant missing the final masterclass in Fashion Photography with Ed Miles as well as the small group critiques / round table - meaning working from home. Thankfully, my IFP is a written-based project but I would have valued input on the editorial style of photography included in my book. 


Independent Study

Writing Outfit Descriptions for the Best Dressed List

After the session with Lauren Cochrane, I felt confident in my ability to describe Met Gala outfits so I began writing descriptions for looks that made it to the best dressed and menswear of the met lists based on the report sent to me by Launchmetrics. 


As I was writing the best dressed list I noticed Tyla’s look earned the most media impact value and Zendaya’s Maison Margiela look came in second place; but when you add together the MIV of the 2 looks from Zendaya she triumphs as the top attendee for MIV so I amended this accordingly as relevant for my list as her two looks come under one spot. 


Example of an Outfit Description: Amelia Grey in Undercover

It-girl on the rise Amelia Gray Hamlin understands fashion legacies and originals by unburying one of modern fashion’s most imaginative pieces - the terrarium dress from the finale of Undercover SS24 show by Jun Takahashi, originally with live plants and butterflies. The model newcomer wore a bulbous daffodil yellow terrarium dress, filled with grape-coloured roses and stems - colour matched with her lipstick. 


A terrarium perfectly summarises the nature of the story of ‘The Garden of Time’, with the count’s desire to stay in his perfect bubble of natural wonder. It’s said that in the Victorian era, “terrariums were a symbol of luxury and knowledge, a testament to the human fascination with the natural world. Today, they represent a bridge between urban life and the natural world, a compact manifestation of biodiversity” (The Indytude, 2024). Another theme this look tackles is the idea of the inevitable “reckoning with mortality was an undercurrent of Takahashi’s show… grief doesn’t end, it only changes” (Phelps, 2023). To accessorise the look, Gray features gold strappy heels and gold necklace strangling her wet look hair. 


The wonder doesn’t end there, the screw-on dress lights up from within with a lucid, aura-like glow. One Vogue article was titled ‘How Many Vogue Editors Did It Take To Screw on Amelia Gray’s 2024 Met Gala Dress?’. According to the article, 15 people helped her get into the dress on the day, with the lights not working it called for an electrician to work his magic. The same security guard who helped Tyla up the stairs was the same guard helping Gray with the sheer weight of the piece with those same set of steps, where she conveniently forgot the screwdriver to get out of the piece at the end of the track (Criales-Unzueta, 2024). 


Also, its sister is conveniently on display at the ‘Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion’ exhibition, which suggests a little bit of Vogue intel can secure you fashion iconography. Imagine going to the opening gala (that so happens to be one of the biggest nights in fashion) of a museum exhibition and wearing one of three newly unveiled pieces on display? 


Creating an Image Catalogue

In my original brief for myself in Assignment 2, it required me to collect relevant imagery. This could include imagery of behind-the-scenes, sketches, red carpet, archive and beauty shots which I believe I have fulfilled in this endeavour so far. 


Based on Kolb’s reflective cycle - the problem with my chosen direction for the IFP, is I am not able to take my own imagery or afford to commission the high-end photographers who take pictures at the event (University of Hull, 2024). This means exporting images from social media which comes with low-quality resolution, unfit for printing which is something I personally want to avoid at all costs, especially when presenting my work to industry guests. While on a phone call with Harriet and Katie regarding the Graduate Exhibition, we discussed this at length to resolve the problem which expanded the boundaries of my knowledge. Katie explained DPI can be altered on Photoshop which is a platform I am already confident in so it was easy to pick up, this means I can still use my intended imagery but in the correct resolution for print. I aim to do this with every piece of imagery that goes into my piece of work which may require additional allocated time but I am confident in my time management skills to complete this. This process is performed by me in the following the video which seems to be working effectively so far, showing my understanding of the platform:


Making my Imagery Print-Friendly


In order to save time on referencing images further down the line and manage my time effectively, I have been in the process of creating an image catalogue to choose from (compiled from my meticulously collecting saved media in my Instagram & Pinterest boards in Week 1). Which has the following criteria to make the experience as seamless as possible: 


  • Note down any useful quotes from captions in a bullet point below the image.

  • Convert the image to CMYK so the images are ready for printing purposes.

  • Ensure the image is 300 DPI through amendments on PhotoShop to ensure the document can be printed to a high quality standard. 

  • Add each image to the allocated imagery laptop file so they are on hand for the InDesign document.

  • Give each image a title when adding them to the final document and add in-text citations.

  • Delete the image from the catalogue once used within the InDesign document and again, be sure to reference using in-text citations.


Snippet of Image Catalogue


This is still a work in progress, and I will add to this continually to break apart the writing process if I am energetically drained. I have contemplated using QR codes to harness the power of film in my book, however based on my research in the IRP, this publication must act as an escape from digital technology, not utilise it which would defeat its sole purpose. Additionally, QR codes in this setting may look aesthetically messy and I want to really harness my Art Direction and curation skills with the curation of this book.


Key Takeaways

  • I expanded the boundaries of my personal knowledge on photoshop by learning how to change image resolution on the software so my imagery can be print-friendly.

  • I am confident in my verbal communication skills to describe a red carpet outfit using vivid language to create an image in the mind of a reader. 


Next Week 

Complete a virtual tour of the ‘Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion’ exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, to inform my understanding of this part of the 2024 event further. This is relevant as this is what guests see once they are inside the gala. I will use this information to formulate a short synopsis or exhibition review for the book to educate readers. From now on I will also start titling my posts for viewer clarity. 


Reference List

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