Surreal Glamour
by Polly Leonard
At first glance, her photographs look like elaborate fashion shoots for a glossy magazine. However, pay a little closer attention and you’ll notice a few strange things about the scenes that photographer Miss Aniela creates. An extravagant ball gown transforms into a flock of birds. The silk hem becomes waves upon the sand.
Miss Aniela (whose real name is Natalie Lennard) produces shoots on location using models and practical effects, then uses extensive post-production effects and even bespoke C.G.I. When shooting the original photographs, Miss Aniela doesn’t always know in advance what the finished image will end up like. She often comes up with her surrealist additions after seeing the raw photograph and deciding what would be right for the image.
Miss Aniela began her 13-year long photography career by producing self-portraits as a university student. Originally from the UK, she works closely with her producer and partner Matthew Lennand on production of commercial assignments and fine-art projects. Often making references to imagery from the historical canon of fine art, Miss Aniela fuses traditional photography with digitally enhanced motifs and surrealism. Her work has been exhibited by the Saatchi Gallery, Photo Vogue Milan, Prins Eugens Waldermarsudde Museum in Stockholm and the Houses of Parliament.
Miss Aniela’s work will be featuring in the 10th Organ Vida International Photography Festival in Zagreb, Croatia from 10 - 16 September 2019. The festival gathers international young and established contemporary photographers with the common pursuit to advance the art and practice of contemporary photography, and ignite conversations about critical and global socio-political issues.
Blog post by Jessica Edney. Read next: Nicola Donovan's article The Graft Behind the Glamour in the Decorative issue. Subscribe to Selvedge here.