Thursday, July 23, 2015

Fashion Island Summer Shoot 2015

Teamed up with the talented Hayley Rae Photography and her parents clothing company, Fashion Island, for another photoshoot this month. Kelsey modelled like a champ as usual and we even had our very own driver this time! Thanks Paige for getting us from location to location, you rock.

I wanted to post some of the photos that were taken to show the slight changes that I made to Kelsey's look to compliment each outfit she was wearing. Starting with a versatile base is key when doing a multiple outfit photoshoot. You never want the colors you use to clash with a potential outfit choice. Ultimately, the outfits chosen may also be replaced with new ones throughout the process so you want to be prepared for this. Knowing the overall look and feel the client is trying to capture will help guide you in the right direction for choosing makeup colors.

For the first hair styling we went with a classic soft curl with center part. With jewelry and the right dress, this hair style can be dressed up or down depending. Paired with a neutral eye and deep pink lip. The makeup adds to the outfit but does not take away the attention meant for the dress.



For more of an evening summer style I simply created a deeper side part with half of it tucked behind her ear. This is a sleek and sophisticated hairstyle that is easy and beautiful.



A hairstyle to pair with this "statement" romper came to my mind quickly. A fun side braid. The chance to pull the models hair back yet keep the curls in tact underneath. How do you like the one piece? Pretty wild. Yet, Kelsey pulls it off!


Throwing it back to the 70's with this trendy and colorful outfit, we had to go with a Farrah Fawcett inspired hairstyle. Minus the winged bangs, I think we nailed it. More volume was added with some good old fashioned back combing and hairspray. These curls managed to survive throughout the day, even after enduring numerous changes. As you have also probably noticed the makeup stays the same. With having such a versatile look it simply goes from outfit to outfit with no changes needing to be made. This saves SO MUCH TIME!



Adding a dainty headband for some of the photos made a small change, but a big statement. You can not see in this photo, but the pants Kelsey is wearing are bell bottoms. They are coming back! Get ready.


Up it goes again. This time I put Kelsey's hair into a loose low bun in a matter of five minutes. Leaving the front pieces out to frame her face and not appear too stuffy. This hairstyle really complimented her maxi dress. The palm tree in the background just made this picture that much better.


Our last outfits of the day. The hair came back down, just as we started the day. I did not once take a curling iron to her hair again after the initial first time. The point of them slowly falling out only adds to the slight changes being made. Try not to "over do" a models hair as it will look just that in the photos near the end of the shoot. 





My final thoughts on doing hair and makeup for a fashion shoot would include:

a) Speak with the photographer and clothing owner to truly understand their vision. This is their company you are portraying, not yours.

b) Choose a look that can be versatile, but still keep with the ongoing theme. Such as season/style/era etc.

c) When you see an out of place hair, or a shine spot on the models forehead, do not hesitate to point it out and fix the problem. Jumping in to correct this will save the photographer a lot of time later.

d) Do not spend a lot of time in between outfits changing the hair or makeup. Be quick, be efficient and make sure you know your time frame.

e) Have fun! If you are calm and organized, the model will be too. 


Thanks for stopping by my blog!

All photos care of  Hayley Rae Photography, www.hayleyrae.com
Model, Kelsey
Clothing care of Fashion Island http://www.fashionisland.ca
Hair and Makeup by myself Caitlin J Makeup + Hair, www.caitlinjmakeup.com

Ending this post with a couple (embarrassing) behind the scenes shots!








Sunday, July 5, 2015

Vintage Country Picnic {Stylized Shoot}

At it again!

For this stylized bridal shoot I joined forces with some amazing wedding vendors...

Amber Leigh Photography was ready and willing to capture all of the photos you are about to witness. She has a great eye for finding just the right place for a photo, and allows you to truly FEEL a moment. This, is not an easy task. Amber has a professionalism about her, with just the right amount of fun and giddy attitude. I am so happy to how these photos came out. We were very lucky to have such a wonderful day to shoot, and even luckier to have such an amazing crew to work with!

Jackie Van Zanten, of Happily Ever After Weddings, was there to bring our visions to life. Wow, was I ever impressed with her ability to see right into our minds and portray, to a tee, what we were hoping for. Ladies, if you want a wedding planner/coordinator that makes your special day stress free and stunning, Jackie is your girl. With the help of Nicole McTavish, of Past Pieces Event Rentals, and some personal wedding items from Amber's collection, they put together a breathtaking display of a "vintage meets country" styled picnic in the park. Something I hope gives future brides inspiration on what their own wedding could look like. 

What is a wedding without cake?! Natalie Chen of Natty Cakes put together a sleek, simple yet detailed, two tiered cake for the shoot. Not only that, she also brought along a bundle of cookies with a intricate doily decal (which was edible I should add) and a batch of cupcakes that suited the theme perfectly. I am a HUGE fan of her work. She makes these pieces of art look easy, and we all know they aren't. Natalie is a sweetheart, which only makes her job as a baker that much more suitable. 

For the floral details and bouquet, Doreen Fong of Cocoture, created a colorful and wonderfully smelling arrangement for the shoot. The bouquet include mint leaves; and lavender was used to top off the cake. It all smelled as amazing as it looked. 

Last but definitely not least, Genele Kazakoff of Belle Impressions, printed out the beautiful invitations, menus and table numbers you see in the photos to complete the design. The country style with the pastel colors and just the right amount of uniqueness were the perfect addition to the shoot. The floral details made these invitations fall into our vintage vibe as well. They complimented the theme and I LOVE the overall look of them and wish I had had them for my very own wedding.

A big thank you to our easy going, and gorgeous model Michelle.

Hair and Makeup by myself, Caitlin J Makeup + Hair.

Without further ado, the photos... Enjoy!



































Vendors Involved:

Photographer, Amber Bull
Amber Leigh Photography
Email: amberleighphotog@gmail.com


Makeup and Hair, Caitlin Johnstone
Caitlin J Makeup + Hair

Model, Michelle Funk

Design, Jackie Van Zanten
Happily Ever After Weddings

Design, Nicole McTavish
Past Pieces Event Rentals

Cake and Desserts, Natalie Chen
Natty Cakes

Cardstock, Genele Kazakoff
Belle Impressions


Florals, Doreen Fong
Cocoture


Friday, June 5, 2015

Sex and the City Inspired Shoot

Watching a classic Sex and the City episode and it hit me...

I want to try to recreate some iconic moments from the show, using a friend who happens to resemble the stunning Sarah Jessica Parker. Jen, who gladly volunteered to be our model was a natural behind the camera. Those drinks may have helped a little, but she nailed it regardless!

We started out by getting together in the afternoon to curl Jen's hair into the tight ringlets that naturally grace Carrie Bradshaw's head, and applied the first makeup look. Let me tell you, Jen has a LOT of hair! I wish I had half of the hair she has. Curling it took sometime but we managed to get the look I was aiming for with patience and some good old fashioned back combing ;)

The three of us, plus a little assistant (Jen's son), headed downtown to make Vancouver our very own New York City for the evening.

At the corner of Burrard and Robson where we found the most "hustle and bustle" was where we set up shop to start taking some photos. Amanda, of Amanda Coldicutt Photography captured every thing. It was if she could read my mind. She knew exactly the look I envisioned and gave us some amazing photos.

Here a some of my favorite shots...it was hard to narrow it down.






With the Sex and the City movie having such an epic wedding incorporated, I couldn't pass up the idea to recreate it. Now, we didn't have a Vivienne Westwood gown, but we did re-purpose my very own wedding dress once again. Shook off the cobwebs and brought it back out for its fifth appearance! (See previous blog post "Transformation of a Wedding Dress" to know what I am talking about).

The girls and I needed some fuel and liquid courage to complete the photo session, so it was off to Joey's on Burrard Street for some quick drinks. While waiting for our drinks to be made I quickly whipped up an intricate updo on Jen to imitate the one Carrie Bradshaw had on her "wedding day".
I am sure guests of the restaurant wondered what we were doing, but I get into true work mode in these situations so the onlookers really weren't even noticed. We sucked back our drinks and proceeded to the bathroom for the outfit change and finishing touches.

Once Jen emerged from the bathroom dressed in a wedding dress with classic red lips, veil, peacock feather hair piece and white rose bouquet, she was congratulated by many people. Success! They actually thought she was getting married!

Check out these stunning shots that Amanda took. Truly capturing the New York vibe and classic, dramatic wedding day beauty.

With an ode to the famous "Carrie" necklace, we were able to have a handmade necklace donated to the shoot from Mint and Birch. She created a Mama Bear necklace for us, which was beautiful, dainty and a perfect compliment to the shoot.
















Photo credit to: Amanda Coldicutt Photography
Jewelry provided by: Mint and Birch
Model: Jen Vanderzalm
Hair/Makeup: Caitlin J Makeup + Hair
Styling/Bouquet: Caitlin Johnstone