Helena
14 years ago by
I love doing castings. Not to see the girls strut their stuff in front of me, that’s still a little weird, and embarrassing too. I mean, in the end, you can only chose one or two. No, I love doing castings for the moment when, finally, a girl walks in the room and you feel something special.
That’s exactly what happened with Helena. I was looking for a model for a shoot I was doing with Spanish Vogue. She walked in with a determined stride, sat down, let out a big smile, and I knew she was the one.
How do I chose what model to work with? Hmmmm, good question, thanks for asking (??!!?).
Outside of a presence and that certain je-ne-sais-quoi that never quite explains it, there’s a ton of little details to look for:
J’adore faire mes castings. Pas pour voir des tas de filles défiler devant moi, ça c’est plutôt bizarre. Et assez embarrassant, puisque finalement on ne va en choisir qu’une, ou deux. Non, j’adore faire mes casting pour le moment où enfin, une fille entre dans une pièce et quelque chose se passe.
C’est ce qui m’est arrivé avec Helena. Je cherchais un modèle pour une scéance photo que je faisais pour le Vogue espagnol. Elle est arrivée d’un grand pas décidé, s’est assise sur la chaise, a fait un sourire, et j’ai su que c’était elle.
Comment je choisis une mannequin ? Hummm, bonne question, merci de me la poser (??!!?).
En dehors de la présence et du je-ne-sais-quoi qui ne s’explique pas, ce sont des tas de tout petits détails :
A girl with style will understand the clothes that we’ll make her wear.
A girl not afraid to smile will make long days of shooting a lot more fun.
A girl on time will avoid of the total nervous breakdown of an entire team who woke up at 5 a.m. to be ready to shoot at 7.
And a give me a girl with a sense of humor, and I am in heaven.
Helena has all that. No wonder she is so successfull. Working with her was such a good time that we became friends. And we even found a second for a coffee in the middle of New York fashion week. We took a few photos. I love her gypsy style (Gypsy. C’mon now seriously, how stupid is it to try to define someone’s style? But you know what I’m saying), her collection of fantasy tights, and her love for what she does.
You know what she said to me? Right in the same vein as Giovanna on Sunday? That there’s nothing better than a pair of heels to feel beautiful. It makes her more confident. And even if it’s just for a head shot, she prefers to be wearing heels.
Wait, even for juggling apples on Bleeker Street? Yep, even for juggling apples on Bleeker Street.
It’s so wonderfully complex to be a woman.
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Simple et merveilleuse…
I could not agree with the final sentence more. And I love, love, love that second picture. So natural, and the lighting and tones are perfect.
Just to add (I feel like I always do this, always have an afterthought… or two… or seven): I’m so happy to hear that you choose models for their personality and inner beauty as well as for their physical appearance. It gives me a little bit of faith in the humanity of the fashion industry. :)
beautiful light.
oh she’s just beautiful! and clever that she can juggle too! and i love her tights! it’s all wonderful.
xx
C’est drole, les raisons que tu cites pour choisir un bon mannequin sont un peu les raison pour lesquelles on aime ton blog et toi en l’occurence!
Sinon la Héléna, j’aime bien sa jube Topshop, son chapeau et tu vas peut etre rire mais j’aime ses sourcils haha
xxx
Elle est absolument SUBLIME !!!!!!
Il y a des filles comme ça…
Merci en tout cas de nous avoir permis de “faire sa connaissance”! ^^
“il n’y a pas mieux qu’un paire de talons pour se sentir belle”.
C’est un beau portrait que tu as brossé aujourd’hui de ta plume si agréable et c’est pourtant LA phrase qui retient mon attention.
C’est tellement vrai, aussi ( ou surtout) pour mon 1m84 que les gens détaillent en demandant sytématiquement :
” vous faites du basket?” ( et vous de la spéléo?)
” pourquoi mettez vous des talons, z’êtes pas assez grande?” (j’aime regarder de haut les petites gens , bouffon attrape un torticolis)
“d’où venez vous?” ( de chez moi!) ” quelles sont vos origines?” ( je te demande si tu es breton?!)
Je la verrais bien dans le prochain Tim Burton … en train de jongler :)
Looking at her is making me feel like I need to go buy a black hat exactly like hers, I LOVE it! I’m not sure what style of hat that is called with the round top but flat rim like that but it’s amazing. Her style seems to suit her very well, what a beautiful girl!
http://ganymedekids.blogspot.com
what Helena is wearing in the second photo is what i want to be wearing for the rest of the winter/spring here in Chicago!
Haha – by hook or by crook I’ll be first in your book! (We used to write that in autograph books at school, & it was the first thing that came to mind when I realised this might be the first comment! Nothing to do with fashion sorry!) xxo
cette fille dégage un truc!!
http://www.whatdialike.com
mon casting le plus émouvant fut un casting de tétons,
pour une photo destinée à promouvoir un chocolat de luxe, une toute petite bouchée précieuse.
un casting éprouvant.
Helena has a special beauty, a great naturalness. Photographs are fantastic, congratulations. It was a great choice.
Kisses
WOW……………………………… je suis sans voix…… ça explose à la figure voilà….
;-)
I think I’ll always be a sucker for brunettes
elle est superbe !
she’s beautiful and i love the photos as always but what i think makes her stand out is her eyebrows…really, try to imagine her with different eyebrows. not the same.
Elle “capture” très bien cette belle lumière en tout cas!
The black jacket is so cool, I like it, she looks very stylish.
Best,
Albert
She’s life lover, clever, intelligent and stylish girl. Girl, playing with apples and a photographer Garance, who shot this briliant moment, full of joy.
tu sais ce que j’ai lu ? “même pour jongler avec des hommes sur Bleeker Street” ;)
j’ai l’impression d’avoir déjà vu Helena dans une pub pour un parfum ?! il y a quelques années. Shalimar ??
Beautiful!. Very gracious.
Non seulement c’est fille est très belle, mais en plus elle a une personnalité, est drole et est charismatique: je suis trop jalouse!!!
Hello Garance,
well I just taught you should know Helena S. isn`t your only fan from CROATIA. Love what you do and even more how you do it! Regards from the lovely country of Croatia to the lovely Garance.
Je suis contente de savoir que toi tu regarde à l’interieur des filles, dans leur intimité.
Moi aussi j’aime travailler avec des personnes souriante, et moi, de ma part, j’essaie d’etre toujours contente dans toutes les choses que je fais.
Les talons sont une arme et nous, les femmes, sommes les seules à l’utiliser.
Nous, on a de la chance!
Les talons sont vraiment comme le chocolat…quand nous sommes tristes…!
Chiara
http://www.forget-me-not-chiara.blogspot.com
Elle est lumineuse, j’adore…
Et ces collants, wow WOW!
What a beautiful face and the most perfect of eyebrows! I really love the striped tights in the last picture. Is Helena Spanish?
http://www.logsylou.co.uk
Wow, she is beautiful!
And I really sill love your way of writing! Fantastic that the post frequency has improved so much ;-)
Thanks for being fabulous!
A model that can really juggle. This is a sight to see!
She’s Fresh !
Elle est absolument superbe, son visage si joli et si malicieux! J’adore la photo des pommes.
Hier je t’ai vu dans Grazia, je confirme que les talons te vont divinement bien, en tout cas c’était très sympa ce reportage.
she is beautiful, love her hair! i just cut all my hair off, it is cathartic and my little girls keep rubbing their little hands all over it telling me how much they love it, bless them! alas, seeing hair like this makes me crave for 3 years time when it will be long like this again! Hx
Mais qu’elle est belle ! J’adore les brunes et leur “dureté/douceur” humhum c’est du concept ça hein ?! Bref tu comprends sans doute ce que je veux dire :-) La photo où elle jongle est géniale. J’adore ses fringues ! Ça donne envie d’essayer tout ce qu’elle porte. Voilà pourquoi elle est sans doute un excellent mannequin ! Bizoo !!!
Whaou la lumière est terrible, quant à Helena elle a du “chien” …. plus que belle !
Hi Garance, as usual the simplicity of your photographs is breathtaking. Helena looks so comfortable in her own skin…
There is a certain confidence interwoven with innocence in her body language which is what makes these pictures amazing.
Voilà, tu viens de nous donner la preuve que le mannequin ( du latin mannuquinus ) est une race à part. Une être qui vient d’un monde merveilleux, où toutes les filles ont 1m20 de jambes de long, un sourire de dingue et des loooooongs cheveux parfaits.
Alors en plus si elles sont drôles et stylées.. Merde enfin, il nous reste quoi à nous, le commun des mortelles, les clogs?!
Bonne journée Garance!
Ah! I love the tights on the second and the third picture.
http://miamarionette.blogspot.com/
Bonjour, superbes photos, j’adore le chapeau ! et Helena est très jolie, quoi de mieux qu’un sourire, choix cohérent
She is so beautiful – what gorgeous eyes!
Elle est sublimissime!
http://thekillingmoonconfused.blogspot.com/
Helena est trop belle!!!
le 1er truc que j’ai remarqué sur sa photo ce sont ses sourcils parfaits et ses yeux noirs perçants, elle a un style très madrilène branchée ou it girl brésilienne dans le bon sens, car y’a certainement que du bon a être cela en fait ;-)
Bonne journée!
http://www.sylviaetc.blogspot.com
Ohhh mais c’est Helena Sopar!Je la connais depuis quelques années des médias croates, elle vient de la Croatie.
Elle est trop belle et naturelle!!!C’est super cool de la voir ici sur ton blog Garance!
elle est superbe…
Elle te ressemble, non?
la bise
What is really great on her is also this ‘I am the girl next door’ allure, which makes her looking like one of us. Whereas some models, just pretend to be Goddesses.
She is so beautiful even wearing little, or no, make-up.
Thumb up for Helena!
Lovely Olivia
http://longuette.blogspot.com
i love this post!!!
it’s not very often i see another Helena!
haha!
maybe when i see in the streets i’ll strut, pose, strut, smile just to get your attention haha!
GG – Gorgeous Girl!!!
Ce regard!
She does have great style and such a natural looks, lovely photos!
ah ça m’amuse que tu abordes ce sujet, je regarde america’s next top model sur le net en ce moment (je suis une grande intellectuelle) et on voit un peu les coulisses comme ça (enfin à l’américaine!)…
J’adore la photo où elle jongle, c’est très naturel!
J’adore cettes phrases: “Qu’il n’y a pas mieux qu’une paire de talons pour se sentir belle” et “C’est quand même génialement complexe d’être une femme”. Genial!
got those stripy tights from topshop
xx
Love from M POPPY
LIVING IT UP IN LONDON
Quriky!
Oh elle est super jolie cette fille. J’adore la deuxième photo en mouvement !
She seems wonderful! I love that she has brown hair and eyes and is successful :)
Aaaah j’adore les mannequins qui sourient, la plupart de celles qui défilent sont tellement avec des expressions au bord du suicide (mais pourquoooiiiiii).
Le sourire c’est frais et rend la vie belle sans faire d’effort :D
Sinon le pouvoir des talons, j’avais remarqué ça aussi il y a quelques années : c’est simple, ça donne un sentiment de pouvoir donc de maitrise, de soi et des autres. C’est juste un sentiment car c’est faux bien sur.
Depuis je me promène entre 0 et 3 cm de haut, c’est plus facile pour marcher (cf les New Yorkaises dans la rue), ça donne l’impression de pouvoir voler, courir, sauter, danser. Oui oui c’est aussi une impression ! :D
(quoi que courir en talons hauts… Mais certaines savent le faire !)
oh wow! this is Helena Sopar, she’s from my county – Croatia and one of our most succesfull models right now….i was really surprised to see her on your blog…nice :)
pffff juste tellement belle
oh mais tu es aussi photographe pour vogue.. super, bravo ! j’aimerai en être à ton niveau mais je débute depuis quelques années seulement dans la photo de mode !
Le mannequin est vraiment bien choisi c’est vrai! belle lumière sur les photos ;)
Elle a des cheveux magnifiques ! Il est vrai que la photo ou elle jongle avec des pommes est très belle.
Divine modele et les photos, pour ne pas perdre l’habitude, de meme!!
Gros bisous!!
Wow! This post made my day! Thank you Garance! I also love the people who are so alive and the fact that they transmit their whole character from just one look. :)
j’adore… ses collants. Quel marque les premiers avec la dentelle à fleur, ils sont absolument sublime sur ses jambes
Elle a un petit quelque chose du mannequin Fernanda Tavares je trouve (sur la première photo)
Pfiou elle jongle bien dis donc ! Ca compte ca aussi dans ton choix ? ;-)
Elle est magnifique…
wow this is Croatia reveling post!
I’m a huge fan of your’s and of Helena, and I’m also from Croatia :D
Helena did a marvelous shoot for croatian elle this year on our island Pag, in the city Novalja, were I spend my holidays, and that was the first time I realized how special she is.
Hugs!
Marija
Bravo !
À quand une série avec Crystal Renn ?
Bonne continuation.
Cette femme est tout simplement sublime.
d’accord mille fois pour l’histoire des talons; là, ça fait deux jours que je suis en jean/sabots suedois, ben faut que je remonte sur mes echasses de sabots Darel, parce que 2 jours sns talons, ça va bien 5 minutes, et tout de suite, hop! je peux porter un sac à patate en guise de robe, ben je me sens quand meme… Giovanna, voilà. -:)
Unique style. I like it. Especially her choices of headgear! Beautiful light too, Garance.
Beautiful pictures. She definitely looks special. I absolutely agree when it comes to sense of humor, it makes a working day a whole lot better. Non-smiling people are no fun!
http://lhabitue.blogspot.com/
elle est vraiment très belle et sa personnalité se lit sur son visage, c’est top
Simply gorgeous. I really want those stripey tights too.
Your last statement couldn’t be more true…it’s wonderful being a woman! ;) Love the photos and the insight into what seems to be a very special person. Thanks!
Beautiful pictures. I often visit your blog find some inspiration. I also like photography, trying to photograph some of his own life or another. But the technique is very difficult, how to make the image more Smart, I’m exploring some ways and equipment updates.
she’s awesomely gorgeous!
J’admire ces femmes qui dégagent tant de beauté en étant si naturelles. Je les admire mais je suis aussi un peu jalouse ;o)
Et tes photos sont magnifiques !
LNA elle a un truc, c’est clair !
Sa lumière a du envahir la salle et la réchauffer quand elle est entrée (LNA H O).
Une bien belle amie que tu t’es faite ce jour-là… et quelle jongleuse émérite !
Bisous
Anne
love the juggling photo! so sweet! she’s got incredible style and such striking features! her eyebrows (random, i know) are beautiful! xx
The girl looks marvelous! :) I love her style a lot, too.
Je suis contente de voir ces sourcils! J’ai les mêmes et des fois je me dis que c’est bizarre que ce soit aussi foncé, et là elle est tellement jolie et ça rend très bien! ça me décomplexe!
La photo avec les pommes est super! =)
AH oui et aussi j’adore ces collants! Mais je pense qu’il vaut mieux avoir des jambes de mannequin pour porter ça!
I love her style and she is beautiful. It is great you had time to go to coffee together. Being on time and having a sense of humor is a good quality in anyone and something I also look for =) xo
yay! garance in the spanish vogue :)
J’ai toujours envie de porter des talons apres avoir lu ce blog, hélas j’habite a la campagne en irlande, donc c’est peu réaliste! I totally agree with The Style Crusader, the model does have really nice eyebrows, classic full shape.
C’est tres dur de choisir des models. Ca me donne des angoisses personnellement.
Je n’aime pas le cote “va-z-y marche, mets toi la, tiens toi droite, aller next…”
Et c’est vrai qu’il y a une chimie qui doit s’operer et ce n’est pas toujours evident davoir le temps necessaire. C’est la personalite qui me parle, plus que la beaute plastic.
Tes photos sont tres belles, by the way!
she looks great. love the soft pink dress with leather jacket and hat. she has substance. i think that this is probably a lot harder to find for a photo shoot that tells a story, in a way, versus a runway model. harder to do a photo shoot because you want a face with thought behind it.
I feel exactly the same way about the “gypsy” description. but you’re right, what else do you say? Need to invent a new word for the look!
can’t wait to see the Spanish Vogue spread! good luck!
xoxo
http://www.stylaholic.com/Stylaholic/Blog/Blog.html
belle!!
It’s so funny. I knew that first photo was from Bleecker Street. For some reason, the light there is always just like that. So energizing and illuminating. Helena only makes it more so. Gorgeous photographs and writing GD! xxgg
I love her tights!
je la trouve tout simplement magnifique. Elle a une prestance que j’aime beaucoup. En tout cas les photos sont vraiment réussi.
I love her philosophy on wearing heels. It is precisely why I am striving to master this art down.
those floral tights and polka dot dress are a lovely combination!
xo
I like what she said about wearing heels: it is so true. I don’t know when I made the conversion from flats to heels, but now I feel like I can’t entirely go back to wearing flats anymore. Things feel empty.
Helena is gorgeous and that picture of juggling apples is my favorite!
clichic.blogspot.com
As always, lovely post. She’s stunning! And she looks so relaxed in front of the camera. Hmm…maybe I should start smiling and wearing heels more often :)
http://www.vivaswag.com
oui c’est vrai que les talons donnent de l’assurance, de la determination ! On se sent plus forte avec une dixaine de centimétres en plus ^^
et puis ” C’est quand même génialement complexe d’être une femme” ;) ( trés jolie conclusion )
Brilliant post!
I agree with you about the points you listed:
* punctuality
* smile / humour
I am less sure about the style: I like models to be a blank page; if they are too stylish, in my experience (which is far more limited than yours) they end up having an agenda, refusing to wear clothes, or wanted to style themselves etc. On the other hand, the stylist would have to do with this, I wouldn’t. Models with an agenda, however, want to ‘take modelly poses’, which irritates me… They all want to put themselves into these weird shapes, which they think makes you like supermodel. At best it makes them look like sh*t, at worse like they are sh*tting…
Cue: the French connection ad which says: ‘This is the woman, this is how she sits.’
There’s more then meets the eye! Just being pretty doesn’t cut it. Thanks Garance!
http://www.aspirationsofprosperity.blogspot.com
Garance! Helena was juggling right across the street from my home! I’d have fainted away if I’d looked out and there you were. She’s gorgeous – reminds me of a young Ali Macgraw.
she’s gorgeous!!
http://donotshoeme.blogspot.com/
to your list of criteria, may i add: an unawareness of her own beauty
the last thing on helena’s mind – i’m sure, as i can see on her face and in her gestures – is how beautiful she is
there are lots of pretty girls who are too conscious of their prettiness and that consciousness renders them, well, not beautiful
CHAPLINESQUE!
Looks like Freja Beha in the first photo.
elle est magnifique cette fille! tu as vraiment l’oeil :)
Bises
http://www.ludivine-avenue.blogspot.com/
I’m looking forward to seeing this photoshot you mentione for Vogue Spain!! :)
she is beautiful and the location is great. I could almost feel the crisp winter day in NY! great shots x
these are amazing marni leggings i just got! now i know how to top them! thanks helena!
Perfect BELLA
what a beautiful girl!
She’s stunning..she has that indefinable something–ala Cindy Crawford or Gina Carangi–that makes her really stand out: is she romani? hispanic? italian? indian? Plus she also has a ‘rough-around-the-edges’ look that just adds another layer of mystery, and those cheekbones! I predict she’ll go far!
Love the tights and the mix of the soft, ruffled dress/skirt and the leather jackets!
Garance, pourquoi tu publies pas mon commentaires? Ça fait trop réfléchir sur notre consommation? Je sais…
She is amazingly pretty!
Elle est vraiment belle et toi Garance, j’adore ta facon d’écrire !
Gros bisous et fait nous encore rever !
Dear Garance,
I’ve been following your blog since forever and finally one of my home girls is here :)
Beautiful Helena, from Croatia; and I must agree with Marija from this comments – Helena did a beautiful shooting in one of 1000 Croatia’s islands – Pag, for Cro. ELLE magazine.
It was breathtaking!!
She is absolutely stunning!
I love this woman! Especially for the fact that she has a wardrobe of fantasy tights and knows that good shoes make you feel better, even when noone else can see them.
Miss B xx
http://agirlastyle.wordpress.com/
Croatian media about this:
http://www.cromoda.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4727&Itemid=36
Beautiful pictures, what a wonderful girl.
Masha
Russian Navy
http://russian-navy.blogspot.com/
i don´t know why, but when I look at her I see a Brazlian girl!
this is absolutely stunning! i love helena…and those tights!
-emilyviveur
She’s from Croatia:) Everybody is talking about Helena, her career is going really great! And that’s really great! hehe:)
She certainly has personality and style. Which you find rarely today, when you look at professional models. And she is obviously not too thin, which are a lot. I like her.
And the shot of her juggling is priceless. I LOVE IT.
Cheers, San
http://the-man-made-project.blogspot.com/
What a gorgeous girl! Natural, gorgeous, and stylish:)
I guess it is obvious truth but open heart and rich inner world is that without what good style just won’t work. Person behind fashion, lets say that.
qu’est-ce que ça doit être chouette de se lever le matin quand on est si naturellement belle!
Surely you don’t seriously believe that there’s some intrinsic complexity in being a woman because they favour wearing heels (even to juggle apples)? Is it really a choice in the first place? The world of fashion is wonderfully surreal…
These pictures are really so beautiful, dreamy and romantic.
I adore that last sentence! Just saw your profile in British Elle, it was so lovely! I really love your website – the photos are always beautiful and I find your writing style so lyrical, it’s such a pleasure to read :)
I’m very glad you choose Helena , ‘cuase she is a very special girl , you know.
She’s Croatian(off course I’m too :) ..Go Helena !!! thnx Garance ;)
You are so very right about heels. I am in my early 50’s and somewhere along the line I stopped wearing heels, with the exception of boots. I have many pairs of booties, all with heels. Most all my “to the knee” boots are flat. I am stylish and in great shape. I am going to start wearing heals again and find out what it feels like to be young again. I think heels area parts of our youth and that we begin giving them up, at least some of us, when we think we are older. I say #$%*&^$@ ! Heels for me:)
She`s so gorgeous.I love her style…o yes, and she`s from my country.
Helen
I’m always slowly making my way back through your archives from before I started really reading your posts (I used to just stop by to look at your beautiful photos and illustrations). This post captures the essence of both what makes your photos so captivating and your blog so delightful: you seem to take a personal interest in your models and have a knack for making a unique connection with the people you photograph so that they never feel like strangers or models but friends.
It certainly is wonderfully complex to be a woman. Though for me it’s a slight pushup bra (you know, one that makes me look at least like a full B instead of a barely B), that makes me feel confident and beautiful.
these pictures are so inspiring! just amazing