Mexican Madness

In addition to my previous post about bizare magazine and its feature on the mexican day of the dead, the halloween issue also featured a photoshoot in a mix between fetish/glamour and to some extent fashion featureing model Kitty Lea By photographer Steve Neaves. The photos all feature Kitty in a latex costume surrounded by garish colours, flowers and flames, candles and images of skulls (figures, jewerly, hair pieces.) These photos are basically more how i would shoot, day of the dead based shoots, with bright colours and symbolism from the traditions. These photos used in an editiorial sence, have had text added to them which are 'Traditional day of the dead poems'  (note obv some of these images are double spreads and with only an A4 scanner the images will be in two parts.

Quote reads:

'On the day of the dead,

spirits rise, the dead walk

abroad tand the bones of

ancestors shake off their

dust and creak into life...'
I think this is one of the stand out images for the editiorial for me, the face, the pose, and the build up of tranditional symbolism, i like the use of the hidden skulls in her hair as well as the layout of the flames surrounding her almost building a 'coffin' of flames

This image is very effective expesh as the text fits in with the image, the flames at the base almost seem to frame Kitty.

I like the use of the flowers in this photo littering the place, as well as the more subtle gestures like the photo in the frame in the background is of rock legend KURT COBAIN who killed himself (one of the premature deaths of a great rock music icon.)

This is my least fave photo from this collection and while it is well compose i think the model looks awkward, She almost looks doll like in this position and i am not sure if that was the desired effect of the photographer.

This will have to be my fave of the photos from this collective. Maybe its just because we can see the detailing on her styling, or the cropped close effect, but the colours looking extreamely vivid witht he contrast of the flowers in her hair to the blue of the background seems to stand out more now then in over photos. The makeup is flawless and the Ringflash is used giving that wonderful effect with the eyes. As well as the traditional aspect, with the skull candy, where it is to represent eating your own death.