Tracy S. Sydor is an innovative and brilliant photographer/artist. She paints her own backgrounds and designs her own shoots. Here, she talks about one of her latest directions based on the composer Johann Sebastian Bach.
Tracy: Marjorie Taylor of Velvet Edge designed the dress. The same designer, who designed the Queen of Hearts. Marjorie made the Bach dress of sheet music.. I just love working with her and anyone who can dream up whatever they want and have the audacity to bring it to life, I’m thinking that’s why we get along so well.The theme was already there, It just needed a story to go with the dress, I began to dig around in Bach’s life. I wanted to learn about him, who he was… his private life mostly. What drove him, who loved him. When this shoot came up, I was all in. I watched endless documentaries on him and his life. I read interesting bits in articles and listened to his works and by the shoot date I was head over heals in love with the project and inspired by his life.
I paint my own backgrounds in shoots most of the time, I love including old world painting styles with modern day ideas. When I’m in the beginning stages of planning the shoot, thoughts about any painted backgrounds props begin to surface. I have to have control and building the set pretty much determines the outcome of the piece, the over all feeling and mood. It also gives me the opportunity to experiment with new ideas and techniques.
I don’t look to see what those around me are up to. Im only concerned with the work I am doing.
TRACY_BACH_CLOSE UP from THE-OTHERSIDE on Vimeo.TRACY_BACH_VOLIN_Verticalfull_body from THE-OTHERSIDE on Vimeo.TRACY_BACH_VOLIN_full_body from THE-OTHERSIDE on Vimeo.Models: Chris Gierig & Carlin SchossauMakeup:Andrea von WRetouching: Rob SydorDress designer: Marjorie Taylor of The Velvet Edge BoutiqueWardrobe and wig for Bach: Linda Collins of Nobody’s BabyPhotography, set build & designwww.tracysydor.com
