Photographer Linda Blacker tells Carrie Lyell about her fairytale shoot with YouTubers Rose and Rosie.
Linda Blacker is a London-based fine art photographer who specialises in creating "mini fairytales".
Her latest project, depicting YouTube stars Rose and Rosie as the Queen of Hearts and Queen of Spades, took the internet by storm when it was released last month. We caught up with her after the shoot to find out more.
DIVA: What is it about fairytales and fantasy that speaks to you?
LINDA BLACKER: I just love it. When I read books or watch movies, it has to be fairytale or fantasy. My dreams are pretty much full of fantasy adventures and ever since I was little, like most of us, I wanted magic to exist. I guess for me that never went away!
Why did you want to work with Rose and Rosie?
Firstly, I love them. Secondly, I actually shot with them earlier this year for a series I created called YouTuber Vintage – The Modern Woman, where the imagery celebrated their success online and recognised them as two women doing fantastic things for the LGBTQ+ community. For this project, I wanted to create a YouTuber fairytale with a romance theme, and I thought Rose and Rosie would be the perfect models!
What was the thinking and inspiration behind this particular shoot? What messages are you trying to convey?
I have seen very few fairytale stories or shoots that do not centre around a heterosexual relationship. Both myself and the Roses felt it was time for a gorgeous fairytale romance with a gay theme. The shoot, and the story that I wrote alongside it, tells the tale of the Queen of Hearts and Queen of Spades falling in love, despite being enemies fighting to rule the Kingdom of Cards and being married to their Kings. You can read the full story over on my Instagram and come along for the ride. The message is loud and clear: love conquers hate. I think we need to remind ourselves of this, following the bleak year that was 2016!
Read Carrie's full interview and check out some of the stunning pictures from the shoot in the February 2017 issue of DIVA, on sale now here.