Twins (click image for larger view).
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B-Boy Boat (click image for larger view).
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Fencers (click image for larger view).
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Beekeeper (click image for larger view).
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GP-B2.
Photography by Jason Tozer.
Styling by Katy Ingram.
Art direction by MCP/Build.
For Generation Press.
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Notes from behind the scenes of the Generation Press 'B2' campaign.
We approached Jason (Tozer) to do the photography for the B2 shoot, after discussing the concept behind the shoot we got talking about photography, in particular authenticity, craft and the age pre-Photoshop. We decided to approach the shoot following a principle of 'No synthesisers', i.e. no retouching of the shots, no post-production, no re-touching...everything you see in the first 4 shots is as it was in camera.
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This from Jason about the B2 shoot—
I remember being told once that Queen on their first album had printed 'No Synthesisers' on the sleeve of their first album, as some listeners had mistaken their elaborate vocal multi-tracking and guitar effects as 'just' synthesisers. I'm sure in printing that, Freddie, Brian, Roger & John were revealing a dented pride in their musicianship & studio craft. Maybe those ego's were a little put out to hear that electronics were taking the credit for all their hard work.
Virtually every photograph you see today whether its an advertising poster or a magazine editorial in the dentist's waiting room has been manipulated in some way. It's been a steady unnoticed creep towards perfection, a universal flawless everyday perfection.
Mind you, I'm no luddite, for the last 10 years most of my work's had at least a cursory brush of the retoucher's pen.
Michael & Katy & I were discussing this in the pub one evening & the ways that people are now using to try & make their pictures appear more authentic, 'more real'. Leaving in the leads of the studio equipment or the edges of the background, grainy effects to appear candid, & other such things. But these are in the main constructs too, same as all the retouching.
When I was an assistant & for the first 5 years of being a photographer too, at the end of the job we delivered... A Sheet of Film, (& usually one a nudge darker & one lighter) & that was that. - "This is it. This is the shot. This is the best it can be with all of our equipment & our skills & our little tricks."
Before our conversation I hadn't realised that i missed those days, that there was pride in that 'no safety net' necessity of getting it all right in one exposure. There used to be skill! & of course there still is, but great photography, styling, hair & makeup, composition even, is too easily talked down as just good retouching. The credit's being hijacked. We''re none of us true believers anymore. The magic of Photoshops' miracle eraser had unknowingly dented my professional pride.
So, time to claim back a few points for craft. These 4 pictures mark a genuine return to authenticity; there's no photoshop, no retouching. Photography, styling, lighting, set-building all like we used to do it, without a safety net.
It was a very satisfying reminder of what we lost by having the opportunity to 'sort that bit out later'. What you see is what we shot. It took a little it longer to make them, but was all the better for it.
— Jason Tozer, 2012.
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(below) Behind the scenes at the shoot.
Big thank you to our models Joe & Rich Luxton.
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Joe & Rich Luxton, our fencing, snooker playing, table tennis stars!
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(below) Behind the scenes at Generation Press.
Big thanks to Scrub, Chris, Kevin, Graham, Kate & An&!
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