Meet Paula : From Technical University of Dortmund

Words by Paula. 

Paula is the newest addition  to the team at Aire St. Studio. Originally from Gelsenkirchen, an industrial, urban city located in Western Germany, she is studying at the Technical University of Dortmund  https://www.tu-dortmund.de/en/ , in Leeds’ sister city. While she resides in Leeds, she will be assisting with errands surrounding the studio such as photo shoots, creative writing for the website and providing an extra hand with anybody needing help. 

This week at Aire St. Studio, started off with a photo shoot with a vibrant and charismatic young local actress. In the interest of adding apposite headshots to her portfolio for forthcoming jobs and auditions, she checked into the studio on Monday. Aiming at illustrating the talented young woman’s range of emotion simply by her profile, the set-up needed to be flawless. Not only did we experiment with the surroundings by modifying backgrounds, outfits and hairstyles to elevate the subject of interest - the use of equipment, i.e. lighting, needed to be aptly to get perfect shots. The young woman passionately stepped foot into her roles in front of our camera and allowed us to witness and capture the unfiltered depths of her feelings. 

The photo shoot beautifully captured the aspiring woman’s ability to embody a spectrum of emotions and revealing her raw talent. 

Consecutively, we welcomed another client who inquired business portraits to be taken of himself. The charismatic young man came to the studio perfectly tailored and equipped with enthusiasm and focus. The first round of portraits were taken inside the studio space and featured the subject dressed in distinct suits with varying backdrops. Nevertheless, to provide the dynamic businessman with a wider range of headshots, we decided to venture outside the studio. Using the cityscape surrounding Aire St. Studio as our backdrop, we captured the client in action, walking confidently through streets of Leeds. Utilising the urban energy of the city centre and blending it with the clients’ charismatic presence along with the portraits taken inside the studio space, the photo shoot resulted in a series of captivating headshots exuding professionalism as well as approachability. 

One of the big deals at Aire St. Studios this week was a photo shooting with Rubie’s - the world’s largest designer, manufacturer and distributer of creative and high-quality costumes and accessories. Founded in the early 1950’s in New York by Rubin (“Rubie”) and Tillie Beige, who operated a local candy store offering newspapers, comic books and novelty items, the store soon transformed into what it is today - a supplier for unique robes and extras.
For decades, Rubie’s has been the go-to destination for those seeking to embrace their alter egos and revel in the magic of dressing up. From iconic superheroes to beloved characters from popular movies or tv-series, Rubie’s has consistently captured the essence of these timeless figures and translated them into costumes igniting your imagination. Collaborations with major film studios, such as DC Comics, Disney, Marvel and Warner Bros. have allowed Rubie’s to bring pop-cultural characters to life with unparalleled passion and making it accessible to fans all over the world. 

We were thrilled to welcome Rubie’s Senior Designer Louise Winestone as well as Rubie’s Global Design Director, Joseph “Jo” Petrollese from New York to our studio and work with them on upcoming children’s costumes. Rubie’s unquestionable commitment to bringing fictional characters to life and empowering individuals to embrace their inner alter egos, may it be a superhero or a TV-character, was ever-present on set. Their passion shines through every piece and accessory, as they strive to create not just costumes, but gateways to imagination and self-expression. 

So, if you ever find yourself reminiscing about the joy of dressing up as a child and want to relive that warm glow of nostalgia - perhaps for a Halloween party with your friends, a themed get-together, ringing in the New Year or even during Leeds’ renowned Pub Crawl, The Otley Run - chances are that you are wearing Rubie’s! 

 This week at Aire St. Studio was filled with captivating photo shoots that encompassed the essence of talent, emotion and imagination and offered me a first look into the studio’s hub of creativity. The art of photography comprises a range of facets and requires a mastery of technique, an understanding of lighting, composition and storytelling along with an ability to connect with each individual to be able to capture their uniqueness