Roland Barthes Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 Divorce, editing movies (I am because we are, Filth and wisdom), coping with the huge backlash that was David adoption, knowing Chris was writing a book, the big 5.0 coming up, end of her recording contract with Warner and personal stuff we don't even know about....it all took its toll on her. She survived this like a champ.
Kurt420 Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 Sorry, but I wish she would've taken the "old washed up whore" look of the "white" photo session a step further. It's not always about being "pretty" and "flawless". Even with the actual HC cover,she clearly wasn't going for "pretty and sexy" she was going for garish and tacky. Even back then it shocked me how her fans did not "get" her image at this time. The way the GP misunderstood Erotica/Sex is the way her diehard fans misunderstood HC/S&S. The interpretation was she was trying to be hot, sexy and cool by wearing what she wore on HC cover + working with "hot producers". Clearly that's not what she was going for.
Kurt420 Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 Divorce, editing movies (I am because we are, Filth and wisdom), coping with the huge backlash that was David adoption, knowing Chris was writing a book, the big 5.0 coming up, end of her recording contract with Warner and personal stuff we don't even know about....it all took its toll on her. She survived this like a champ. Very true! Isn't it amazing how she got ZERO sympathy from the public/press (not that she would necessarily want that anyways)? Just about any other celeb would've been handled with kid gloves at a fragile time like this. Not our Madonna though! The press/public was more brutal than they had been since early 90's.
Starman Posted September 7, 2015 Author Posted September 7, 2015 I know, Hard Candy phosotshoot is her worst of all times. Her make up worst, outfit really bad, subject also. Look at her face, she looks tired and bored in all pictures. And that awful wig is terrible. And purple eye shadow. Those are not from the album session They are from the tourbook session which Besides those the rest arr pretty amazing
ULIZOS Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 This was when I realized that Stephen Klein is a really mediocre photographer. He seriously does not understand beautiful lighting. His end results are good because 1) the subject matter is usually interesting 2) the set designers usually do a fantastic job 3) he has good photoshoppers who basically do justice to his shit photographs 4) his assistants actually know what they're doing.
thegoldencalf Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 Sorry, but I wish she would've taken the "old washed up whore" look of the "white" photo session a step further. It's not always about being "pretty" and "flawless". Even with the actual HC cover,she clearly wasn't going for "pretty and sexy" she was going for garish and tacky. Even back then it shocked me how her fans did not "get" her image at this time. The way the GP misunderstood Erotica/Sex is the way her diehard fans misunderstood HC/S&S. The interpretation was she was trying to be hot, sexy and cool by wearing what she wore on HC cover + working with "hot producers". Clearly that's not what she was going for. I agree. It was an experiment that backlashed. I think it was way to hip for her. No matter how amazing she looked, she was not a 20 years old model with flawless skin so that styling and lighting did not suit her at all. I just think M and Klein got over-confident after their previous flawless collaborations and dropped the ball. But I also feel that they could have done more with the photos in post production. They could have fixed some more of them. But I guess M had just moved on and focused more on the Munro shoot for the tour...
loowee Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 Well considering Hard Candy was a sugar-coated bitter divorce record, I think the photoshoots worked pretty well in conveying her message. I just wish the final products were more "gritty and raw" and less photoshopped.
karbatal Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 Madonna can pull many looks, but the haggard tacky one is far, far away from her possibilites. Only a girl in her late teens or early 20s can pull it off, sorry.
karbatal Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 Well considering Hard Candy was a sugar-coated bitter divorce record, I think the photoshoots worked pretty well in conveying her message. I just wish the final products were more "gritty and raw" and less photoshopped. To be fair, once we knew about her personal life at that time, my views on the album changed completely. Nowadays i can listen to it, understand it and enjoy it. But i dissagree about the pics. They didn't try to tell anything. Confessions pics are airbrushed to such a heavy point that they are laughable, the same with Hard Candy and part of MDNA.
wick1234 Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 Those are not from the album session They are from the tourbook session which Besides those the rest arr pretty amazing hmmm DID they photoshope...armpit hair OUT??!!! hello....
Royal T Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 Those are not from the album session They are from the tourbook session which Besides those the rest arr pretty amazing I know they are not from album session, but still they are from HC era photoshoot and many of them are looks very bad.
Guest CzarnaWisnia Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 Who cares so much about the lighting? Today we have photoshop, you dont need to have a good lighting to make you look good lighting is what photography is all about, if one can't capture or use light properly, one can't call themselves a photographer
ryan Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 I actually love it. If anything, it shows how cheap photography has become over the years, which is upsetting. The only proper way to see these out takes, is if they were airbrushed and re-touched. Some of the best photos were the out takes. It's a shame the snow queen set was never used. And isn't the Michelle pfiefier bandage set inspired by something? The ring photos, the snow queen, and the full body shots in front of the posters..., FANTASTIC!!
JimmyJimmy Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 Spanish Lesson / Incredible interlude? Anyway, I think everything about this album was mismanaged, sadly. It has some really good tracks that deserved to be singles with good videos but weren't. I do think the title is really messy too. I would have preferred "Jawbreaker" as the title with the boxing theme still intact but reshot by Terry Richardson as someone else already suggested.
blackmamba109 Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 Personally, I love these shots. She's still so fucking beautiful. Also... photoshop or no photoshop.... her body is fucking SNATCHED... you can photoshop wrinkles... but you can't photoshop a good body (case in point: please refer to any one of Moo-riah Carey's album covers in the last decade. she looks like a martian)
Poison Flower Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 I wonder when the original GI2M video will leak...
destiny06 Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 Look at her face, she looks tired and bored in all pictures. And that awful wig is terrible. And purple eye shadow.[/size] She looks kinda Courtney Love-ish right here. These are bad pics, but she's still beautiful!!
loomer Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 @ using some of the unretouched pics in your post
Guest eroticerotic Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 to be honest she looks like she is in physical pain . Reminds me of her Grammy's 2014 appearance. something's bothering her, for sure. but our gal is always "show must go on" so, i haven't really enjoyed steven klein since the Ariake commercial. He became self parody instead of doing something new with his signature vibe. the boxing gear she sports does not suit her. they look too out of the box/brand new, instead of customized for her. the white bandage gear would have worked if she didn't look like she was in pain bc m's always been someone to put something together with what she has, i.e. her boy toy look. I think the black madonna would have been too literal for her. i would have liked the cover to have been her mouth with Hard Candy spelled out over brass knuckles. Just like the photo of her mouth with the M-Dolla ones. The Die Another Day tour video would have been perfect album artwork! i didn't really enjoy this era until Sticky Sweet.
jacket Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 I know, Hard Candy phosotshoot is her worst of all times. Her make up worst, outfit really bad, subject also. Look at her face, she looks tired and bored in all pictures. And that awful wig is terrible. And purple eye shadow. Looking like Courtney Cox with a blonde wig in this one. Whoever she sees now for face maintenance is a wizard.
Roland Barthes Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 This would have been perfect (with a bit of shop on the pores and facial hair and to enhance the gloss)
nick00 Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 The artwork and photo shoot was a bit of a shock after Confessions at the time!
tuckeye Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 she looked like a woman on the verge of a divorce
lrnzi Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 Divorce, editing movies (I am because we are, Filth and wisdom), coping with the huge backlash that was David adoption, knowing Chris was writing a book, the big 5.0 coming up, end of her recording contract with Warner and personal stuff we don't even know about....it all took its toll on her. She survived this like a champ. Hell Ya!
Elysium Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 She was obviously worn out with the work schedule, the divorce and looking after 4 kids...poor girl must have been so tired and it shows...thank God the longer she's been single again the healthier and more vibrant she looks now...in fact she has never looked younger!
SkyHigh76 Posted September 8, 2015 Posted September 8, 2015 Madonna worked with the wrong photographer.Some of these pictures are dreadful! The final artwork was fine,though.It's just a shame that so many of the outtake photos leaked.
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