Alright, let’s get into this topic of Calvin Klein models. We’ve all seen them, right? Those ads, usually black and white, everyone looking super serious and, well, ridiculously fit. They’re kinda iconic, gotta admit.
I actually had a phase where I got a bit obsessed with that whole aesthetic. Not trying to become a model myself, mind you. No, I was trying to replicate that look in some photos I was taking. This was years ago, I’d just gotten my hands on a decent-ish camera, thought I knew a thing or two. I figured, how hard could it be? Simple background, black and white, moody face. Easy peasy.
So, I started experimenting. First step, find a “model”. I roped in my buddy Dave. He’s not exactly model material in the traditional sense, but he was willing, and that’s what mattered. I cleared a space in my living room, hung up a plain grey sheet I had. Getting that thing smooth? Nightmare. It looked like a crumpled paper bag half the time.
Then came the lighting. This was the real killer. Those CK ads have this specific kind of lighting, looks natural but also dramatic. I had basically zero professional gear. I was messing around with desk lamps, flashlights, trying to bounce light off walls. Most of the time, Dave just ended up with weird shadows under his eyes, making him look more like a zombie than a fashion icon. We tried countless poses – lean here, look there, hand in pocket, hand out of pocket. It felt incredibly awkward.
We spent a whole afternoon on this. Taking shots, looking at them on the tiny camera screen, deleting most, trying again. Dave was a good sport, but by the end, his “moody” look was less “high fashion” and more “genuinely fed up”. Can’t blame him.
The results? Well, let’s just say Annie Leibovitz wasn’t calling me anytime soon. The photos looked exactly like what they were: a guy messing around with a cheap setup in his living room. Nothing close to that polished, effortless CK vibe. The grey sheet looked dingy, the lighting was harsh, and Dave, bless him, just looked uncomfortable.
It was a bit of a reality check, honestly. It made me see that those simple-looking CK ads are anything but simple to create. There’s a whole team, crazy expensive equipment, professional models who know how to hold themselves, stylists, makeup artists, retouchers… the works. My little DIY project couldn’t even begin to compare. It did teach me a lot about lighting and composition, mostly by showing me everything I was doing wrong. And it definitely gave me a newfound respect for the work that goes into those big campaigns, even if the final look often feels a bit unreal.
