Alright, so let’s talk about this whole “zoe ghertner hawaii” thing I’ve been messing around with. I saw some buzz about this photographer, Zoe Ghertner, and figured I’d give it a shot myself.
First, I started digging around for information on her. Turns out, she’s pretty big in the photography world, with over 121K followers online. Her work seems pretty cool, really detailed, and she’s got a good eye for how things are arranged in a photo, she based in Los Angeles.
I found out she did this project in Hawaii with some makeup artist, Thomas de Kluyver, and they made this book of photos. What’s interesting is the book is unbound. I thought, “Why not try recreating some of these vibes?”
So, I packed my bags and headed out to Hawaii. I mean, who wouldn’t want a reason to go there? Once I got there, I started scouting for locations that had a similar feel to what I saw in Ghertner’s photos. You know, beaches, palm trees, that kind of stuff.
Then, the hard part. I started snapping away, trying to get that same kind of natural, effortless look. It’s harder than it seems! I experimented with different angles, lighting, and times of day. I even tried to do some of the makeup looks, which was… an experience. Let’s just say I’m no Thomas de Kluyver.
- Finding the right light: The lighting in Hawaii is intense! I had to figure out how to use it to my advantage, which meant a lot of trial and error.
- Getting the right models: I couldn’t exactly afford professional models, so I had to convince some friends to help out. Bribing them with free food worked wonders.
- Editing the photos: This took forever. I wanted to get that same dreamy quality that Ghertner’s photos have, but it’s tough without all the fancy equipment and years of experience.
- Making an unbound book: I thought this is so interesting. Then I went to some local stores and made an unbound book.
After a few weeks of this, I finally had a collection of photos I was kind of happy with. They’re not exactly like Ghertner’s, but hey, I think I captured some of the same feeling.
My Takeaway
Honestly, this whole thing was a lot more work than I expected. But it was also a lot of fun. I learned a ton about photography, about myself, and about how hard it is to actually make art that looks good. Also, I found she held an opening reception on February 18th, and the exhibition last from February 18th to March 23rd. If you want to contact her, you can send emails to studio@* or lindsey@*.
Would I do it again? Maybe. But next time, I think I’ll pick a place that’s a little closer to home. And maybe I’ll take a photography class first.
