Shakespeare Classics

Nov 27

Whenever anyone brings up the works of William Shakespeare I’m flooded with happy memories from school. Watching scenes from old movies, pulling apart the text and learning the historical context, and writing our own Shakespearean insults. I know many people don’t share my enthusiasm for the topic, and when I shared my ideas for this styled shoot most of my friends groaned and recounted exhausting stories of listening to Hamlet’s famous monologue read out loud again and again.
So many people struggle with Shakespeare because of such a miserable introduction to it, and this realization made me immensely thankful for two of my teachers who understood one key thing: *Shakespeare is not meant to be read, it’s meant to be preformed.* Of course written out like that makes it sound so obvious, but of all the stories I heard from friends who hated that chapter in literature class all had one thing in common. They had to sit and read most of these plays quietly. Such a drag!
You don’t need to spend years researching and studying to understand the meanings line by line. Anyone should be able to enjoy a great Shakespeare play based on the actors interpretation alone. With all of the impacts that William Shakespeare has left for us- classic tropes, iconic insults, and unforgettable stories- I wanted to pay homage to all those ideas in a fun and unique way.

My partner in crime in making all of this magic was Cassidy Heen, an incredible photographer based in Hollister. She’s been a powerhouse of creative ideas, and it was such a blast collaborating together. We are definitely polar opposites when it comes to our styles. We decided on bringing three of our favorite (and most iconic) Shakespearean stories to life. Cassidy took charge of the *Romeo & Juliet* set, planning the gown, working with the models, and creating a moodboard. *A Midsummer’s Night* dream was the most collaborative, where I brought the gown and arranged the overall feel for it, while Cass decided on the makeup and floral design. Lastly I took charge of the *Much Ado About Nothing* set, and more than happy to do so as it’s one of my favorite plays ever written!

“Tell me we have different styles without *telling* me we have different styles.” Cass chuckled referring to our very different outfits and bouquets of choice.

I certainly wasn’t prepared to love this set as much as I did! Cass did such an amazing job styling these gorgeous models, Victoria and Jake. I hadn’t put a lot of thought into how I wanted these to feel. I spend a lot of time connecting with my clients to learn how best showcase their personality, so going in with a completely blank slate was a little bit of a challenge! Overall I was inspired by the classic Romeo & Juliet elements. I wanted to incorporate some contrasting elements, some sort of balcony, and the feeling of connection.

A Midsummers Night Dream was my favorite to interpret into a photoshoot. The story follows four poor friends all in love with one another but unable to sort it out. They enter the forest and are at the whims of the mischievous fairies. I was inspired by the fairies the most, referencing classic paintings and the characters of Queen Titania and the feisty Puck. Our model Amy was the perfect blend of elegance and sauciness!

My pride and joy- the photos that were inspired by my favorite Shakespeare play, A Midsummer’s Night Dream! Despite being the characters with some of the fewest lines I wanted to pull elements from the protagonists: free spirited Hero and and soldier Claudio. The two are young and in love, eager to be married by the end of the summer. Of course shenanigans ensue and that ends up being a lot easier said than done for the pair. I wanted to embrace the feeling of a timeless summer romance. Our incredible florist, Netti, pulled together the most amazing bouquet filled with poppies, ferns, and sweet pea. I have no idea how she found these in the middle on November, but I’m so thrilled she did! Netti truly brought our visions to life with all the floral pieces!