Photoshoot: 'Frankie + Valentina' & an Interview with Dre Chez Photography
PHOTOGRAPHY: Dre Chez
MODELS: Frankie (brunette) Valentina (blonde) with Chadwick Models
HAIR: Teressa Piazza
MUA: Rikka
STYLIST: Anastasia Hanna
ASSISTANT: Briannagh O'Loughlin
Milkmaid braids, pastel flowers and sheer, pink chiffon - What's not to love about this stunning shoot by Dre Chez Photography?
Dre, short for Andreyna, is a talented 26-year-old photographer who recently made the big move from New York City to Melbourne in Australia.
"We did this shoot at my house with an awesome all-girl crew! Our main items of clothing were two very long pieces of fabric that we messed around with to use as skirts/tops/and head pieces. All pretty challenging, but in hindsight, really fun to get creative with," the photographer explains.
We jumped at the chance to interview the lovely Dre and hope that you find her answers as insightful and inspiring as we did!
.
Q: When did your love of photography first bloom?A: I think part of me always loved photography. There are very funny photos and videos that still exist of my friends "modeling" for me when we were maybe 12 years old, but I think it started to become a real, palpable love when I was 20. I had never owned a professional or semi-pro camera as they seemed too expensive and out of reach for me, but through a twist of fate, I found my great uncle's 35mm SLR camera a few months after my 20th birthday. I think I was originally looking for nail clippers in my parent's room and found his camera instead. I haven't stopped shooting since.
Q: What inspires your creativity the most?A: Most of my creativity is inspired by music. Often times I find my surroundings very inspiring, but if I had to choose, I'd say music. When I hear a song I really like, I get super obsessed and play it over and over again for days. Usually the song evokes a certain feeling that creates a scenario in my head. The images kind of come on their own and I do my best to write them all down before they're gone again.
Q: Please tell us a little about the experience you had whilst shooting these images?A: This shoot was a bit challenging. It was the first time in years that I was shooting two models at once. Our main items for styling the girls were two very long pieces of fabric that we had some difficulty with. We used the fabrics as skirts, dresses, tops, and headpieces but it was all very time consuming getting it right. Thanks to my amazing team though, everything came together nicely and the models really rocked it!
Q: What does an average day in the life of Andreyna involve?A: An average day in my life... I have no idea. My days are constantly changing. Sometimes I'm working all day, others I'm editing all day, and others I'm in my robe all day spending way too much time on the internet. Most of my days though consist of cooking at least one yummy meal, eating dinner with my partner and going for a walk, watching a movie, and maybe getting some reading done.
Q: What do you hope to achieve with your work in the not-too-distant future; Do you have any upcoming, exciting plans that you would like to share with us?A: In the not-too-distant future, I want to explore creating images that evoke uncomfortable feelings. I think I've made many images that are pleasing and feel like a spoonful of sugar and now I want to make images that feel more like a punch in the gut. I have a concept in mind that is unlike anything I've shot before, which is nerve racking but really exciting too. One of my goals this year is to make each shoot more challenging than the last and to push myself creatively in ways I haven't before. This next concept is my first attempt towards achieving that.
.
Thank you to Dre for taking the time to answer our questions and we encourage our readers to check out more of her girly and dreamy photography by visiting her website and Facebook page. Enjoy!