Michele Meyers
In Motion Staff Writer
The diminutive, young woman wearing a hijab, the traditional scarf worn by Muslim women, stood amidst swirling chaos.
She remained poised, calm and confident while directing the Verona Collection fashion shoot held at the Daytona State College’s photography department the first Friday in November. Breathtaking models and aspiring photographers listened intently to her directions.
That woman is Lisa Vogl, an alumni of DSC’s photography program who hasn’t forgotten where she came from.
Professor Dan Biferie recalls the headstrong Vogl with a smile, saying, “As a student, she was creative and hardworking. I’ve always liked her.”
Vogl converted from Christianity to Islam the Friday before Ramadan which is the holy month of fasting and prayers for Muslims. She is the founder of the international modest clothing brand, Verona Collection, which also boasts a retail store in Orlando. The Huffington Post has named her one of the “17 Muslim-American Women who made America Great in 2016”.
Vogl has always wanted to give back to DSC’s photography department, which she credits with leading her to Islam through an editorial assignment. Recently, she contacted adjunct Professor Charles Hodges and asked if the department would be interested in hosting a fashion photography shoot. Aside from Hodges, students would be the only photographers and videographers at the event.
Eliani Miranda, a third semester photography student, recalled sitting in the hallway with a friend and being approached by Hodges. She quickly submitted an email with her portfolio to Lisa Vogl and went on YouTube to learn more about hijabs and the culture.
“I am very interested in the culture. Not from a religious standpoint but I think the clothing is pretty, it looks nice. It takes commitment to wear the Hijab every single day for the reasons that they do.The shoot itself was definitely a good experience,” says Miranda. “I learned what the process would be for photographing an entire collection, an entire fashion line, the actual requirements in terms of lighting, clarity and working with a team.”
Vogl raved about the student photographers, who worked in groups of two to three and rotated between three differently designed studios consisting of a white background, gray background and a product table for photographing hijabs. There was an additional setup for videography and a behind-the-scenes videographer who roved the second floor of building 530.
As soon as the “call-to-action” email circulated, Frank Colalella II was inundated with messages from friends and fellow third semester students telling him he needed to do this photo shoot. He was selected by Vogl as part of an elite team of 10 who would participate. Colalella was excited but not sure what to expect.
“I have never done a product shoot so I absolutely focused on creating something worthy. Probably my favorite.”
He says having the founder of a successful fashion line give him a nod of approval made him feel great about his skills as a photographer. “This experience made me feel like a professional and gave me a glimpse into what the industry is about but it takes a lot of work. I was dead tired for three days afterward. OMG!”
Lisa Vogl believes students garnered valuable information while adding experience to their portfolios. Hopefully, she has set a precedent. Her advice for aspiring professionals?
“I have a no excuse policy. If you want to get something done, you’re going to get it done. Period. If you want to make it happen, you’re going to make it happen. No matter what. If you have a goal in mind, you have to be clear about it. Work towards it. Live it. Breath it. You have to be willing to fail. Don’t be afraid to fail because it’s all about figuring out a solution.”