Hommage
Fee-Gloria Groenemeyer is a Paris and Berlin based fashion photographer and stylist. In the editorial Hommage Fee-Gloria explores the familiar beauty of her hometown Wiesbaden in Germany. Shooting in Kurpark she carefully picks locations that become a part of the whole. Nature seems untouched by a human though the presence is felt with suddenly arranged props on the grass or the stones carefully washed with the streaming waters of the lake.
Clothes and accessories are styled to be in synch with the natural element. Change of seasons, weather conditions, the shining rainbow that appears in the process remind once again that we can adapt, accept the shifts in nature. The longing is to complete the merge with nature in a tribute to coming back home.
The team includes Lars Alexander Beppler, producer; Claire Peterson, assistant; Alina Bogmer, model, represented by East West Models; and Fee-Gloria, photography and styling.
Photography Fee-Gloria Groenemeyer Production Lars Alexander Beppler Assistant Claire Petersen Styling Fee-Gloria Groenemeyer Model Alina Bohmer at EastWestModels Special Thanks to Mooon Store Wiesbaden
‘The title of the story is hommage to aquis mattiacis (wiesbaden’s latin name), my home town’
Tell about the title of the editorial and the meaning it holds for you.
The title of the story is Hommage to Aquis Mattiacis (Wiesbaden’s Latin name), my home town. It’s actually only the second time I ever shot a fashion story there.
It’s a beautiful town, and we shot this series in some of its most recognisable spots, but hopefully not too obvious. Therefore, also the name.
In what way do you think nature and weather add to the chosen subject for the series?
The Kurpark where most photos were taken, to me, is one of the most serene places in Wiesbaden. It’s over 150 years old and seems to be in a constant negotiation between being meticulously kept and wilderness. I like this struggle a lot, and it helps to add some depth to an otherwise quite clean editorial. Weather is always tricky since I shoot analog I can’t simply turn the dial and change the ISO. You just have to deal with it.
‘For this shoot, I didn’t want the styling to stand out too much, I was trying to go for a harmonious look between the model, the location, and clothing.’
What about the working process with the model, do you tend to discuss the main idea and the mood you look to achieve with the shoot? Tell about your approach.
Usually, I plan ahead a lot. I build mood boards for the styling, for locations as well as the poses. So I know exactly what I want the composition to be like, but then I let the model offer me poses. Alina was really amazing to work with, collaborative and fun, just the way it should be. You constantly need to give feedback to the models, especially since they don't see the pictures until the editorial is finished.
Styling ranges from nude colors with the autumn vibes, sophisticated dresses, trench coats and trousers to a warmer total look, one-color experience of sapphire blue and fuchsia. Let’s speak about the styling decisions and the looks you used or didn’t go for during the shooting.
For this shoot, I didn’t want the styling to stand out too much, I was trying to go for a harmonious look between the model, the location, and clothing. Therefore, it’s quite monochromatic. Actually, this time I chose the locations first and then did the styling accordingly. I wanted each shot to be able to stand by itself, which is also the reason why the light varies from flash to sunny and cloudy.
As for what ends up in a selection, of course, some of the clothing we shoot don't make the cut. It can happen during the shoot that I’m missing something to realise a composition or that there’s too much. But the final decision can only be made once all the negatives are scanned and I see the images next to each other.
What are some of the extra things or props you always have to take with you to the set?
Spare batteries and a venti iced caramel macchiato.
