Funny Ears
Funny Ears introduces a fairy tale like story, saturated with bright color, alluding to a life of an imaginary character, fashionable and enigmatic. Styling and makeup decisions enhance the scenery, which brings us from an apartment in Italy into the magic woods inhabited by mysterious creatures. The beautiful work with lights and shadows in the apartment during the lockdown exposes delicate yet powerful portraiture shoots.
Luca Rapisarda teamed up with Antonio Faro, a makeup artist, and Erika Nicolo, a model. Funny Ears - shot in a flat with freshly painted walls with a goal to give a studio feel to the images. Luca and the team present an anime-like character with elf ears fashionably changing color with each new outfit. "We thought it would be interesting to play with an almost caricatural, surreal anime-like element such as highly saturated colored ears" - Luca.
We discuss with Luca his latest fashion story, which took place during the peak of the pandemic in Italy. Luca explains his relationship with the technical aspect of light-setting, shooting on a medium film format, and the impact of the lockdown on teamwork.
‘With Antonio Faro, the makeup artist, a very young talented Sicilian, we thought it would be interesting to play with an almost caricatural, surreal anime-like element such as highly saturated colored ears.’
In this story, the model’s ears become an additional element of fashion, which are styled depending on the colors, makeup, mood, and the rest of the look. How was the idea developed?
With Antonio Faro, the makeup artist, a very young talented Sicilian, we thought it would be interesting to play with an almost caricatural, surreal anime-like element such as highly saturated colored ears.
What about the colors in the frames?
I live in a very rural part of the country and it's very easy to spot animals carrying bright shades of all colors. I wanted to incorporate a wild component to the frame and make the model look as if she came from an exotic land, but still had time to put a fashionable outfit on.
‘My relationship with setting the right lighting for a shoot is like the one you would have with your partner: you fight, you make love, you learn new ways to make it work.’
The light in the studio is beautifully set, highlighting the hair of the model, creating a soft color, and allowing to play with the shadows. What is the technique you use, or what is important for you in setting the lights or working with the shadows (as in the blue ears elegant portraits)?
My relationship with setting the right lighting for a shoot is like the one you would have with your partner: you fight, you make love, you learn new ways to make it work. I never have a clear idea of what the whole illumination mood will be, and given that I shoot medium format film, I am never 100% sure of what the results will be. Film has a personality and it's a sensitive one, so I have to try my best to guide it my way, but the ultimate decision is not always mine. Plain lights and soft illumination are my trademark, though.
‘The whole team wore face masks and tried their best to keep social distancing while working. It was challenging on a whole new level of integrating security measures while being entirely immersed in the depths of the artistic process.’
What are some of the pros and cons of working in the studio for you (concerning the location, organizing the team, and working with the model)?
This shoot took place during the 2nd phase of Italy's lockdown as a response to the COVID-19. I had to repaint all my apartment walls to obtain a bright shade of white like the one you would find in a professional studio. The whole team wore face masks and tried their best to keep social distancing while working. It was challenging on a whole new level of integrating security measures while being entirely immersed in the depths of the artistic process.
What is the most memorable moment or episode from the shooting day or the preparation for it?
We were all so satisfied and happy when the shoot was over, and as it's known, Sicilians are one of the most affectionate and physical type of people in the world. We wanted to conclude with a group hug, but we couldn't do that, so we looked at each other with big eyes, filled with a sense of accomplishment, and said: "F**k Coronavirus, we did it anyway."
