Photos by Garrett Cornelison
Styled by Jessica Miller
Model: Gabrielle Wrede, Runway Model and Talent
Hair: Brianne Cummins
Makeup: Lindsey Ritland
Artist: Jonathan Pearson
Assistant: Mayim Yael
Lighting assistant: Justin Meyer
Seeing is believing—or not. To create a distinctive look for the images on this and the following pages, Des Moines freelance photographer Garrett Cornelison decided to do a “total experiment” combining photography, watercolor paintings and computer technology. “I’m forever inspired by illustrators and painters,” he says, “and the process I used to get to these final images was a way to pay homage to them and their work.”
Specifically, that process involved Des Moines artist Jonathan Pearson creating abstract watercolor paintings based on the photographs, with the goal to develop an overall color palette for the project. Cornelison removed most of the color from each photo and, with Pearson’s soft layers of watercolors as a guide, used Photoshop to “paint” colors back into each image. He also added some of the original color back into the photos. The process “brought my de-saturated photos back to life. … I wanted them to have a natural, organic feel,” Cornelison says.
As a result, the colors of the clothing items in the photos are not true. For example, on this page, the faux fur jacket is actually solid orange. Check the captions for the real colors—but mostly enjoy the inspired outcome of an inventive undertaking.
