The July Reveal: The Expanded Mundane Series + The Cinemagraph Debut

As promised, July delivers the most exciting news of an ongoing project. The conceptualization actually began as early as January 2012. I had an idea to have a shoot about gender roles of women in the 1950s and dubbed it The Mundane Series. You've probably already seen the first set of photos on the blog before. 

After what the production team and I considered to be a big success, expanding the project to turn it into a series was the next logical step with an additional dimension. The idea was to give the subjects of the photos an entire identity. Each woman had a name, birthday, occupation and interests. I believe this makes each of them more real to the viewer and draws him into her story.

The second thing that makes these photos more real is that they literally move! Continuing the Cinemagraph technique of shooting I used on the first shoot, the women come to life as something in between a photo and a video--or simply a Cinemagraph.

Over the next year or so, I worked with different groups of young, amazing artists from different universities across Manila to create one character after another until I had over half a dozen women as part of the series.

Along with The Mundane Series this also marks the debut of my cinemagraph style announcing that it will become a regular part of my shoots in the future. I'm telling you the possibilities are endless! :)

"The Mundane Series" was also the submission made that garnered the Loyola Schools Awards for the Arts 2013 in Photography last March 2013 at Ateneo de Manila University. Needless to say it is one of my proudest works to date! :o)

With my proud parents! :oP

"Thank You"s are in order for these talented individuals who made up our great team:

Models: Joanne Pamin, Tin Montes, Arizza Tamayo, Bryant Garduque, Abigail Wang, Jess Orense Micah Barker, Eunica Lim

Hair and Make-up Artists:  Bambi Barcelona of Techniques, Pael Gutierrez of The Miracle Project, Beatrice Chua, Karen Fernandez, Trish Cruz, Kim Santana, Micah Barker, Felyne Siao

Stylists: Robert "Berry" Camalig, Roxci de Leon, Felyne Siao, Joanne Pamin

Shoot Assistants and BTS People: RJ Lorico, Joanne Pamin, Adrian Begonia, Kaye Bata

Special Thanks To: Veronica Lee and Family, Cesa Swimwear, AFP Museum

Call for Artistic Collaboration: Leave A Mark

Calling interested artists who want to be part of something BIG!!

If you're a MODEL, STYLIST, HAIR/MAKE-UP ARTIST, FASHION DESIGNER or SET DESIGNER/STYLIST, take part in creating the story of 6 women from the 1950's through photographs.

Interested collaborators, e-mail a portfolio preferably showing how well you know the 1950s to im.matt.lee@gmail.com

Questions? Message me on Facebook: Matt Lee or Twitter: @MattLeeShoots

More about me at: http://mattleephotography.blogspot.com

The Mundane Series (First Cinemagraphs)

As promised in the entry I posted earlier this week, here's something special I've been reserving for today. These photos come from a series called Mundane that I shot last January. These are also the shots displayed in the Ateneo Heights Artist Workshop Exhibit.

A special feature from the series, the "trophies" of the collection are, these pieces called Cinemagraphs. Cinemagraphs are a relatively new art medium in the Philippines. The best way I could think of to describe a cinemagraph is given by photographer and cinemagrapher Kert Gartner who says that they're "more than a picture, but not quite a video". They straddle along the in-between. The first time I saw one was in the blog of New York based fashion photographer Jamie Beck, who I highly revere. I made it a personal challenge to create some of my own and these were the first few of them, not quite refined yet but surely getting there and still interesting to look at.

Hope you guys enjoy Mundane. If you'd like to hear more about the series, drop me a line or post a comment here. I'd be happy to explain it to you! Expect more cinemagraphs in the future. Until then, cheers! -Matt

Garden Set

Modeling by Eunica Lim and Tonito de Ocampo
Make-up by Pael Gutierrez of The Miracle Project
Styling and Hair by Kaye Bata
Eunica's Dress provided by Veronica Lee, Hazel Lee and Clarissa Lee.
Photo team: Nikko Bacalzo and Adrian Begonia

Bedroom Set

Modeling by Micah Barker
Hair and Make-up by Micah Barker
Styling by Micah Barker, Clarissa Lee and Hazel Lee
Micah's Dress provided by Veronica Lee, Hazel Lee and Clarissa Lee.
Photo team: Adrian Begonia

And here are the cinemagraphs!