Gail

Back in late Summer/early Fall I got a visit from my long time photographer friend Todd Anthony Tyler.  It was great to see him again esp. since he had just wrapped filming the first season of Asia's Next Top Model where he is head photographer and judge for the competition!  He was here visiting some family and came to the city one day to do a very casual shoot.

The shoot was very basic and simple...in fact it was shot on my back deck, in my patio doorway and even on my roof!  The whole concept was just Asian beauty.  The idea is that Todd might at some point put together a book w/ a collection of his work showcasing all different types of Asian beauty since there are so many and it's such a diverse concept across the continent of Asia.

We were lucky enough to get two models that day and here are the pics from the shoot w/ Gail from Spot 6.  Very simple and clean except for a very dark lip.  One of the pics was even featured in an article Todd had published in an Asian photography magazine :)

Photographers just LOVE their B&W ;)

For a new model Gail is really great at connecting w/ the camera!

Novus Capta

A little over a month ago I shared w/ you the awesome and edgy video editorial from the people at Light X Hevvy titled Novus (if you missed it before def. check out the video b/c it's amazing!).  Now I'm hear to share w/ you the gorgeous stills photographer Zach Hertzman shot during the two day shoot.  They are beautiful and I love the final edits and finishes Zach put on them.  He's seriously one of my fav. young photographers to work w/ b/c he has such a great style and eye.

Hope you Enjoy!

Photographer: Zach Hertzman

Makeup & Hair: Jessica Jean Myers

Stylist: Monika Tatalovic

Model: Madison (Spot 6)

Asian Beauty - Behind the Scenes

Last week I got to reunite and work w/ one of my all time fav photographer friend's Todd Anthony Tyler.  Yes, that's right the same Todd Anthony Tyler that first suggested I go out to Shanghai and try my luck their back when I was all fresh and new to the makeup world.  Can you believe it's been almost 4 yrs since I went out there for 6 mths and started this blog!  Wow have things changed!

Well anyway, I've of course seen him a few times in the past few years (pretty much anytime he's been back to Canada to visit his family).  But this marked the first time in 3.5 years that we actually got the chance to work w/ one another again!  When I look back man has my work changed a lot in the past 4 yrs...esp. my hair skills.  I'm like a completely different artist when it comes to that!

This wasn't a fancy or really technical shoot...in fact it was beyond simple...beauty shots that we actually shot on my back patio and roof!  No styling, props, fancy lights...just outdoors, a couple of models and the focus all on their faces!  Hopefully next time we'll get to a full on styled shoot...but this little "mini shoot" will have to hold me over until then ;)

In recent mths Todd has been working on Asia's Next Top Model as a Lead Judge and Resident Photographer...kind of like the Nigel Barker of this incarnation of the show.  As you can imagine this is a pretty big deal b/c it's not just China but for all of Asia and they are doing the show to showcase all the different types of beauty across Asia which are varied and vast.

Anyway, Todd is thinking of putting together a book to showcase all the different types of Asian beauty...which he knows just a thing or two about after living over there all these years!  So while in Toronto he wanted to do a simple beauty shoot w/ a few of Toronto's Asian beauties.

The great thing about the shoot as I mentioned before was that it was a beauty shoot...therefore the makeup was key.  I wanted to keep things on trend, striking and clean...as I often do w/ my style but also timeless so that in a few years ppl wouldn't look at the pics and think "Oh that's so 2012" or whatever.  We were working w/ two models and I always like to think of things in terms of "stories" or "pages" for my book...I've mentioned before to new artists the importance of thinking this way when doing shoots.

I decided I would do the first model Gail w/ a very clean face (I didn't even put eyeliner on her eyes) but a very deep burgundy lip which is very hot right now.  For the second model Pem I kept the lips nude but did a very striking black graphic liner and big false lash.  For both girls I kept the skin really clean and focused more on highlight and contour for the cheeks.  Hair really natural and down.  I should give a special thanks to Spot 6 for sending us two really great, friendly and professional models!

As I mentioned before we shot both girls just outside on my deck...well technically in my bedroom doorway.  Love when I can do a shoot at my apt...makes doing the hair and makeup so easy when it's at my place lol!  It was a really bright and sunny day...and hot too!  For Pem we expanded and actually took her up to my roof which is flat and overlooks the city...really kind of excited to see these ones as I've never had anyone shoot on my roof before.  I got the idea after I noticed that some of my neighbours when up their to watch the Pride Parade this past Summer (I live on Yonge near Wellesley so Pride goes literally right down my street).

So here's some behind the scenes photos taken by Todd's lovely wife Karina...she's def. got some talent herself ;)  Can't wait to see the finished product!

 Me Doing My Thang!...With The Trademark Jessica Intensity Of Course ;)

 

Nice Yaby Macro...Even Though I Didn't Use Any Of These On This Shoot They Still Look So Pretty!

Now It's Todd's Turn To Look Intense...This Is Up On My Roof!

Todd May Start A Shoot Standing...But By The End He's Always On The Ground Lol!

End Of The Shoot!

Headmistress SS11 Campaign Pics

So the Headmistress SS11 Campaign pics have finally been released and I'm so excited to finally share them w/ you b/c they look SO GOOD!  I saw some of the pics awhile ago but finally seeing them up on the website is just so exciting b/c I'm positive Jillian (the creator) is going to get a lot of attention and publicity for this collection b/c it's so cool and pretty!  Yeah again to Sian Melton for her wonderful photographic talents!

As you may remember we did a whole 60's girls in the country theme and everything just works so well together - location, models, head pieces, makeup & hair...it just works!  Hope this is a big hit for Jillian...I have a feeling it will be...apparently some of her pieces have even been picked up by Anthropologie...that's BIG!  Plus she now has two lines - the traditonal Headmistress line and the higher end Love by Headmistress line - both Gorgeous!

 The bouffants turned out so good!

 I LOVE the lip colour, eyelashes and her stare in this pic!

 This is the one featured in Flare Magazine :)



Mad Men Goes Country

So yesterday I had the pleasure of working w/ photographer Sian Melton and Headmistress creator Jillian Wood on Jillian's Spring 11 Campaign for Headmistress Accessories .  You may remember I've mentioned and used Jillian's awesome accessories a couple of times in the past few mths on various editorials I've worked on.   Her stuff is hand crafted, gorgeous and is awesome enough to make a statement but not so over the top that you look like a fool...just really really cool!

I was so excited when Sian and Jillian approached me about this project b/c I really believe in and dig what Jillian is doing and I've been a fan for awhile.  In past shoots Sian has done the photography as well as the makeup & hair...b/c she's super talented like that.  But this time she wanted to just focus on the photographic end of things so that's where I came in. 

The theme was Women of Mad Men Go Country...how awesome is that theme!  I'm a huge Mad Men fan so Sian didn't have to do much more then mention the show and I was on board lol!  I think Sian and I have spent at least a couple of conversations now idolizing the amazingness that is Joan's chichis lol...plus I just love the style.  Sometimes I wish we put that much effort into how we looked nowadays...I mean the women really cared about how they looked back then...they wore lipstick and got their hair done...they looked hot!  Makes me wish I was around then...minus the whole a woman's place is the home thing of course lol!

So anway, we couldn't have asked for a better day!  I mean everything fell into place.  Sian drove us out to Stratford to shoot...minus a few detours we got there in good time ;).  We had some great models from Spot 6 - Emily and Saira.  The Makekup & Hair Gods were looking down on me :) (Btw did I mention how amazing I'm getting at extended liner...use to be my serious weakness!).  The weather was GORGEOUS!  Plus we got to use Jillian's mom's HOT 1965 Red Mustang Convertible as our prop! 

So basically, my Makeup & Hair inspiration was a 60's vibe which works so great w/ all the beautiful turbans and head scarves/wraps Jillian is designing for the Spring Collection.  I wanted to keep the eyes softer in colour w/ the main focus being on the lips.  I kept the brows full, used shimmery nudes on the eyes and did a nice extended black liner on both girls w/ really full, flirty, flared lashes to top it off.  I wanted the lips to be bold w/ full strong lipstick.  I believe more women should really embrace the power of a great lipstick like they did back then...nowadays everyone just wears gloss and a great lipstick can immediately take your look from being casual to being done up...trust me I know!  I played w/ a variety of pinks on the girls.  It's for Spring so I didn't want to go full on w/ the reds plus I wanted them to remain fresh and playful.  

Another thing I was excited about w/ this shoot was the hair...it really allowed me a chance to play w/ some different techniques and styles.  Last Christmas I asked for this book about Vintage Hairstyling and let me just tell you this book is amazing!  It gives a step by step guide to tons of amazing vintage hairstyles and it REALLY helped at the shoot!  The first hair look I did was to go w/ the turbans and head wraps.  I set the hair to get some nice curl to it and I basically did a mock bob on the girls so that the hair just peeked out the turbans and curled under.  The second hair look I did involved doing a giant bouffant through the top and a curled ponytail to keep in fresh and young in the back...it looked amazing w/ the headbands and hair scarves. 

So here's some pics from the day...can't wait to show you the real stuff but you're going to have to wait awhile on that one :(

Sian giving some amazing commentary for posing lol! 

We wanted Happy, Light & Carefree!

I'm Beautiful but I still know what's under the hood!

Let's Have Lunch in the back of our Car!

Let's Pic Flowers, Skip and Laugh!

Fixing the Bouffant

I need more Height!