Do you ever wonder what goes into making beautiful lifestyle photography? What are the tricks to making hair and make-up so flawless or how do you get the "right" shot?
For our upcoming Spring/Summer 2020 release, we were lucky to work with an amazing photographer, make-up and hair artist, videographer and model to create the images we'll use on our website and lookbooks to showcase our newest Collection. We thought it would be fun to get their insights into what makes them successful to share with you. We hope you'll enjoy these behind-the-scenes interviews and find some creative inspiration!
Photographer: Tereza Jankova
1. What’s your favorite part of shooting the Sarah Alexandra collections? I love that Sarah Alexandra shirts have an understated elegance that doesn't force themselves upon the model or the photo- they enhance a look which allows the models to act naturally to create great shots. The shirts are really well designed, and the quality is great- which makes my job much easier- as it allows me to focus my attention on capturing models in a relatable way that every woman can see themselves in.
2. What are some pointers people can use to look their best in front of a camera? I think many people get nervous in front of a camera because they get caught up "overposing" and trying to capture themselves in what they perceive to be the best light. The challenge is that posing can often look too artificial and there actually aren't that many situations that people will make themselves look better. I think the goal should be to act naturally as you can in front of the camera and allow the photographer to shoot as many moments as possible- smiling, looking away, the second or two before a pose- that really capture a more engaging image. Rather than trying to get that one perfect picture, don't be afraid to shoot more images in a natural way and select the ones that make you look best.
3. What do you love about shooting fashion? It's really been a dream working as a fashion photographer. I love conceptualizing ideas and then working to make them real. It's given me a creative outlet to work with wonderful teams of people- which is really gratifying. I also love to travel and this wonderful job has allowed me to visit many beautiful places over the years and see the world.
Hair/Make Up: Heidi Nymark
1. What’s one makeup and one hair product you find indispensable? My must have for makeup is a tight eyeliner! It creates the look of a fuller lash without the look of makeup. My favorite product is from (Laura Mercier) To get the look: Apply the tight cake eye liner underneath the root of the upper lash line to create a fuller looking lash and to frame your eyes. As for Hair, A Dry texture spray! My go to and cult favorite is Oribe’s Dry texturizing spray.
2. How should women change their makeup routine for photos vs. everyday? Every day makeup should be clean with dewy skin. Add a pop of color on the lips, mascara and a pinch of cooler on the cheeks. When you are in front of the camera you want to define your features a bit more because they could wash out in the photos. To achieve this look : Add lashes and define lash line with a cake eyeliner. Use a face primer for flawless looking skin and add a high lighter to reflect light. As for the hair, it is always nice to add fullness with extensions or use a nice Dry texture spray. My go to is Oribe Dry Texturizing spray (sexy texture with volume).
3. Which hair trick do you swear by? You can never go wrong by an effortless tousled look! NO matter what hair texture you can back comb (French lace) add a little dry power then throw it up with a hair accessories.
Videographer: Matthew Joseph
1. What's the most challenging aspect of shooting a fashion video? I would say the most challenging aspect of shooting a fashion video would be the lighting. It takes a lot of time to properly plan for the lighting, specifically which type of lights to use, location of lighting, and the “look” of the light by consistently meeting these standards during the day of the shoot. It is so important in fashion to have beautiful quality light for your model.
2. Video is all the rage these days, what makes it a must for businesses and organizations? Video is so important in marketing because it is a very effective way to present an audience with a lot of information about your brand. With videos, you can get more information across to your audience in a shorter amount of time. Also, with the way social media platforms are set up, they prioritize video on its feed. For example, facebook favors video content over photos or text presented on their news feed.
3. What are some good tips for people starting out with video? If you are interested in creating videos, my first tip would be to just get out there and do it. You don’t need a fancy camera to get rolling. It can feel overwhelming at first, but the best way to understand filmmaking is by creating videos, through experience and mistakes you will begin to improve. Another great tip is to use all your free resources available to you such as online filmmaking tutorials. No need to spend a ton of money to go to film school when so much great information is available on YouTube and the internet.
Model: Tamiris Freitas
1. What do you love best about being on set? Meeting passionate and creative people.
2. What's a go-to pose that women can utilize when being photographed? A “walk” pose, this way you give some movement and looks natural ;)
3. What's your favorite way to style a button-down shirt? Loose with half tuck with jeans.
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