Studio Bamako by Feli & Pepita. The creative team was inspired by the pictures of Malick Sidibé and Seydou Keïta, two photographers from Mali, Africa, who are known for their portrait photography in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, the years after Mali´s independence after visiting an exhibition in Paris recently.
Scroll down to read more on the backstory of the editorial.
The inspiration for Studio Bamako written by Feli & Pepita –
During the last decades, photography has changed. Since it got digital and especially since everybody uses smartphones, people take photographs every day. In former times you had to go to a photographic studio to get a picture of you and your family. Pictures were printed, not just displayed. And as there were only a few of them, people were looking at the same pictures for years. While taking pictures got democratized, the worth of a photograph decreased.
A few years ago we travelled through southern Africa. To cross the border from the Kingdom of Swaziland to Mozambique we had to get passport photographs for our visa. So we went to an old-fashioned photo studio to get some portrait shots. It was like entering a forgotten world. The camera which was used by the friendly photographer looked like one of the models you might have seen in a photography museum. We had to pose in front of a curtain and after having the pictures taken, we had to wait one hour for the images to develop.
Back home we found similar pictures in Feli´s family album. His father is from Algeria, North Africa, and there are only a few images he preserves, most of them taken in a similar surrounding.
We visited the exhibitions of Malick Sidibé and Seydou Keïta, two photographers from Mali, Africa in Paris recently. Sidibé and Keïta are famous for their portrait photography in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, the years after Mali´s independence. We were very impressed by the beautiful and expressive images and by the plain and simple sets they used in their studios. Their photographs reminded us of our photo session in Swaziland. The idea for our story was born. We call it ‘Studio Bamako’, for Bamako is the capital of Mali.
We are very happy to have Hair and Make-up artist Claudia Creuels on our team. Claudia has travelled the world with her work and learned to work with African hair in South Africa.
The kids in our story loved dressing up and get styled like a modern version of their grandparents for a photo album shooting.
This story is dedicated to what people photography used to be.
Studio Bamako Credits:
Photographer: Feli & Pepita @feliandpepita
Fashion Editor & Stylist: Petra Klapprott @petraklapprottstyling
Hair & Make-up: Claudia Creuels
Models Darlenis, Joy, Kadiga, Louis from Keolas Kids Models
Thanks to Marceau Props, Cologne.
View Wasteland an editorial by Feli & Pepita on Junior Style. Find out more about the creative team in our recent Chit Chat Tuesday with Feli and Pepita.
Studio Bamako Clothing Credits:
Slide 1 – Bobo Choses Top.
Slide 2 – I Love Gorgeous Dress, Young Soles Sandals.
Slide 3 –I Love Gorgeous Overalls, Bobo Choses Socks.
Slide 4 – Bobo Choses Top and Pants, Young Soles Sandals.
Slide 5 – I Love Gorgeous Dress, Falke Socks and HM Shoes.
Slide 6 – Raspberry Plum Top And Skirt, Falke Socks.
Slide 7 – Hello Simone Dress, Socks Falke.
Slide 8 – Bobo Choses Shirt, Shorts & Back Pack.
Slide 9 – I Love Gorgeous Dress.
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Photography Feli & Pepita – All rights reserved.
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