Gothic Glamour: Embrace the Vamp

In Gothic Glamour: Embrace the Vamp, the work explores the tension between darkness and elegance, drawing from classic gothic references while grounding the imagery in contemporary beauty. Bold makeup, dramatic silhouettes, and rich textures shape a visual language that is both romantic and defiant.

Deep hues of plum, black, and metallic tones heighten the sense of allure, while sheer fabrics and sculptural styling introduce softness and vulnerability. Rather than leaning into excess, the series embraces restraint, allowing mood, gesture, and expression to carry the narrative.

By pairing elements of the macabre with modern glamour, the project challenges conventional beauty norms and invites viewers to reconsider power and self-expression. Here, beauty exists comfortably in shadow, complex, intentional, and unapologetic.

PHOTOGRAPHER NOTES

My work is typically precise and controlled, relying heavily on strobe lighting. For this creative test, I chose to step outside that comfort zone, experimenting with shutter drag, motion, and available light.

I was reminded of the flexibility and nuance natural light can offer, a looseness that allows emotion and movement to surface in ways strobes often limit. This series became as much an exploration of process as it was of aesthetic.

CREDITS
PHOTOGRAPHY: Stephanie Trattner
MODEL: Katarina Ralf
HAIR & MAKEUP: Katarina Ralf
AGENCY: Mode Elle
PUBLICATION: Opium Red