We first heard from Elise Kleis back in 2018 as she started her course, a BA hons in Photography, in Bristol. Fast forward what seems like ten minutes and she’s already graduated and was raring to head into the world of fashion photography, then Covid hit. She’s therefore come back to Jersey temporarily. We saw she was back and shooting locally so wanted to share some of her work and say hi.
So…Elise….you’ve just graduated, what was the course and how was it?
I never wanted to go to university and I hated it at first. Within a few months I’d settled in and then loved it and miss it now. It was a great place to grow and nurture creativity and offered the chance to collaborate, which I always love.
What’s the plan now?
My plan now has changed due to ‘the virus’. I initially wanted to go traveling and then move to London to pursue my career in fashion photography. Unfortunately, because of Covid, travelling isn’t really an option right now. My plan is to therefore to stay in Jersey for the year with my family and boyfriend and then move to the UK next winter.
What or who are your greatest influences?
My greatest influences would be Juno Calypso, Nick Knight, and Tim Walker. All three are so different from your usual fashion photographers; using fantasy, playfulness, and fashion together. For the past few years, I have tried to incorporate fetish into my fashion work, working with BDSM and Human Puppy play groups in London to form my knowledge. For my final year project created a fashion film influenced by Nick Knight on a girls relationship with her blow-up toys.
What was the concept behind this shoot?
For this shoot, I focused mainly on the clothes and tried to incorporate a background that would enhance each item. I also wanted to play with the idea of the model looking extremely high fashion doing mundane tasks that we do every day like going to the super market, filling up the car, a sense of the normal.
