Photoshoot + Interview: 'La Fête' by Marion Derouineau
What more does a party need but pearls, tulle and balloons?
We love this simple, feminine shoot by Marion Derouineau of Okmidnight Photographies, with her beautiful model taking centre stage in a grown-up take on a prom-night classic.
Marion is based in Paris and brings a very French sense of style and romance to all of her portrait work – we can’t wait to see more.
Q: When did your love of photography first blossom?
A: I’ve always loved art and looking at images in general, but I guess my love – or obsession – of photography began when I was a teenager. We moved from the city center to the countryside with my family, and I was really unhappy about it because it meant spending less time with my friends. I was really bored at home, there was nothing to do in the little village we lived in. So I started taking my mom’s camera outside with me and photographing everything in the garden. I focused on little details and discovered it was called macro photography, something I don’t do anymore! I then looked online for a way to share my images and discovered DeviantArt and the many talented artists there, and it helped me develop my eye and my creativity.
Q: What inspires your creativity the most?
A: Anything, everything, and very specific things. I find inspiration in details – fabrics, flower petals, a building, the way light is reflected on an object… Movies and music also inspire me, but I guess my major source of inspiration is literature. I love writers who emphasize on the setting and descriptions in general, and when they connect the characters’ feelings to their environment. One good example would be Jane Eyre! I think this is why costumes, props, and location are so important in my work.
Q: We love your beautiful series, "La Fête"! Please tell us a little more about the experience you had planning and capturing these images?
A: The model Estelle and I wanted to shoot together for a long time. We finally found a date and shared our inspiration and as it turned out, we wanted the same melancholic, soft and delicate atmosphere. Around the same time I contacted a designer and she offered to lend me a long pink tutu, so we discussed how to incorporate it to the project and it became its center piece. I already had the old pink armchair which I stole from my mom’s upholstery workshop, and I decided to tone all this pink down with a sober grey backdrop. The name of the series then came to my mind, “La Fête” which means “The Party”, and I decided to add the balloons at the last minute. We had a really good time shooting this with Estelle and Marion the makeup artist, we played with the tulle and the tutu, and since we had thought a lot about the project beforehand, it went quite fast, and we soon moved to another project – we actually shot 3 different outfits that day!
Q: What does an average day in the life of Marion look like?
A: I get up and have breakfast while checking my messages, answering emails, and discovering the latest photos shared by the artists I follow. Then I either get ready for a photoshoot – set up my studio or pack my photography bag and take the metro to the place of the shoot – or I sit at my desk and start editing photos from previous shoots. I enjoy working alone at home, but I do need to meet other people every now and then to work on projects as a group. I also like the planning part of a photoshoot, but it can be very stressful, and sometimes I can’t sleep until I’ve found the perfect style, makeup, or location for a project!
Q: Lastly, what do you hope to achieve with your photography career in the not-too-distant future; do you have any upcoming, exciting plans that you would like to share with us?
A: Well, I hope to be able to live only from photography one day. For the moment I’m still learning a lot, and I focus on improving my work. I'm planning on moving abroad with my boyfriend in a few months, but we don't know where yet, so for now I'm going to do as many photo projects as I can with the talented people I know in Paris!
For a look through Marion’s collection of works, visit her official site, her Flickr, or like Okmidnight on Facebook. You can also follow her on Instagram at @okmidnightphotos.
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Full credits: Photographer, Creative Director & Retoucher: Marion Derouineau | Model: Estelle Andreys | HMUA: Marion Martinez Makeup Artist
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Cecile Blackmore is a writer from Brisbane, Australia. She writes and edits at The Creative Issue and hoards vintage clothing – follow her adventures on Instagram at @saintcecile.