Like Vogue, But Better

Photo by Trinity Lacayo, 15, USA

I‘ve always had a slight unease about studio photography where everything is consciously and strategically planned and executed.

It’s as if life itself has to be interrupted, stepped out of, in order to create something that is designed to look and feel real but we know it’s not.

Of course it’s not a fair point as even a studio environment can allow someone to open up and reveal something genuine, authentic and even vulnerable about themselves. I just have a soft spot for spontaneously caught images like this one by our regular contributor Trinity.

It has the elegance of a timeless iconic fashion shot (look at those glasses and the scarf!) but also childhood playfulness.

It’s tranquil and is not asking anything from us. Just like the girl in the photo, it’s content in its own company and is not saying ‘Look at me’.

Subtle movement in the scarf, the hair and the sand running through the girl's hands stretches the moment and makes us aware of passage of time.

As Trinity reminds us here, the best (even unintentional!) fashion photography has so much more than original clothing and impeccable styling. It needs mood, character and emotion together with good design and expression of personal style to give it that unforgettable quality. Nothing can beat that sense of comfort in what you are wearing and more importantly the comfort of being in your own skin. When the inner and the outer match, the clothing itself becomes secondary, if not irrelevant.