Heat Magazine - Pool Party

I never thought I would ever shoot for Heat Magazine and every time I work for them I have this thought in my mind. All I know is that Melissa Maxted the fashion editor and good friend of mine has turned the magazine around and given it some street cred. She comes up with awesome ideas, collaborates well within the restrictions and makes every shoot a good experience to be on. 

For the summer editorial in the weekly (where fashion is only published every three weeks) we shot a manic pool party shoot with a mixed bag of 'models / celebrities', we had a local actress, girl rock band and a bunch of professional cage fighters. We some how managed to make it work and have a good time. The editorial was shot at the Ellis Park Swimming pool in downtown Johannesburg, here are the images. 

Thanks

Chris Saunders 

My new website - www.whatwasparadise.com

So after months of work and curating portfolios I am pleased to announce the launch of my new website, www.whatwasparadise.com. The new branding and url come with a story. The company that was hosting my last website, became defunct but some how didn't take my website down and allow me any access to the ownership of the url. So at the moment it is hosted but I cannot get hold of them to put my new site up under the same domain. With this obstacle in my way I decided to register a new domain, whatwasparadise. I came up with the name while traveling through the united states this year where I came across a table in the back of an abandoned motel between the Texas and New Mexican border on the old Route 66. The table had the words 'What Was Paradise,' etched in it and I found this inspirational because I believe that what photographs do is document what was paradise.

The new website was designed by the multi-talented designer Magdalena Czarnecki who I met while on residency last year at Fabrica in Italy. http://www.tjaneski.com/

Thanks for now.
Chris Saunders

Featured in The Guardian Newspaper UK's Fashion Statement

Due to the the amazing feature of my work in Helen Jennings's new book 'New African Fashion' (Phaidon), I have been picked up by the Guardian's fashion statement weekly newsletter and blog. Its always been a dream to be featured and have anything published in the Guardian. Check it out further on their website, http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/gallery/2011/nov/02/south-african-fashion

If you are interested in ordering a copy of Helen Jennings book, New African Fashion you can get it on Amazon - http://www.amazon.co.uk/New-African-Fashion-Helen-Jennings/dp/3791345796

CTS 2011