'Skin Shield': Elements: Makeup, Photography, Styling and Model Choice

Skin Shield is an article on pollution and how it takes its toll on our skin. The article discusses what the main causes of pollution are, as well as the long term and short term effects it has on our skin. It then goes on to suggest products which can be used to combat pollution damage.

Setting

As the editorial images will be part of the article, I want to give them context and relevancy by choosing an appropriate setting. Setting is one of the most important elements to this shoot as this is what will create the city-vibe that I am going for. I would love to shoot on an old estate with lots of grey buildings and dramatic architecture which will create a brutally harsh feeling to the shoot - much like the effects of pollution on the skin. There may not be anywhere fitting in Southampton so I may have to look further afield, but will do a whole post in the future when it comes to finding the location. I know I'm looking for buildings designed in the Brutalist style, like the the Barbican Centre in London.

Makeup and Hair

As the article is all about skincare I really want to make up in skin shield to be very fresh including all this is that she has not known so I'll just use a hint of tinted moisturiser to perfect my models skin, brush through the brows and take a really glowy liquid highlighter with a transparent sheen across the eyelids on the bridge of the nose to give a generally healthy look to the skin. Nothing too shimmery! This editorial isn't really about the make up it's more about the general image and setting so I just want to create something that supports the message of the article, without detracting from the message it's giving. As for the hair, again I don't want anything going to be too distracting from the general image so will just use straighteners to create a loose wave and as there will be a couple of outfit changes I can switch up the style from a loose wave worn down to a relaxed ponytail.

Photography

I want to find a really good photographer to work with on this shoot as it is important that not only does the model look her best, but the setting is also made the most of. I know for sure that I want this shoot to be shot in black and white, as I love the monochromatic look and think it works perfectly with both the styling and the harshness of the surrounding setting. I may end up shooting some shots of the buildings myself, If I can't find a good enough location near by I plan to go to London to take some shots of buildings, and then shoot the images of my model closer to home. With the right editing I then should be able to make the images fit together as if they were shot at the same location. 

Styling

Again, to go along with the city feel of the shoot, I want to create a sports-luxe feel with the styling. I love the look of soft basics mixed with sporty pieces, trainers and crop tops with a 90's influence. Below are some examples of pieces I've found that could work, particularly the striped trousers from ASOS!

Model Choice

The model choice for this shoot isn't as crucial as for some, but as the makeup and hair in this look will be very minimal, I do want to find someone who is naturally beautiful with with very good skin. I would really like a dark haired model for this shoot as I think this will look the most flattering in the high contrast black and white shots.

'Seasonal Update: SS17' Test Shoot

Even though my photographer Cher is sick, I wanted to go ahead with todays test shoot. I used one of my friends as the model, just to try out the makeup and get an idea for what might need to be changed. Although I liked the look on one of my inspiration images, I think that the flowers forming a ring the whole way round the eye actually looks quite strange and overpowering. I would like the placement to be more random, or perhaps just place the flowers underneath the eye. I am happy with the rest of the makeup, although think that the pink stain on the lips and cheeks needs to be applied heavier in order to come through properly in the photograph. I love the flowers on the collarbone and underneath the mesh top, however the model I am using for the actual shoot may not be comfortable with this level of nudity. As much as I like the look, I'm also not sure how well it ties in with an article about how to update your look for Spring, so I feel like it is pretty visually but doesn't actually have much relevance to the article.

I really don't like the lighting on these images, it is unflattering and grey, however as I'm not a photographer it was difficult to achieve my desired result without Cher. I have sent her inspiration pictures, so hopefully she will have a good understanding of what I am hoping to achieve prior to the shoot, despite not getting a chance to test shoot together!

DESIGN: Update 08/03/17

I went to Russell with my initial storyboards to ask if he thought I had planned out enough content for Beauty Noted.  He suggested that I start laying out my magazine on Photoshop or InDesign using filler images or text to get a rough idea of the final outcome and how much space I need to fill. So I could get started on this I went to John's drop in to discuss my plans for the design of the magazine, and work out how it would be downloaded by readers. I want the magazine to be viewable on any device and for this John said the easiest and most effective method would to just create website where readers could download the magazine from in PDF format. Below is the rough outline of the magazine layout so far, using mostly inspiration images and images from my first shoot. This has helped me get a better idea of how the magazine will look and I can see that although I have plenty of editorials I need to plan out some more written content. This very rough and won't be the final design of the magazine as I need to look at refining the colour scheme and creating more write space in order to keep with the minimal theme, it's good to have a template to update as I go along, hopefully making the process easier on myself when I come to finally put the magazine together.

'Rays' Shoot Results

These are some of the images from my first shoot 'Rays'.  I am really pleased with the outcome of this shoot and found that I worked really well with the model and photographer to achieve the results I wanted. I really wanted to create a feeling of natural sunlight, so we tried quite a few different set ups until we got it right.

IMAGE SELECTION

I initially wanted to shoot on a nude/flesh coloured background, however there weren't any of this colour available, so myself and Maarit (the photographer) decided to try on a pale peach/orange. However this picked up far too orange on camera so we decided to switch to grey. 

We tried out a grey background next. Although I do really like these images and the overall look, they grey backdrop gives a very cool tone to the images, as opposed to the warm, sunny feel that I wanted to achieve. 

Finally, we switched to a white background. Maarit also switched the lighting, having a light placed behind the model so the light came in different directions, falling in beams and causing shadows on my models face and body. I love the effect this creates as I think it has really achieved the effect of sun on the skin.  I also tied the hair back as I wanted to catch the light across my models shoulders. I had so many images from this shoot, to decide I got my friends to go through and select their favourites, which I took into consideration when picking which images to edit and consider for inclusion in the article. 

I absolutely love this image and everyone I showed the photos said it would make a great cover for the magazine. I really like the almost abstract quality to it, the ethereal glow and softness of the fabric of the shirt. It fits in with the colour scheme of the magazine as a whole, so I think it would work very well as a cover or promotional image for Beauty Noted. 

EVALUATION

Overall, I felt really happy with the way I worked with both the photographer and model. Maarit was really talented and made achieving the lighting I wanted possible, something I wouldn't have felt confident in doing myself. It took a massive weight of my shoulders to not have to worry about setting up the lighting, or worrying that my photography skills weren't good enough. This was also the first time that I have worked with a professional model and found that this made achieving beautiful results so much easier. Ashleigh knew how to pose and how to create the look I was after, with very little trouble. Both of these elements meant sure that the shoot ran very smoothly and I am pleased with the final outcome! 

'Rays' Shoot Elements: Makeup, Photography, Styling and Model Choice

'Rays' is a series of editorial images that accompany an article on sun protection and how to choose the right SPF. The concept isn't only focused on holiday sun protection, but more how using SPF should be part of our daily routine to prevent the damage that is caused by incidental sun exposure. I want the images to reflect the topic of the article, so will take this into consideration when making decisions about the model, makeup, styling and lighting for the shoot.

Model

I would ideally like to use a model with red hair and porcelain skin for the shoot as this is the colouring that is usually the most sun-sensitive. I see a lot of articles on sun protection that use models with very tanned skin, but personally see this as a bit of a contradiction as bronzed skin is actually a result of sun damage. I have been in contact with a model who I found on purple port that would fit perfectly, so am hoping to collaborate with her on this shoot. (images below).

Makeup and Hair

As the focus of the article is skincare, I want the hair and makeup to take a back seat and just compliment the images instead of being the focus. I want to create a flawless, perfect base but with a few tiny freckles to give the model a fresh faced, healthy glow and replicate the way that someone of that skin tone might react to sun exposure. I really want the model to look like she has minimal makeup on, while still making the most out of the features by naturally sculpting the eyes and cheekbones. I will naturally define the lips with a pencil, but I don't want to use a glossy product that looks as though she is wearing a lipstick or gloss. As with the rest of the look, the hair will be kept very minimal and simple, maybe down in a loose wave or tied back into a relaxed ponytail.

Styling

When choosing clothing for the shoot, I want to choose simple, lightweight pieces that have a very relaxed minimal feel. I did consider swimwear, but have decided against this as the piece isn't supposed to only be holiday appropriate and discusses SPF all year round. I'm currently looking for a lightweight cotton shirt, maybe with a leotard or simple bra underneath, as this article is all about stripping it back to just skincare and focusing on that. 

Setting, Photography & Lighting

The photography and lighting of this shoot will be incredibly important to the final outcome. I have decided to shoot in studio, as I will have more control over the lighting conditions and can't guarantee natural sunlight if I choose to shoot outside. I also want to make sure that the images fit in with the minimal aesthetic of the magazine so I want to shoot against a very plain background. Despite shooting indoors, I want the images to have a really 'sunny' feel about them to compliment the theme of the article. It's really important to me that it is obvious that more light is coming from one direction than others, to replicate the natural highlights and shadows of the sun's rays.

I have organised to collaborate with a photographer called Maarit on this shoot.  She has worked closely with one of my friends before and I have seen the images they have produced so I'm confident that she will be able to help me achieve my desired outcome.


Image Refs:

1. Millman, A. (2017). Summertime Sadness. [image] Available at: https://purpleport.com/portfolio/ashmillman/image/2534623/model/?referrer=layna [Accessed 25 Apr. 2017].

2. Millman, A. (2017). Alien Skies. [image] Available at: https://purpleport.com/portfolio/ashmillman/image/2534620/model/?referrer=layna [Accessed 25 Apr. 2017].

3.  HUNGER TV. (2017). Young Blood: Scarlett Burton | HUNGER TV. [online] Available at: http://www.hungertv.com/feature/young-blood-scarlett-burton/ [Accessed 26 Apr. 2017].

4. Behance.net. (2017). Behance. [online] Available at: https://www.behance.net/gallery/31460533/TEO-magazine [Accessed 26 Apr. 2017]

5. Zara.com. (2017). NEW ROMANTIC-WOMAN-EDITORIALS | ZARA United Kingdom. [online] Available at: https://www.zara.com/uk/en/editorials/woman/new-romantic-c566146.html [Accessed 26 Apr. 2017].

Focus Group Findings

When writing my FMP Proposal last year, I conducted a focus group to get an idea of my target audience and what type of content they would like to see. Although this was based on the production of a print magazine, some of the information I gathered regarding the design and content of the magazine can help influence my decisions for Beauty Noted. For example, all of the women in the group agreed that there is a gap in the market for a beauty specific magazine and highlighted the importance of design. The word 'timeless' really stuck with me, as although the magazine is now digital and not something to 'keep', I really like the idea of creating something that doesn't become dated really quickly and will be relevant in years to come.

Audience Demographic

The audience demographic for Beauty Noted is the 25-30 year old, creative, professional woman. She is passionate about luxury cosmetics and skincare and is a regular consumer of luxury beauty items.

She has an appreciation for simplistic art and design in all areas of life and is career driven and ambitious, potentially working in a creative profession. Her career is important to her and she always striving for self-improvement.

She is knowledgable about beauty and therefore enjoys reading about beauty in more depth than that offered by commercial magazines such as Vogue, Elle and Harpers Bazar. She has an understanding of the ingredients in her products, cares about the quality and wants to read informative articles that aren't packed with overselling and marketing techniques.

She shops mostly from retailers such as Space NK, Cult Beauty, Net-a-porter and Beauty Bay as they stock a carefully curated selction of unique, quality brands such as ByTerry, Chantecaille, Becca, Sunday Riley and Aurelia. However, she loves being introduced to smaller, niche brands.

She doesn't shop exclusively at designer stores, but mixes investment pieces with fast-fashion items from high street stores like Whistles, Zara, Cos, Topshop, & Other Stories and H&M.

She uses social media such as Instagram and Twitter daily to find inspiration for fashion and beauty trends, keep up to date with the latest launches and developments.

She reads online blogs such as Lydia Eliesse Millen, Caroline Hirons, A Model Reccomends and Samantha Maria, as well as online magazines such as Into the Gloss and Beauty Bay EDITed.


While I feel that Beauty Noted would appeal to a far wider audience than this, this is what I have identified as my core audience, and the reader I will be taking into consideration when structuring my content and designing my magazine. Identifying this core reader has helped me to think about how to market Beauty Noted. For example I will be using Instagram to promote the magazine and get it out there to a wider audience as I know that is a platform that my core reader would respond to. It has also helped me identify which brands to feature in the magazine, or what style of clothing to choose for an editorial.