18 Windermere
Road was abuzz with a bevy of beauties this Saturday, the 10th of
May, as the first photoshoot for Lee Folkard Photography’s 2014 project,
Project Scouted, took place at the uber trendy hotspot, Hashtag. The
restaurant’s cool and casual setting provided the perfect atmosphere for the
kick-off of Phase One in the project and although the morning was a chilly one,
the energy and excitement was tangible. Hashtag also treated the girls and
their parents to coffee while they waited for their spot in front of the
cameras, with The-Wiz, Dj Alleyne Morton, on the decks keeping the awesome
vibe.
The girls who
fit the criteria that the scouts were on the lookout for were instructed to
dress in a way that portrayed who they are. Some girls went for a more natural
and subtle look, to suit their personalities, but some also went all out for
dramatic and striking looks. There was an array of different styles and tastes
on show for the morning with every girl working it in their own unique way.
The girls
scouted ranged from high school pupils to university students and some even
employed. Previous years’ projects seemed to serve as a reliable reference
point for those parents who wanted to check out the brand. Parents, mostly
mums, who arrived with their daughters weren’t at all sceptical about the shoot
as the Lee Folkard Photography name has become an established one in Durban
with a strong social, as well as print, media presence.
There were a
few surprises on the day too. The Clown, who has become a regular feature in
the Project photoshoots, made an appearance and was also roped in for countless
pics. Durban-based photographer who will be a part of the Project at a later
stage, Jerome Stoffels, also stopped by to take some of his famous
behind-the-scenes iPhone pics along with Nilufer Yucel, who is also one of the
scouts. Ryan Francis of Shoelaced by Pow, a loyal and much-loved sponsor
involved in a Project for the second time, also came by.
The first two
photographers who had the talent to be scouted in their own way to be a part of
this first phase were Simphiwe Simz Makhwanazi and Jessica “Van.Go” Goeverden. Simphiwe
took the “selfie” to a whole other level, with the first shot of each girl
being taken in the “Selfie Zone” at Hashtag, capturing the reflection of each
girl in a full-length mirror, while Jessica photographed the girls in classic
head-and-shoulders shots with whatever pose – or facial expression – that displayed
their personalities.
This first
phase of judging is going to prove to be extremely difficult. Be on the lookout
for the images from this awesome morning at Hashtag soon to be uploaded onto
the Lee Folkard Photography Facebook page. Also check out Twitter and Instagram
as Project Scouted is taking over social media in a big way. The project has officially now begun.
