Today on my desk - Moo cards

Being a photographer and an Art Director is not always a good thing.
I've been toying with an idea for new business cards for months: choice of paper, choice of font, brand style, minimalistic, perforated, cut, drilled, metallic inks... I couldn't choose.
And on top of that, I was confronted with the costs too, let's be reasonable here: I was gonna hand out cards at 3 euros a pop!

So in the end, I asked myself what I wanted people to remember me by. I think my work can be described as very varied, and I think that's a plus. Is a 3 euro minimalistic business card really reflecting that? I didn't think so.

I found Moo by accident, but loved their site, tone of voice and products (I found out later that they also have a great customer service).
Moo allows you to print business cards where one side remains constant, while on the other side, you choose how many different images you want. It's a great idea for a photographer since you can display your work, and let your customer choose their favorite. I'll be updating my cards on a regular basis, as my portfolio changes.

So today on my desk: my Moo business cards!

 

Moo http://uk.moo.com/

Fraikin's Friday Fashion Photo Booth (1) - Winter is coming

Welcome to the first Fraikin's Friday Fashion Photo Booth post!
From this friday onwards, and every friday that follows you'll get a glimpse of my Friday outfit. Enjoy!

Pepe Jeans brown dress with bow detail, Topshop Faux-Fur bodywarmer,
Aldo brown heeled hiker boots & beloved C'n'C suede handbag

Fashion Photo Booth - Vivienne Westwood

I've been toying with the idea of taking snapshots of my outfits but being a photographer, I wanted it to be a concept in itself... I thought of putting a camera in the lift, taking a snap everytime you go in but I think the neighboors wouldn't have been too happy. Standing in front of my own camera just isn't for me either... Long live Apple for doing fun products like Photo booth.

This is a test, but starting Friday, expect Fraikin's Friday Fashion Photo Booth, to come every Friday (!) to Twitter, Facebook and other social networks around yours.

Vivienne Westwood Prince de Galles skirt (part of a 2-piece suit but today's weather turned out too good for a jacket) and Marc by Marc Jacobs t-shirt. Shoes are from Chie Mihara

Burberry show - front seat

I'm not (yet) on any list, I don't (yet) get the fancy invitations made of amazing materials & colors, I'm not (yet) in London and so, sadly, I couldn't attend the Fashion shows during London Fashion Week.

Today though, I was sitting at the front seat at Burberry's. Watching it being streamed live, I felt like I was part of the buzz. And with the comments from others, I also felt as if I was sitting next to 'the girls' fawning all over the new collection. Well that was fun.

Well, of course, it's not the same. But after seeing a week worth of Tweets about this show and that, it was getting depressing! And that's not counting New York fashion week the week before, and Milan coming next.

About the collection itself? Very nice, as usual. It seems Burberry keeps on reinventing their trench, it's their signature item (together with the checkered pattern) but somehow they always find ways to make it exciting again each year. I love their colored clutches (lime green, cyan...). Not too fond of the silver leggings. And yeah, couldn't miss the biker jacket in all it's shapes, fabric, colors...
The added bonus being that you can now order coats and bags from the runway... Well you can try, it might already be sold out by now.

The sun did shine today, and it suddenly felt like summer again. Watching the SS11 collection was inspiring. But I'd like the temperature to drop now because I'm really looking forward to wear my Burberry shearling aviator jacket!

Hexad

MUA Daisy Vermandel & Obskur.
Models from left to right  Elvire, Inge, Maria, Caroline, Lynn & Sabina

Hexad. The 6. Women, mythologie & symbols have given shape to this serie, together with countless hours to determine the personnaes, the clothing, the location, the models and so many more hours to coordinate it all.

Two shoots were planned, and the weather couldn't have been more opposite. For the first, the temperature went over the 30° while the rain threatened to pour on the second! I suffered bug bites on the first (note to self, no shorts when going in the wild), on the second I drenched my jeans and shoes to shoot Lynn in the pond (thank you Lynn for going in first)... I had fun with old friends and enjoyed the company of new ones...

I really enjoyed taking these, so enjoy watching them!

 

  

  

  

  

Thank you Daisy, Elvire, Inge, Maria, Obskur MUA, Caroline, Lynn, Sabina & Erna. 

Let her eat cake!

I noticed that lack of sleep usually puts me either in a lethargic state, or in a crazy adrenaline driven mode. Unfortunately, I can't tell when which will happen so it's down to luck really.
Thursday was one of those insanely busy yet brilliant days. And good for me, adrenaline driven.

There was the early wake-up call, the mad dash for the cake (over cobbled roads), the preservation of said cake (we've had a terrible weather so far but Thursday the sun decided to shine so I spent the drive back with the air co turned up to the max)... 
And then the shoot. Great fun girls! Sanne did a wonderful job on the make-up and styling and Floriane was so enthusiastic about munching on the cake I thought she hadn't eaten for days.

And of course, thank you Petit Gateau for this masterwork!
Here are my two favorite images from the shoot, more will follow on www.stephaniefraikin.com.
 

Petit Gateau

Do you remember I was looking for a cake-artist the other day? Well, I found it!
I'll be working together with Petit Gateau: an Antwerp based company specialized in all sorts of cakes (weddings, birthdays...).
They do an amazing work!
Why would you go to a (boring) local baker when you can have these for an afternoon High Tea?

So thanks to this collaboration, and if all goes well and the cake survives the car trip: the shoot will take place on Thursday with Floriane as model & Sanne de Wolf as MUA.
Keep posted, I'll show the final image here in a few days...

Petit Gateau:  http://www.petitgateau.be/
Sanne de Wolf: http://www.sdw-stylingandmodeling.be/