Pondered is a fashion editorial created by queer, Naarm-based creatives. Drawing on swampy, froggy and abstract concepts, the multi-disciplinary shoot presents a dreamy combination of photography, makeup, styling and modelling.
Creative Director & Stylist: Dandy Fredes (they/them) @medium_to_average
Photographer: Mae Hartrick (she/her) @maartrick
HMUA: Erika Beiza (she/her) @nymph3rella
Model: Lu Ansell (they/she) @lu.ansel
Assist: Polly Palacios (she/her) @p0llypalaci0s
Location: The Photo Studio Australia Melbourne Fitzroy
Shot on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country
Pondered is an amazing collaboration between young creatives. How did the project come to be?
Pondered is our first born from a long overdue collaboration! The catalyst was Dandy obtaining leftover leaves and foliage from an event. ‘We must use them! Concept pending…’ Then bam. ‘Swamp? Frog? What if I make frog fingers?’ Absolute magic ~the idea was conceived~. Erika, our wonderful makeup artist, who I collaborate a lot with, is also Dandy’s cousin. Lu is a gorgeous friend of Dandy’s who was able to step in at the last minute and absolutely killed it.
Well, starting with these dried leaves as props, we were first super inspired by Korean artist, Cho Gi-Seok and his use of nature and animals in his photography. Then we developed quite a strong colour palette which established good continuity for the editorial early on.
In terms of our practices tying together - we’re all quite passionate about storytelling in editorials, creating a character or personifying something. Sharing a love of layered textures and ordered chaos.
What were your inspirations? Did you all have similar practices or did they follow similar themes in their creative fields?
What is Pondered about?
DF: I think we really wanted to play around with the space between ethereal and grotty, Which is where this frog deity falls perfectly.
MH: Just a silly lil frog guy ! Reminds me a lot of the The Fool card in Tarot, (the first card of the deck) symbolizing the beginning of one’s journey and naive optimism. Playful and enchanted frollicking in the swamp!
What was the most exciting part of this project?
MH: Omg it would have to be Dandy revealing their handmade frog fingers or discovering we had a smoke machine.
Do you all have plans to continue to collaborate, will there be a Pondered part 2?
Yes! We have just shot what feels like part 2 🤭🐟
How do you all find being young emerging creatives in your fields? Do you have any advice for people starting off?
MH: It’s challenging but also really exciting. I feel like Naarm is home to so much yummy talent bubbling out right now.
I’d say finding other creatives at a similar stage of your career to keep collaborating with, each trying different ideas and growing together. Being an emerging creative in so called Australia is hard and financially super challenging. But practice makes perfect even if that’s money and time. Don’t gate-keep opportunities either, if you help others create and grow you will be rewarded!! We have to look after each other!
Are there any major themes you are passionate about in your work?
MH: Yeah absolutely. I’m obsessed with storytelling and making vignettes into little worlds. I’m quite passionate about occultism and astrology so I think I take a lot of inspiration from readings and practicing. I’m also heavily inspired by photographers like Tim Walker and Cass Bird. Their ability to capture candid pictures that are actually so stylised and inherently queer - I'm obsessed.
What is next for you?
More shoots ! More collaborations ! More storytelling !
