A Touch of the Classics: Beauty & Fashion with a Medieval Twist
When I cast model Elisabeth Charlotte Montrey (IG @lichtoranje) to test a few concepts for a studio shoot, I was excited to develop a some new looks in collaboration with the very talented makeup artist Laora Casic (IG @laoracasicmua). Because Laora is a genius at creative, avant-garde makeup looks (check out her final project at Forever Makeup Academy here), I knew we would have some striking visuals. What I didn't expect, however, is that, paired with Elisabeth’s features and my choice of studio lighting, we would obtain a painterly look reminiscent of Albrecht Dürer, a touch of Boticelli, and the Flemish Masters I grew up with in my hometown of Ghent, Belgium.
This is what I love about test shoots: the opportunity to discover new elements or a new look by combining everyone’s creativity and being open to the unexpected. The more preparation goes into a photoshoot, however, the more opportunity for those moments to arise. Because Laora had mapped out the different makeup looks, and I had planned the different lighting setups in advance, we were able to stay open to that extra ingredient of synergy and chemistry which happens in the moment.
This was the case especially for the avant-garde beauty look. When the main light skipped a beat, we discovered this golden, Messianic glow that gave Elisabeth the allure of a medieval icon. As I always tend toward contrast, with nuanced shadows that off somewhat of a chiaroscuro sensation, I feel that the painterly effect of the looks we developed reconnected me with my roots—even more so through the fact that the golden yellows, blues, and reds hearkened back to the van Eyck paintings I grew up with. That is why I love test shoots. Sometimes you have a hunch about something, and you have a vision, but when it all comes together, a new dimension reveals itself that wasn’t there before. With each of these discoveries, I get a bit closer to my identity as a photographer and an artist, and I look forward to implementing this vision in my forthcoming shoots!
For questions or inquiries, please contact us here.
