Fashion and Contrast in Halesworth

At the heart of Elegant Exposures is the idea that fashion photography gets more interesting when the location plays a part. We photographed this one in the early hours of a quiet morning in Halesworth, Suffolk: two contrasting looks on model Sophia, in the streets, alleyways and tunnels of the town.

This shoot is part of the ongoing collaboration between photographer Bob Foyers, stylist Sue Hardy and Sophia. You can also read the full post over at Foyers Photography.

Scene One: Androgyny in Tailcoats

The first look was a white shirt, cropped trousers, top hat and black tailcoat, a playful nod to the androgynous fashion portraits of Helmut Newton. Halesworth’s Georgian streets and alleyways became an improvised stage, and the walking cane gave Sophia something to perform with, adding both humour and swagger.

The styling left room for small gestures, postures somewhere between defiance and wit, and Sophia played it with a knowing smile.

Scene Two: Red Silk, Rough Walls

The second look flipped the tone. A deep scarlet satin dress, vintage heels and ornate earrings took the set somewhere more cinematic. Shot in alleyways, tunnels and outside local buildings, the dress glowed against stone, concrete and morning shadow.

Where the first set relied on structure, the second was about softness, movement and colour. The red dress did a lot of the work on its own.

Working in Halesworth

Halesworth gave us exactly the mix of textures the two looks needed: brick, stone, shadow and morning light, all within a short walk. Thanks to The Black Dog Deli for letting us use their space for the closing café portraits.

The whole shoot was about contrast: masculine and feminine, tailoring and fluidity, glamour and grit, and a town that suited all of it.