Behind the shoot: Maheen Karim

Designer: Maheen Karim
Photography: Rizwan-Ul-Haq
Hair&make-up: Fouzia Ahmed @ Mubashir Khan's salon
Model: Nausheen Shah
Fashion Editor: Madeeha Syed

You can never be absolutely sure how a concept for a shoot will turn out till it actually happens. The concept itself was inspired by the understated glamour and sophistication embodied by the classic sensation, Twiggy. Keeping that in mind, the idea was to shoot a model in her natural environment, at work, literally ‘acting’ as a model. As it would turn out, it’s much easier for someone in front of the camera to assume a character than ‘act’ natural — with the exception of reality TV stars.

The hair and make-up, directed by Mubashir Khan was kept very simple with no added glitter anywhere. What was interesting to note was that when ever the model, Nausheen, did not intentionally pose was when she fit perfectly into the character that we were trying to portray. There were moments when she took a small break and casually sat down on the couch we’d asked her to freeze for a frame or to improvise on what she was already doing.

Almost every single person participated, including Maheen, the designer (who at one point, instructed a somewhat brilliant pose to the model — something which the model couldn't quite catch on to) and the hair and make-up artist who along with Maheen helped contribute as extras in some of the frames. Despite getting into it not knowing fully what to expect, at the end of it all, with the collective efforts of working with everyone involved, it turned out just as well, if not better, than what we had expected.
First Published:
Images
December 9, 2007