A Fishy Tale

Twisted Mermaid, Sidmouth, 2008

I have to admit I found this shoot a struggle. At the back of my mind was the fact that the subject could so easily fall into my ‘cliché’ category. Having seen the outfit, and knowing what Ms. Mermaid was capable of, however, I knew it was was possible to make it work.

I think what makes it work for me is the fact that although yes, it’s a mermaid, it still seems real somehow. As if this is what mermaids would look like and what they’d do if they really existed in 2008 with all the cultural influences abound.

I think we pulled it off. When people say, as they often have done, that they “have always thought mermaid pictures were cheesy, but this is cool” I think they are reacting to that element of realism in the image, and it makes me rather pleased.

What do you think?