Recreations of famous film scenes by Fairlie Atkinson. Photos / Fairlie Atkinson
Recreations of famous film scenes by Fairlie Atkinson. Photos / Fairlie Atkinson
When the Getty Museum photo challenge went viral last lockdown, Kāpiti photographer and high school teacher Fairlie Atkinson added her 2 cents to the challenge, with her lockdown photos gaining international attention.
Recreating Arrangement in Grey and Black No.1, better known as Whistler's Mother by James McNeill Whistler, using Netflix as the background image on the wall was not just a fun experiment but a chance to provide her own social commentary.
While Netflix was the main theme of the picture, adding to the commentary is the fact that many believe Whistler's mother, who lived with Whistler at the time, was filling in for a model who couldn't make it, reflecting our present situation where Fairlie had to use only the people in her household as models.
A recreation of Maria von Trapp singing in the hills by photographer Fairlie Atkinson in lockdown. Photo / Fairlie Atkinson
This time around, Fairlie has taken on famous film scenes, recreating them only with objects found in her house and seamlessly Photoshopping them onto the original image.
"I wanted to do something quite different and asked my Facebook friends for a theme, this one was the most popular."
Using the members of her bubble, her blended family of two adults and four children, Fairlie has recreated prominent scenes from Titanic, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, The Sound of Music, James Bond films, and many more, each with its own lockdown twist.
Maria von Trapp is featured, this time singing in the hills with toilet paper, Dettol spray and wipe, and a mask on.
James Bond lockdown style. Photo / Fairlie Atkinson
The famous product placement in the Wayne's World scene featuring Wayne eating pizza from Pizza Hutt has been replaced with a packet of bread, and Elliot and E.T. have been replaced with one of Fairlie's children and their dog for the bike scene in E.T.
"I had comments from friends, family, and strangers who were following my Facebook page saying they waited each day for the next photo.
"Comments like that really moved me, as while I enjoy these kind of projects enormously, I love the fact they bring a bit of enjoyment to those I know, but also to those I don't.
"That's the impetus for doing it again.
"It's great to make people laugh during a time that could be stressful or lonely for some - it brings us all together."
The Titanic scene reimagined for lockdown. Photo / Fairlie Atkinson
Spending 22 years of her life as an expat, with many of her closest friends still living overseas, Fairlie has enjoyed being able to use social media to share and support each of her friends through life and the pandemic.
"Social media is our platform for sharing, watching each other's kids grow up, celebrating births, weddings, job success, and for being able to support each other during the pandemic and through loss and loneliness.
"I have friends who have been teaching online for 18 months or more, or who have been in lockdown for not just weeks but month after month.
Sorry, no Pizza Hut pizza at the moment. Bread will have to do. Photo / Fairlie Atkinson
"My photos are a look at the lighter side of lockdown in New Zealand, making and sharing a bit of fun for those I can't see in person and haven't been able to for a long time."
Fairlie is planning on posting a new photo each day on her Facebook page, Kapiti Photography, and will create a collection at the end of lockdown featuring all the photos.
