Trevor Dixon and BHLDN recently teamed up to create a new collaboration project. Although the two have had a partnership for years, the new project included Trevor directing and shooting still photographs and five motion videos for BHLDN. Thus, the bridal company (which shares roots with sister company, Anthropologie) released an exciting motion and print ad campaign, that celebrates some of the most stylish trends in bridal looks. The campaign, titled “Before I Do: Hair & Makeup,” features five new videos that include the “how-to” steps to recreate each of the five looks in the campaign: The Romantic, The Lady, La Bohemienne, and The Muse.
- BHLDN Motion, The Muse
This was one of the first projects Trevor took on that focused on the motion aspect of the shoot. It’s success was dependent on a strong and innovative production team, which included the talented work of BHLDN Creative Director Balwant Ahira, BHLDN Producer Maria Walsh, Makeup Artist Riku Campo, Hair Stylist Moiz Alladina, and Digital Technician/1st Assistant Video Editor Charlie Wrzesniewski. We got a chance to speak with Trevor about the shoot, and it sounds like it was an exciting endeavor that he’s looking forward to pursuing in the future (along with his continual passion for still photography!).
GHA: Trevor, Can you share a little bit about your history of working with BHLDN?
Trevor: I’ve been working with BHLDN since the brand was formed about two years ago. It is an offshoot of the Anthropologie brand, and I’ve been working with them for almost ten years.
GHA: How was the creative concept developed? Did you have any input, and if so, in what ways?
Trevor: From the beginning, the creative team at BHLDN was pretty clear about what they wanted. My input was to take their concept and tweak it a bit and add my own touches. Also, I needed to be the one to reassure them that we could pull this off from a technical standpoint.
GHA: As photographer and director, what specific job roles did you have in the shoot?
Trevor: I was responsible for overseeing the whole production and working closely with BHLDN’s creative director, Balwant Ahira, to make sure he was getting the results he expected.
GHA: What camera(s) did you use for the stills and for the video?
Trevor: I used the Canon 5D Mark 3 for both stills and video.
GHA: How did you set up lighting for the video?
Trevor: I tried a few quick setups, but I generally like to use one light– so that’s what I ended up using. Specifically, I used a Joker Bug 200 HMI shot thru a white umbrella.
GHA: Approximately how many people were on set?
Trevor: 15.
GHA: What was the atmosphere like?
Trevor: Fun, energetic and playful. I think everyone was on the same page and really enjoyed watching this idea unfold.
GHA: What was the most challenging part of the actual shoot day?
Trevor: The writing of the titles. Using a paint marker, our model had to write the titles backwards on a sheet of Plexiglas. Each time she messed up, we had to scrub the marker off (no easy feat) and try it again. Just the four titles took about three hours of shooting.
GHA: What were some differences that you found you needed to take into consideration when shooting motion vs. shooting the stills for this shoot?
Trevor: Since a lot of the time-lapse was made of up still photographs, I really approached the project from a very familiar place. What really makes that possible is using the same camera for both still and video capture. The hard part was getting the stills and video to blend well in editing.
GHA: Was there anything else that particularly stood out to you about this shoot?
Trevor: I just really enjoyed this process from start to finish. Everyone involved was working together to make it the best piece possible and I think we nailed it.
- BHLDN Motion, The Lady
Client: BHLDN
Creative Director: Balwant Ahira
Producer: Maria Walsh
Photographer: Trevor Dixon
Studio Manager: Issa Dixon
Digital Tech & 1st Assistant Video Editor: Charlie Wrzesniewski
Audio Technician: Mark Maloof
Hair Stylist: Moiz Alladina, Art Department
Make-Up Artist: Riku Campo, Jed Root
Stylist: Jeannine Lynch-Nerney
To see Trevor’s newest work and insights as a photographer, check out his blog. To see the other looks and more inspirations from BHLDN, check out their Explore Page.
For more information about any of the Glasshouse photographers or for portfolio requests, please contact
Jai-Lee Egna
Photo Agent, Glasshouse Assignment
212-462-4538 jai-lee@glasshouseassignment.com
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