Bella Kemp’s final university project is main character energy at its best

You know those things you’ve always wanted to do, but never had the chance? Going skiing, trying your luck at synchronised diving, riding a rocket ship into space, or owning 20 Pomeranians? Well, Bella Kemp has turned her dreams into a (kind of) reality. For her final Fashion Photography project, the Bella’s World photobook, she’s turned herself into the mannequin in her greatest fantasies, donning all the brilliant outfits and accessories that might accompany them.

The idea arose after Bella sought a new direction for her final project. “Throughout my BA projects, my primary aim was to approach each brief differently, constantly pushing myself out of my comfort zone,” she says. One avenue she had never explored was putting herself into her images, exploring how the body “inhabits spaces in relation to performance and self-portraiture”. Bella took tips from works like Mannequins, by photographer Carlijn Jacobs and creative director James Chester, as well as collage artist Seana Gavin’s Entrance to Paradise, which inspired the concept of Bella envisioning her own paradise, and the project’s name.

To keep up momentum and energy, Bella says that she avoided “overthinking or overcomplicating” the process. As soon as she had an idea, she would spend a few days gathering reference material from films and magazines, and then sourcing styling pieces from friends, flatmates and her own wardrobe, before shooting the next day and then collaging her pieces – using a mix of stickers, coloured card and AI, before digitally scanning and manipulating the pieces in Photoshop. For Bella, My Royal Wedding – in which groom Bella smooches bride Bella – is one of the most amusing of the lot. “This was playing off the idea that it would be funny if you could marry yourself, it’s not supposed to be conceited however I think it’s funny that it could be interpreted in that way.

One of the most enjoyable parts of the whole process was the shoots. Not only was it fun for Bella to dress up as different characters – a cowgirl, princess, and baffled dog owner to name a few – but it also gave her friends (who shot the series) a good laugh. She believes that including the behind-the-scenes shots is vital to the overall impact of the project. “I shot every portrait in my living room to emphasise the transition into the fantasy landscape within the final collages,” she says. “Including behind-the-scenes self portraits of each collage was crucial as they highlighted the performance aspect of the shoots and added a tongue-in-cheek element to the series.” Sometimes, the BTS stood out even more than the final shot. Discussing My Synchronised Swimmers, Bella says “I thought the repetition of me being each diver would make a visually striking image but the behind-the-scenes images ended up standing out the most as the posing of diving is nonsense in the setting of my living room.”

As final projects go, Bella’s is pretty inventive and most importantly, fun. For those who might be looking to think outside the box in their university work, Bella advises not relying too heavily on social media – for how “comparative” it can be. “Even though it’s cliche, it’s true that inspiration can absolutely come from anywhere, as long as it sparks energy and an idea,” Bella says. The inspiration behind her princess collage came from a sticker pack she found at an off licence. And, perhaps most crucially, she advocates for a healthy dose of self belief. “I’d suggest trusting your instincts and embracing whatever inspires you, regardless of its source.”