Flowers,Macabre and No7.

Since developing and creating more  Macabre mood boards, I have become more and more intrigued with dead/dying flowers and the faded colours left on dry petals. I think it would be really fitting to create a make-up design inspired by dying flowers as it symbolises the perfect juxtaposition of death and something beautiful, since I my brand is No7 it is important for me to create a brand make-up design which is wearable for numerous women of all ages and also makes them feel confident wearing the macabre 'style'. 

I want to make my model appear confident, demure and beautiful all at once through the makeup I plan to create on the photoshoot. Similarly to No7's  slogans and promises I want my images to be able to encourage women to wear Macabre the way they want to do just like their slogan 'Colour your way'. Because of this I have decided to create two different lip colours to allow consumers of No7 to wear Macabre in two different ways which are; pretty but poisonous and deep and deadly. 


Pretty but Poisonous.

Deep and Deadly. 

Planning my photoshoot and sorting models

As I am coming up to my photoshoot date I have created a rough plan of my final photoshoot. I feel fairly prepared and have practiced both make-up looks I intend to create in my photoshoot on myself and my peer, although there have been many practice runs with my make-up designs I am now confident and happy with my two final make-up designs I am going to recreate. I terms of models and my photoshoot, I initially wanted my sister to be in the brand images and Melissa Janes in the editorial images, but due to her busy working schedule and being a hardworking mum of three she just wasn't available for when I needed her, nevertheless I think Melissa is a wonderful model and I have had a positive and successful experience, working with her in the past during studio practice with Chris. I plan to ask someone from my class to be an assistant for me to make things easier and smoother on the day. I feel I have had fairly good time management up to now and finally shooting my images, but feel I may have to rush editing on my images in Peter Okefe's sessions as I have found editing and learning new technical skills quite challenging and difficult to learn. 




Photoshoot Plan.

Model - Melissa Janes 
Clothing - Black Tank Top
Look 1 - Hair; Styled down and curled slightly, Make-up; Bold lip minimal & simple eye 
Look 2 - Hair; Volume, Half up Half down, curled slightly, messy, Make-up; Bold dramatic eye Makeup, clean base, no lip color

No7 Beauty Imagery/Photography

I am analysing No7 beauty ads and their slogans to help inspire me when planning poses for my photoshoot and model. I feel poses and emotion are very prominent in No7 beauty ads, as No7 aim to give and sell you confidence through the use of their beauty products. 

In consideration of my inspiring word Macabre, I want the poses to be very relaxed slightly demure and moody although I am also going to direct my model to move and pose as she feels natural also so I can get some natural shots. 

The majority of women featured in No7 adverts and campaigns both have the same theme in No7 beauty photography; which is Confidence,Power and beauty, women are presented in almost a powerful light in their beauty ads, they encourage women to be themselves, express themselves and be confident by using their products. I feel the women used in No7 beauty campaigns look beautiful and confident which makes me aspire to be the same.

Although I love that No7 try to encourage women to express themselves through cosmetics, I feel that No7 have believe that women wear and use cosmetics in order to express how their feeling through the use of colour and not to cover themselves up and hide insecurities, make-up is fun and expressive and promotes confidence in many ways.

Boots No7 No retouching/airbrushing campaign 2013.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/08/05/10/2B1D28CF00000578-3185794-image-a-11_1438767014812.jpg

I like how simplistic and fresh the model appears in this No7 beauty ad, she is smiling and relaxed and her make-up makes her glow and look healthy. It looks like she only has a clean illuminated base with a subtle flush of colour of the cheeks. When looking at this ad we are instantly drawn to the prominent shades of blue which is there to promote No7's blue nail polish, and subtly the models nails are tied in with the ad without overpowering the image with too much blue, instead the models nails make a statement and a pop of bold colour as her hair, make-up clothing and backdrop is very simplistic. No7 take pride in their beauty ads as they do not retouch their beauty ads and if they do it is very minimal, for me this means I do not have to retouch my brand and editorial images too much as they want the women in their ads to look and feel like themselves which is very empowering and refreshing compared to luxury make-up brands which aim for their beauty ads to sell perfection. No7's no retouching or airbrushing campaign images have been featured in numerous magazines and websites including Vogue.co.uk. The slogan in this beauty ad also encourages women to take control and experiment more with expression through the use of No7 beauty products. The slogan 'Colour your way' in this ad is essentially telling woman that when they use No7 beauty products, they can be colourful, bold, expressive and fun whilst being effortless also, this appeals to part of the consumer audience of No7 etc, busy mothers with a hectic schedule and businesswomen who have little to no time to get ready or experiment.

Boots No7 No retouching/airbrushing campaign 2013.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/18/70/02/187002b2743afd76d48fd649660ff84b.jpg

The No7 beauty ad above is one of my favourite ads I have found whilst analysing their advertisements. This beauty ad is also part of their no retouching campaign images and I think the model looks gorgeous, confident and powerful in this image. I love the pose the model is sitting in, she looks relaxed yet she is also wearing/showing off a smart tailored blazer it appears, the blazer has satin material on it which adds a sensual and demure theme to the image. The black satin compliments the bright shades of red featured on the models lips, nails and back drop behind her, these shades of red tie together without overpowering the image. The slogan and choice of clothing in this beauty ad both make me take the woman seriously, she is presented to look confident, relaxed in her own skin and also powerful. This image has inspired me a look when considering poses and themes I wanted to create in my final brand images, as the model appears serious but still beautiful,similarly to microscopic diseases are pretty to look at but underlying the diseases is a very dark,macabre theme and background to them as they are deadly and harmful diseases.

Boots No7 No retouching/airbrushing campaign 2013.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/08/05/10/2B1D28C400000578-3185794-image-m-13_1438767190805.jpg

 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3185794/No7-scouts-ordinary-ladies-STREET-star-new-campaign.html#ixzz46pf29g8S 

'After being part of this campaign I feel like I could wear gorgeous orange makeup, even if I’m feeling laid back, which is not a feeling I would have put with the colour before. 

'It’s so exciting to feel more adventurous with colour and know that I have a fresh new look to play with!'. - Rachel Hylton, Special Needs Teacher from East London. 

Although the quote above is a little contradictory when we No7 have claimed they feel women use and wear make-up in order to express their feelings through colour, Rachel Hylton expresses that wearing an orange shade in the campaign made her feel empowered in a way where she felt she could wear and experiment with different colors despite of what mood she may be in, which I love a lot since I am usually nervous about wearing colour of my lips myself a lot because people assume its to hide or wear a certain colour for a certain reason, thats why No7's no retouching campaign is important as it embraces and promotes confidence. 

Keeley Hawes.

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/mother-londen-production-s3bucket-asda8lo6v37l/content/section-5412be978e1213.44655386/Carousel/NO7_EXT_2009%20copy.jpg

This beauty ad and the one below I think are no7 beauty ads from 2011, featuring the British  actress and former model Keeley Hawkes. In 2011 Keeley Hawkes became No7's new beauty model and spokesperson, featuring in numerous advertisements and commercials. Compared to No7's most recent no retouching campaign, these advertisements appear to be much more perfected and edited. The company apparently chose Keeley Hawkes to promote their spring collection as they were looking for someone friendly and fresh with an 'intelligent confidence', which Hawkes fit perfectly. I feel No7 beauty campaigns in 2011 aimed to promote their anti ageing products more instead of aiming to sell to a younger audience as well starting from 25, the pose in the image appears very forced and staged, making Keeley Hawkes appear photoshopped and awkward but nevertheless still beautiful and very youthful and she has no wrinkles, lines and unbalanced skin in this ad. 

References 

http://www.sofeminine.co.uk/make-up/no7-say-no-to-airbrushing-for-new-beauty-campaign-s93306.html

http://www.nilakkurt.com/?p=864

http://www.sofeminine.co.uk/make-up/no7-say-no-to-airbrushing-for-new-beauty-campaign-s93306.html

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/mother-londen-production-s3bucket-asda8lo6v37l/content/section-

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/08/05/10/2B1D28C400000578-3185794-image-m-13_1438767190805.jpg

 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3185794/No7-scouts-ordinary-ladies-STREET-star-new-campaign.html#ixzz46pf29g8S 

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/08/05/10/2B1D28CF00000578-3185794-image-a-11_1438767014812.jpg

Photoshoot Call Sheet.

Date; 14th April 2016 
Time; 9.00 am - 12.30
Location; Photography Studios

Model; Melissa Janes 
Assistant; Rebecca Southerden 
Hair & MUA; Matida Salmon

Theme; No7 x Macabre 
Photographer; Matida Salmon
Lighting Set-up;Three light set-up, beauty dish, soft boxes,reflector 
Camera; Cannon 

Concept 1- Brand images for No7, simple eye bold lip, (confidence,beauty)


Concept 2- Editorial, Moody (imperfect, dramatic)

Timeline 

9.00-10.10 AM - Hair and Make-up

10.10- 10.30 AM- Set up lighting and direct model

10.30- 11.15 AM - Shoot 

11.15-11.35AM - Editorial Hair and Make-up

11.35 - 12.10 AM - Shoot

12.10- 12.30 AM - Pack up 

Shooting Beauty - Editorial and Beauty.

I recently completed my photoshoot for shooting beauty, I shot both my Editorial and brand images within my booked studio slot successfully and was very happy with the outcome of the final images. I had asked my model to come to the photoshoot early to allow enough time to set up and complete her hair and make-up, I had also asked my peer Beccy to be my assistant throughout the shoot to make things easier. 

I used the three light set up for my photoshoot for both my editorial and brand images, prior to my final photoshoot I had practiced a lot with the set up and really liked the finish it gave beauty images and close ups. I also used this lighting set up for both of my images, as I was still able to create a moody theme to my editorial images by adjusting the light and changing angles. I I asked my model to dress in a simple crop top and black trousers. 

Evaluation.
Shooting beauty has been a very exciting and challenging project to work on, when reflecting on my progress throughout this project and the work I have produced I feel that have gained more confidence, creative thinking and independence within myself. When I was assigned with my inspirational word I was worried as I had hadn't heard of my word before and was unsure of the meaning too, as well as also being assigned my brand No7 I initially struggled to combine the two and think of some creative ideas but due to further research from numerous sources and some creative thinking I was able to create suitable designs inspired by my word Macabre. 

Prior to my final photoshoot I made sure to create a structured plan of my final shoot making sure I had finalised model choices and practiced makeup and hair designs and lighting set ups. I feel I should have challenged myself and used the GoPro set up instead of my chosen three light set-up as I initially wanted to use the GoPro as it created a really moody dark theme I thought would be perfect for my inspirational word, but I didn't as confident enough to use the GoPro alone, although I am still happy with my final images and the lighting I used. 

Something I have continuously struggled within throughout this project is the technical editing we need to finalise our images and also form our PDF Submission, I have struggled more with learning and understanding the new editing skills as I feel they are more technical then last semesters and take more time to understand. I feel my creative thinking and time management were good on this project and I am particularly pleased with my final Editorial Image I captured, as I made sure that the make-up design was dramatic and out of my comfort zone so that I could challenge myself. 

As well as gaining more independence and confidence from this challenging and valuable project I think I also have a better understanding of make-up and its performance under lighting and camera and the important role make-up has in the media and advert industry. I have enjoyed this project a lot and feel it has taught me a lot also.


Equipment Used 

Light Boom settings F5.5 - Back Lights - 2.6 
Soft Boxes 
Reflector 
Sink Lead 
Cannon Camera
Hotshoe Adaptor 
SD Card


Makeup Used

Shoot 1 - No7 Macabre 
Model - Melissa Janes 

Skin Type - Combination to Dry 

Cleanser 
Toner 
Moisturiser 

Illamasqua Satin Primer 
Moisturiser 
Vivo Translucent Powder
Boing-Boing Benefit full coverage concealer 
Mac Neutrals Palette - Beige, Brown
Kryolan Essence Palette - Light Bronze, Pink 
No7 Full lash Effect mascara - Black 
Mac Matte Lipstick - Diva 
Maybelline Sensational Matte Lipstick - Divine 
Kryolan Supra colour Palette - Black 
Kryolan Lipstick Palette, Red, Berry 
Maybelline Fit me Concealer 

Shoot 2 - Macabre Editorial 

Model - Melissa Janes 
Skin Type - Combination to dry 

Cleanser 
Toner 
Moisturiser 


Illamasqua Matte Finish Primer 
Maybelline Fit me concealer - Fair 
Boing-Boing Benefit full coverage Concealer 
Kryolan Essence Palette - Bronze, Grey 
Illamasqua Translucent Powder 
Kryolan Supra colour palette - Black, Red 
Mac Neutrals Palette- Black, Silver, Brown,Purple 
No7 Full lash effect mascara - Black 
Ben Nye Blush Palette - Red, Pink 
Mac Matte Lipstick - Diva 
Maybelline Sensational Lipstick Matte - Divine 
Maxfactor Metal Cream Eyeshadow - Black 
Maxfactor Metal Cream Eyeshadow - Pearl 
Illamasqua Pure Pigment - White 
Ben Nye Aqua Glitter - Red 
Loose Red Glitter 
Revolution Eye Essentials Palette - Shimmery plum 

Studio Practice.

I recently booked out a studio with my peer so that we could both practice some lighting set ups and poses. I feel this session went really well and inspired me when planning my final photoshoot for my word Macabre. I have decided I want to create some really moody and artistic images for my editorial and some simplistic and fun ones for my brand images. 


Me and my peer Beccy, experimented with the three light set up in this studio session as we both really liked the glow and finish this set up created in beauty images. We took turns directing each other with poses and props and adjusted the lighting also from time to time to play with the lighting and effects. I still really like this lighting set-up and I think I am going to use it for my final photoshoot in images, as I can create more moody editorial images by changing the lighting and also using light boards and create a more fun, bright and simplistic lighting by using bright light and silver reflectors. 

The images below were created by using three light set up, which consisted of two lights behind the model and one in front on a boom with a beauty dish. We used soft boxes on the two lights behind and had the lighting at a setting of 4 or 5. 

I think this lighting set up made the skin appear flawless and perfect with a subtle glow, this looks beautiful in beauty images. After shooting a few pictures we decided to experiment further and try and capture close up images of our eyes, by adjusting and zooming in with our camera and playing with light more we managed to create the close up images above. I liked these eye images but think they would have appeared more clearer around the iris area if we had used different reflectors and angles and maybe even tried the go pro. 

Face Charts

In response to a recent blog I posted analysing and discussing 'Hidden Beauty' and Microscopic cells (http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-macabre-beauty-of-medical-photographs-15393208/?no-ist) I have decided to further my ideas from this blog and create some make-up charts inspired by this research. This article has really insider me to create some make-up looks that consist of beautiful colours that are appealing to the eye yet have this deadly meaning and message behind it, this type of make-up would not only symbolise the meaning of 'Macabre' well but also celebrate death, similar to the 'Danse Macabre'. 

This concept of the make-up looks create the perfect Juxtaposition between embracing death and avoiding death but either way, wearing death in the form of make-up in such a subtle way that no one would realise what it actually symbolises, similar to the harsh reality we face as humans; not knowing when death will come unless we search for it. 

Face Chart 1

This is a Monochromatic face chart influenced by dark and dull looking colours. I wanted to use this colours in this make-up look to create a more dark and mood theme to the make-up so that I could symbolise my word Macabre through colours and emotion.

Face Chart 2

This is a bold/simplistic makeup design I created, where I wanted the base, eyes and lips to contrast against each other making the dark blue, black and purple colours pop on my models face. I wanted the base to be pale and the colours to be dark so that my model appeared sickly, dull and slightly pasty to symbolise my word through the makeup.

Face Chart 3

This make-up design was inspired by smokey eyes and sensual eyes, making the model appear sexy and beautiful yet deadly at the same time. I think this make-up look would be used as an editorial makeup look as No7 is more simplistic and effortless compared to this quite dramatic dark make-up look.

Face Chart 4

This makeup chart was designed after I had watched The Black Swan movie, I watched the film as when I thought of death and 'Macabre' subjects I always imagined ravens and eagles and their creepy presence in lonely woods and dark settings. In the Black Swan Movie, the main actress gradually becomes a beautiful black swan throughout the movie and as her ballet dancing improves, but she also turns into this intimidating and frightful creature which stabs through her human body. I incorporated the colour orange on the lips as I wanted to include a bright contrasting colour which stood out against the dark eyes.

Face Chart 5

This Face chart was inspired mainly by rich and dark colours and tones, I wanted these various colours to be formed into a mysterious dark smokey eye where subtle elements of these colours would show in the light and when the eyes were closed. The lips are black in the makeup look to tie together the dark colours used on the eyes and also stand out against the pale flat base. 

Trine Hisdal

Just like the artist Mia jane Harris and her macabre themed art works, Trine Hisdal is an artist I discovered on Pinterest whilst finding inspirational images for my story boards and also make-up designs. The mix of soft, feminine, cool colours in her photography initially stood out to me as it all contrasts against black elements in her images.  'Fading Flowers' is my favourite collection of her works, the artwork captures the beauty of dying flowers, and the imagery reveals and shows just how fragile and delicate they are. 

The colours in the petals of the flowers Trine Hisdal photographs, Is what inspired me to create a contrasting dark lip colour against fair, porcelain like skin so that my model will appear delicate and almost ghostlike and her skin will be drained of all its colour and instead be focused on her lip colour, the way flowers fade when they die and begin to loose colour at the tips and end of the petals, creating a reverse ombre effect almost. 


Erica Vierto for NordicDesign (official website: http://nordicdesign.ca) wrote an article reviewing Trine Misdeal's photographic collecting of Fading Flowers. 

By Erica Vierto, June 9th 2014. 

" Trines invention was to "Document the fragility of flowers and their short lived beauty, and how they look beautiful even as they start to fade." - Erica Vierto, Trine Hisdal. 

I want to take the fear, disgust, shock, gore and horror from the word Macabre and recreate the description by adding beauty so that Macabre aesthetically becomes beautiful, stylish, trendy, empowering.

http://nordicdesign.ca/discover-photographer-trine-hisdal/

http://nordicdesign.ca/discover-photographer-trine-hisdal/

http://nordicdesign.ca/discover-photographer-trine-hisdal/

References 

http://nordicdesign.ca/discover-photographer-trine-hisdal/

http://nordicdesign.ca

Mia Jane Harris

Mia Jane Harris is an artist I discovered whilst looking for inspiring images for my mood boards, I found her collection 'Beautiful Corpse' fascinating and the depth of colors in the imagery is deep and  beautiful. 

"I wanted to show people items from medical museums/collections that I didn’t think were appreciated the way that they should be. These museums hold collections of thousands of human cadaver sections and specimens that are used for scientific research and study. They are looked at every day to learn from but in their dull and dirty containers surrounded by thousands of others they lose a huge part of their charm and people are so focused on what they are that they don’t notice how amazingly beautiful they are. So I wanted to take away the scientific surroundings, the educational environment, the dust and the grime and the information text books to leave behind just these absolutely striking objects. … People appreciated the beauty behind them. Those outside of the medical profession weren’t pushed away due to their normal mind set of ‘its part of a dead person so its disgusting’ and those in the medical profession finally saw the beauty that they had ignored that had been staring them in the face the whole time." - Mia Jane Harris. 


Mia Jane Harris - Official Website; http://www.mia-janeharris.co.uk

People were amazed to see that death could be such a beautiful thing…” 
- corrinestuckwithpinsblog. 

Mia's work is remarkable and just like microscopic cell photography both appear pretty and intriguing but have a deadly substance and theme.

http://41.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m305guReRx1r7s3hro1_1280.jpg

http://s781.photobucket.com/user/zombabes/media/blogging/Mia-Jane-Harris-02.jpg.html

http://41.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m305guReRx1r7s

By taking inspiration from Mia Jane Harris and her work, I plan to recreate a subtle version of the colours used in her work through my simplistic make-up design. For my No7 brand images I wanted the eyes to be lightly coated in mascara and kept simple, the skin pale and bright and the lips, dark and bold similarly to the depths of colour in the image above. I feel the combination of dark lip colours against my models pale skin will contrast beautifully, making her look pale and ghostly in one aspect and bold and mysterious in another. 


References.http://blog.stuckwithpins.com/2013/11/midweek-muse-mia-jane-harris.html
http://s781.photobucket.com/user/zombabes/media/blogging/Mia-Jane-Harris-02.jpg.html
http://41.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m305guReRx1r7s3hro1_1280.jpg