Return of the Genius Photographer

A dress-up game is exactly what it sounds like—a game where you dress up dolls or characters, typically a favorite among young girls. This could involve paper dolls, stickers, or coloring, and it’s often referred to as a fashion or styling game.

This was the method I proposed to Editor Yoon Jung-ah.

Surprised by the unexpected suggestion, Yoon Jung-ah’s eyes widened. “Are you talking about the kind of game where you dress up dolls?” she asked.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“But how does that…”

“This method could be the key to effectively presenting your concept.”

Interrupting Editor Yoon Jung-ah, who seemed about to dismiss the idea, I continued my explanation.

“I really liked your idea of compiling this year’s fashion trends and presenting them to the public,” I began, catching her attention. The smile disappeared from her face as she focused on my words.

“But since you’re covering an entire year, there’s a lot to include in the magazine.”

“That’s true,” she agreed.

“If there are too many photos, there won’t be enough space to explain them, which makes it hard to convey the intention. On the other hand, if there are too few photos, the meaning might not resonate with the readers,” I continued.

She nodded quietly, clearly agreeing with my observations.

Ever since I first heard about this project and thought about it on set, I had one main question: How could all these clothes and the various trends of the year fit into a magazine?

The materials Yoon Jung-ah had painstakingly prepared, and the clothes in front of me now, made it seem like she had so much to show, but no way to effectively do it.

“You’re spot on. Did you think of all that in such a short time?” she asked.

After hearing my honest thoughts about the project, Yoon Jung-ah seemed to ponder for a moment before speaking again. “So, you think using a dress-up game concept could solve this?”

“Yes,” I replied without hesitation.

The method I had in mind, often called dress-up play, involved breaking down the various outfits into pieces, like machine parts, and then reassembling them like a puzzle.

This approach is actually a well-known styling method in the fashion industry.

When trying to find the best outfit combinations, it’s the quickest and easiest way to check. It’s also a method that can help those with little understanding of fashion quickly adapt by comparing and contrasting different combinations.

The prevalence of lookbook-style content on platforms like YouTube in the future or the abundance of dress-up games on children’s platforms like Junior Naver shows how accessible and engaging this method can be, even for fashion novices.

While this approach might be unconventional for a magazine, it could capture the public’s interest in the featured outfits, allowing them to actively participate and adopt the trends themselves.

In other words, without saying a word about what’s trendy, readers could intuitively understand which fashions are in style and which ones they like best.

I was confident that this method would allow us to showcase the maximum number of outfits within the limited magazine space, while minimizing the need for lengthy explanations.

“It’s an interesting idea, but unless it’s a supplementary section, we can’t really make a magazine that requires cutting out pieces.”

“I’m not suggesting we actually cut out the clothes and make a literal dress-up game. We just need to split the magazine page into two sections: tops and bottoms,” I clarified.

“In that case…” She trailed off, resting her chin on her hand, clearly considering the idea seriously.

“So, you mean readers could flip through the pages, mixing and matching the tops and bottoms themselves?”

“Exactly. And if the photos aren’t split, it would just be a normal fashion spread.”

As the conversation progressed, I could see Yoon Jung-ah’s initial skepticism gradually giving way to curiosity and anticipation.

“But this would mean we’d have to consider both cutting the photos and keeping them intact while shooting. Are you sure that’s possible?” she asked, finally voicing her concern after carefully weighing the pros and cons.

Yes, this idea meant that I had to ensure the magazine’s quality wouldn’t suffer while also making sure that, even when the photos were split, they would seamlessly align with different outfits.

It was undoubtedly going to be challenging. And for a photographer, this was an unnecessary complication. Most wouldn’t even consider it, and even if someone did, they would likely be reluctant.

But what I felt right now was not worry, but excitement and anticipation. I was already imagining what kind of photos I could create. The mere thought made my heart race with excitement.

So Yoon Jung-ah’s concerns were unnecessary.

“Yes, of course,” I answered with a smile but didn’t go into further detail. We had already covered the important points; the rest could only be demonstrated through the photos.

In this situation, a single picture would be far more convincing than a hundred words.

Besides, I was eager to get started—the urge to shoot was making my fingers itch.

“Alright, let’s give it a try. If the photos look good, we’ll go with this plan,” Yoon Jung-ah finally nodded after much deliberation.

The moment she did, I headed straight to the set.

The conversation had gone on for quite a while, so the lighting setup was nearly complete by the time I arrived.

After a quick check, the shoot began immediately.

* * * * *

The set was steeped in silence, a solemn atmosphere hanging in the air as everything was ready for the shoot.

Everyone stood waiting, and in the midst of it all, I held my camera, lost in quiet contemplation.

I closed my eyes, clearing my mind.

Then, I vividly imagined the perfect shot, the ideal image I wanted to capture.

I mentally went over the tasks I needed to accomplish to achieve it.

‘Take sharp, sophisticated photos. And always keep in mind that these images will be split, so shoot with that in consideration.’

Like an artist sketching a rough outline, I hung a small picture on the white canvas of my mind.

There were two key things I had to focus on:

First, never forget that the theme was future trends, meaning the photos needed to be as sleek and modern as possible.

Second, ensure that, even when split, the photos would seamlessly align when combined with others.

“Alright, let’s start the shoot. Model, please step forward.”

With my preparations complete, I signaled to those around me.

The model, dressed in a retro outfit, slowly made her way to the center of the set. I observed her movements, gently tilting the camera to follow her stride.

As the model filled the rectangular frame of my viewfinder, she came to a halt and looked at my direction.

“Please strike your most confident pose.”

Just as I needed a warm-up before taking photos,

The model, too, required a moment to fully immerse herself in the shoot.

―Click!

My immediate shutter release was a signal, helping the model dive into the session.

―Click!

―Click!

―Click!

Guided by the rhythmic shutter sounds, I could see the model becoming increasingly absorbed in the shoot.

“Turn your body toward the camera,” I directed, and she complied, turning to face the camera and locking eyes with it.

“Perfect. Hold it right there,” I said, as she assumed a pose that accentuated the charm of her retro outfit.

The moment she was poised and ready, I captured it, almost as if freezing time itself.

―Click!

The light from the studio soaked into the scene, creating a sharp, radiant image.

It was a beautiful shot, one that might draw murmurs of admiration from those around. But it wasn’t what I was looking for.

‘I need to simplify the composition.’

I wasn’t aiming for just a high-quality fashion spread; I needed photos that, even when split in half and combined with others, would still look natural.

My usual approach wouldn’t suffice for the desired result.

‘There’s no need for any distracting props; just focus on the model and the clothes.’

I told myself as I adjusted the framing.

I visualized a horizontal line at the model’s waist and navel, intersected by a vertical line running through the crown of her head. I positioned the point of intersection at the center of the viewfinder. This central composition, a straightforward yet effective technique in photography, was ideal for drawing full attention to the model and her outfit.

With the composition set, I slowly zoomed in, balancing the ratio to ensure all focus was on the model and her clothes.

When the model’s full figure was just barely contained within the frame,

―Click!

the image I had envisioned was captured by my camera.

A simple image with only a hint of background, focusing entirely on the model and her attire.

The simplicity highlighted the strengths of the clothing, and the shot was also thoughtfully composed so that it could be split in half, allowing it to pair well with other photos.

―Click!

―Click!

―Click!

Now that I had found the right approach, all that remained was to keep pressing the shutter.

I captured shot after shot of the model, each time with the same care, keeping the original framing intact but allowing her movements to remain natural and fluid.

I imagined how readers might mix and match these photos with others.

Though each image I took was just one piece, for those flipping through the magazine, it would be the starting point for endless outfit combinations. I had to visualize the potential of every yet-to-be-captured combination as I took each photo.

The photos I had taken quickly scrolled across the monitor.

The still images flowed together, creating a dynamic sequence that resembled a stop-motion animation, where the model appeared to be dancing through each shot.

Yoon Jung-ah stood watching intently, as if trying to absorb every detail of the unfolding scene.