MASK METAMORPHOSIS | A Salt Lake Magazine feature

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Original editorial by Vanessa Di Palma Wright | Owner, Farasha

A creative collaboration produced in Covid friendly and safe parameters  between Farasha and team MANICPROJECT during the Covid-19 global pandemic of 2020. 

Times of uncertainty and discomfort lead to moments of solace and reflection.   The pandemic  has encouraged all of us to look within and hit the pause button to ponder the complexities of our mere existence. To question our routines and even the meaning of life and our “raison d’etre.”

The message is clear. This is a time of renewal. A moment to reset. An opportunity to listen and to learn. To be better humans. To be humble. To be environmentally responsible. To make more socially conscious decisions. To support our communities and one another. To stand up for what is right. To show more empathy. To be kinder. To redefine purpose. To be more present. And to live in the moment. 

May this transformation be the start to a new beginning. A fresh perspective on the future. A vehicle to embrace challenges ahead with more clarity. May this rebirth be a gift to Mother Nature and future generations. 

Together with MANICPROJECT, Farasha invites you to take the time to adjust, recalibrate and to meet today’s challenges and those ahead by being responsible, sensible and mindful of the impact of your actions. Wear a mask to stay safe and to keep others safe. Wear a mask because the alternative is simply to stay home. And since you must wear a mask, wear it well.

"HOT LIGHTS" Fashion Editorial

I always get the itch to do a fashion shoot just for fun, just for me, if I haven’t done one in a while. This was one of those shoots. I love Hedi Slimane’s vision for SAINT LAURENT, his creative direction and photography for the mega fashion house was the main inspiration behind this shoot. Naturally I wanted harsh light and sleek wardrobe with a reflective quality to it. My partner, Rebecca, took charge of styling duties. We ended up getting all of the wardrobe (except for a pair of shoes and one accessory) at ZARA, which is always a great source for pulling looks. This was my first time working with Kylie (repped by NIYA Models) and she couldn’t have been more sweet or professional. It makes such a huge difference to have quality people on your team, those are the people I want to work with time and time again in the future. Yesinde Oyeneyin did a phenomenal job on makeup and Tenesha Luckett provided her expertise on hair.

Julie Assenberg Design

We photographed this interior design project by Julie Assenberg located at Bear Lake a couple of weeks ago. I love the mix of traditional and contemporary design displayed here. The marble used in the master bathroom as well as the kitchen really stands out for me. Rebecca and I love shooting interior design because we have a real appreciation for any discipline in which every detail matters. We can be as meticulous about our process as we need to be. Rebecca is excellent at being my second set of eyes when it comes to staging and Julie is the perfect client because she has full trust in what we do.

Miss Americana editorial for Girls' Life magazine

This editorial was shot in the middle of the shutdown, on my birthday to be exact. Our small crew was diligent about wearing face masks and keeping our distance, working outdoors in gorgeous Eden, Utah. This shoot was also the first project with my love and now partner Rebecca Lima on styling duties. All of these factors make this experience so significant in my mind. These are rough times not just for America, but for everyone on planet earth. I hope we can all find the light and do our part to infuse some positivity and see a better version of ourselves on the other side.

Hair/makeup: Paula J. Dahlberg | On set styling: Rebecca Lima | Model: Valerie Lundquist

TBT: Til Death Do Us Part

A few years ago I wanted to create a gothic wedding fantasy. My aspiration was to get it published in one of the Utah wedding magazines. In hindsight, perhaps that was too ambitious of a thought. Turns out Utah wedding publications are only interested in publishing bright and happy editorials, where everything looks like everything you’ve seen before. This story ended up finding a home at HUF magazine, a publication with a much larger viewership than any of the Utah wedding magazines. So, in the end, you have to do what you feel is the right thing for you, follow your creative calling, and let the chips fall where they may.

Girls' Life magazine "FIRE & ICE" fashion editorial

This is the second issue of Girls’ Life magazine that I’ve had the pleasure of shooting for. I actually photographed the cover story of Jayden Bartels as well. I was so happy to bring on my go-to crew of frequent collaborators and friends on this shoot (see credits) who always make the time spent together extremely fun and enjoyable. The shoot took place at one of Utah’s main attractions for any photo or video production - the epic Salt Flats. It was a fantastic day of shooting, laughing and improvising along the way.

Hair: Jeff Martin / Randi Hieb (Dexterity Salon) | Makeup: Carissa Deppe | Styling: Rachael Domingo | Models: Apio & Aria (NIYA MGMT)

Jeff Landry UTAH Style&Design Feature

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything on this blog, my apologies. Winters are usually a slower time for me, which gives me a chance to catch up on things, such as posting more blogs. It was wonderful to see one of Jeff Landry’s projects featured in the September 2019 issue of UTAH Style&Design. Jeff has been a fantastic client of mine for a few years now, and it’s always such a pleasure for me to photograph his work. We photographed the Deer Valley ski house over a span of 2 days.

See the UTAH Style&Design online article HERE

NYC September 2018

Some snapshots I took while in New York a couple of months ago. I feel like I will never run out of things to do or see in this magnificent city. All photos take with SONY RX100 V.

Base Jumping

This is a Winter slopes fashion editorial shot for Park City magazine.

Wardrobe/styling: Farasha | Hair/makeup: Paula J Dahlberg | Model: Hannah Tessen @NIYAmgmt

Story: https://www.parkcitymag.com/articles/2018/12/8/base-jumping-step-up-your-layers

Northbound

Last spring I went on a road trip with my good friend and fellow photographer Brandon Cruz. We set off for Seattle, then Portland, continuing down Oregon coast all the way to Big Sur, CA. It was an epic adventure that included several nights spent sleeping in the car. We got the full scope of weather, everything from snow to sunny skies. The landscapes were gorgeous, moody at times, and there to be captured by two happy travelers. Here are just a few pictures from the trip.

Red

Kayla has such a great face, I love photographing her. I was inspired by one of her posts on instagram in which her makeup was mainly composed of red hues. The color red is so powerful and impactful. I always say that a girl’s best accessory is red lipstick. I stand by my statement.

Shine On You Crazy Diamond

It's been a while since I've done a fun fashion editorial. The concept for this shoot was based around having lots of color and somewhat busy locations that would play off the wardrobe. I wanted the images to be loud, poppy, and bright. The crew did a fantastic job helping me bring this vision together, a real pleasure to get to play with such lovely and talented people. 

In Living Color

A super fun and eccentric shoot/collaboration with wardrobe stylist, Erin Zachman.

Great Expectations

Here's a little bridal editorial I shot last fall. 

Hair & makeup by Paula J Dahlberg | All dresses by Maggie Sottero | Model: Gabriella Calem | Flower arrangement by Teresa Darling | Location: La Caille

The Fog

Salt Lake City was dealt a bad card with the winter inversion phenomenon, but it makes for some moody, epic photos. I took advantage of one particularly horrid air quality evening and risked my life by going on a photo stroll. Here are the results. 

La Vie Boheme jewelry shoot

I loved the minimal nature of this shoot. The jewelry designer really wanted a soft, feminine, and organic feel. This was another collaboration with my friends at Farasha. A tiny crew including myself, the model, and two stylists. That's it. Natural light throughout. 

Jewelry designer: La Vie Boheme | Styling: Farasha | Model: Lianna Michelle

TWOISM

At this point in my career I really want to challenge myself by doing something different as much as I can. I tend to carefully plan out all of my shoots in advance, putting a lot of thought and effort into the pre-production process. With this particular editorial I challenged myself to be less organized and more spontaneous. I had a general idea of the direction of the shoot, but I didn't have all of my exact locations scouted or specific scenes in mind. I also wanted to be more free with the way I lit my subjects, trying out new techniques and being less careful. The editorial was mainly an opportunity for Samantha Furden to get some wardrobe styling experience, I think she did a fine job. My dear friends and frequent collaborators Paula J Dahlberg was once again on makeup duties and Chad Seale provided his magic touch on hair. I couldn't be happier with the models we chose for this project. This was my first time shooting Allie Jo Holman, who proved to be not only experienced but mesmerizing, and Mitch Allen was the perfect brother / lover /  ambiguous relationship partner in crime. A huge shout out to the young and talented designer David Hong for lending us a big chunk of his collection for the shoot. I also challenged myself by spending A LONG TIME putting the editorial together as far as post photo processing layering goes. I really wanted to give the photos a dirty, grungy, punk vibe, very New York 1970's. I hope you enjoy TWOISM.

FARASHA Fall/Winter 2017 Campaign

Vanessa Di Palma Wright started her company, Farasha, around the same time that I decided to dedicate myself full time to photography. We connected in the early stages of our brand building and have had a working relationship ever since. I am always extremely happy to collaborate with the Farasha crew, this is our latest project together. 

Monochromatic Metamorphosis:

Production/Styling: Farasha | Hair: Tricia Snow | Makeup: Jillyn Leone | Model: Kerry Kalu

Life in Mono

A recent fashion editorial and collaboration with my friend and hair stylist Chad Seale. KUED channel 7 documented this shoot as part of a feature they did on Chad for their show VERVE. Rachael Domingo did a fantastic job styling the wardrobe with assistance from Phoebe Davenport. The makeup duties were flawlessly executed by the incredibly talented Paula J Dahlberg. Gabriella Cale is a fresh face to watch, she is signed with NIYA management. 

Yellowstone

I can't believe it took me 25 years to get to Yellowstone, but it finally happened just a couple of months ago. Wow, what a magical place. I was blown away by the diversity and beauty of the landscape. Some of the areas, especially the geysers, were truly otherworldly. I tried to take atypical photos while there, not wanting to replicate the obvious images that you could easily find via a Google search. I focused on color and texture. I think the most important thing you can do as a photographer is to show you how YOU see the world from your own unique perspective.