BJØRN CHRISTIANSEN | Photographer

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

“Autumn Leaves” is a much-recorded popular song. Originally it was a 1945 French song “Les feuilles mortes” (literally “The Dead Leaves”) with music by Joseph Kosma and lyrics by poet Jacques Prévert. Yves Montand (with Irène Joachim) introduced “Les feuilles mortes” in 1946 in the film Les Portes de la Nuit.

When I grew up my father and I did spend some time together up on the loft in my old home. While he was correcting essays and I was playing with legos, he usually put on a record. John Coltrane, Miles Davis or some other jazz musician, Scratchy noise came out of the loud speaker followed usually by a baseline to set the rhythm and chords. One of the tunes I liked the most was the tune “So What“, the cool intro baseline filled private space. I started taking piano lessons when I was around seven and after a few years I learned to play Autumn Leaves and ever since the tune has been following me like a feel-good-memory of the younger days.

One thing I’ve learned from working in the commercial business shooting fashion shows, seasons-styles are made a month or even a year before it actually is going to be used. Early in August in Norway threes are still green from all the summer rain and stores are filled with shorts, short skirt and t-shirts and not anything that reminds us that fall is coming soon. Even though I wanted this shoot to be a autumn special. A great deal of post production has been done, I hope you believe in my photos, but feel free to give any feedback.

Helping me out on set was John Wormdal doing some assisting with reflectors, dealing with transport to and forth the location and handing me lenses when ever needed. Make-up and hair was done by Sunniva Moum Danielsen from H2. Styling was done by Kari Indergård Sundli, currently studying at London College of Fashion. And last, the model, Ingvild Melby from Trend Models.

Here is the lyrics for Autumn Leaves and at the bottom you’ll find a Spotify-link to Miles Davis version on the album Kind of Blue

Autumn Leaves

The falling leaves drift by my window
The falling leaves of red and gold
I see your lips the summer kisses
The sunburned hands I used to hold

Since you went away the days grow long
And soon I’ll hear old winter’s song
But I miss you most of all my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall

Since you went away the days grow long
And soon I’ll hear old winter’s song
But I miss you most of all my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall

I miss you most of all my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall

Miles Davis (Spotify)

Here are the three first shots I published from the series

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

Yesterday I did a photo shoot with Ingvild Melby from Trend Models. Here is the first dress we shot. Theme of the shoot was autumn fashion of 2012, helping me out on location was the stylist Kari Indergård Sundli, currently studying at London College of Fashion, Sunniva Moum Danielsen, hair dresser from H2 Frisør Dronningensgate. Assistant photographer was John Høye Wormdal.

I’ve been experimenting with prime lenses from Nikon rather than the telephoto 70-200 VRII that I bought this winter, two out of three shots in this post are shot with an older version Nikon 24mm f/2.8 lens resulting in some strange body shapes on the model.