Jenna Barrett returns to:
CKW LUXE
For Another Breathtaking Cover Shoot
On the cover, and in the pages, of our Summer/Fall 2018 issue, photographer Jenna Barrett captured the beauty of the ocean for us with underwater and seaside vistas. Her innovative photo shoot for this issue takes us to new heights with images of a strong young women scaling cityscapes. Barrett is an adventurer and has traveled the world indulging that side of her nature. Rock climbing is one of her favorite adventures. The sport takes strength, determination, and a strong will to do it properly.
Featuring fearless model Magnolia, Barrett’s stunning photos encapsulate the physical strength and mental focus needed for this daring pursuit. They also illuminate Magnolia’s femininity and glamor making it clear a woman is comprised of many traits that allow her to shine in numerous situations.
As always, it was a treat to chat with Jenna Barrett about her photo shoot and discover what was going on in her mind when she decided to do it, how she went about it, and the particular challenges she faced making it happen.
CKW LUXE: Please tell our readers what the inspiration was for this photo shoot.
Jenna Barrett: I’m a rock climber myself, and I have had the idea in my mind for a long time now to do a photo shoot that would combine my two passions, photography and climbing, because they are both such a huge part of my life. If I’m not working, I’m probably climbing! I also wanted to do a session that would show that women can be strong and brave as well as beautiful and feminine, and that the two are not mutually exclusive. Our model, Magnolia, was perfect. She is strong, statuesque, and fearless. When you meet her, you can’t help but think, “Wow, this young lady is amazing!”
CKW: Not only is this a visually stunning shoot, it is also one that contained a certain amount of risk. What were the challenges you faced and the safety precautions you took?
JB: We definitely had a few challenges with this one! We were originally supposed to shoot outside in Central Texas, but all of our possible locations flooded. That’s Texas weather for you. So, at the last minute, we had to regroup and reconceive the session. Thankfully, Le Méridien Houston Downtown very graciously allowed us access to their rooftop, and I love the way it turned out.
The other challenge, of course, was safety. Any time you are working in extreme conditions, outdoors, or with heights, you need to make sure that you are being safe. When I climb, I am absolutely rigid about safety protocols: There are checks and rechecks before you do anything. This is absolutely not something that I would recommend anyone doing on their own, especially not without training or expertise. For this session, we had two climbers on hand, and we worked with the model before the session to get her comfortable with the equipment and the gear.
CKW LUXE: We couldn’t help but notice how beautiful the dresses are. Can you tell us a little bit about them?
JB: The dresses are from Miles David and are absolutely stunning. I fell in love with them when I saw them. The feather and gold details on the dress we used for the cover shot reminded me of a valkyrie, a winged woman warrior from Norse mythology who decides who will live and who will die in battle. The flowing skirt was absolutely perfect for the shot I wanted. And the others had such impeccable detail and clean strong lines that they completely captured the vibe I wanted to portray. They looked like they had been created for a goddess.
CKW LUXE: What can you tell us about your next project?
JB: I’m not sure yet. I always have a million ideas in my head at once. I would love to do something out in West Texas. There is this incredible wildness out there that I find so amazing. I definitely want to keep inspiring people to get outside their comfort zone and try new things!
Jenna Barrett’s adventuress spirit keeps her moving and photographing urban, wilderness, windswept, or watery panoramas. Though these subjects beckon to her and give her photographs their unique character, it is the subjects she inserts into their vast beauty that most fascinate her. In this series of photographs, a beautiful model in gorgeous gowns climbing an urban building encapsulates everything that defines a woman: intelligence, skill, concentration, strong will, power, confidence, and beauty. She is all these things in these pictures, but above all she is willing and eager to step outside her comfort zone and experience something new that will add to the complex person she is.