War Paint Transformation
For my final shoot, I chose to shoot my idea of war paint, and the transformation using make up. In this shoot I wanted to show make up can transform a persons face, by using only a small amount of products, but placed in a certain way. I have always had an interest in the way make up artist use contouring, and how they use it to add shade and highlight onto the face. It has been made more popular with celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, and is now being done more frequently with the average girl.
I want to show the process from start to finish, and how the shape of the face changes. I wanted the model to apply this to herself, as a sort of ritual going back to the native american war paint idea. I asked her to apply the contour wherever it would normally be placed, but use a darker shade to give a good contrast again her skin. I also wanted to add in another make up artist, to blend in the make up. In native america, the men would be painted by another man or women, before they headed out to battle. I wanted to show that someone else could create a look on her face.
I want to capture each stage, so from her bare faced, to the end result of blended in contour. I didn't know how to do this, so it was interesting to see all the steps that went in to creating the final result. I placed the model so that the side of her face would be in front of the camera, I the if she was straight on while she was applying the make up, we wouldn't see the full effect. I also took a straight on shot once she had applied all the make up to her face.
The model said that personally, she wouldn't do this on a daily basis, but being a make up artist, she does know some who do. It seems such a drastic step in an everyday routine, that most people wouldn't have time to do. Some girls what to completely transform their faces using this technique everyday, some just on special occasions such as nights out. I think with this new trend, make up is only going to become more dramatic and time consuming for girls, and boys over the next few years.
I want people, specifically my target audience of young girls around my age, to look at these images and think if this is a normal thing to do? Would they sit in front of the mirror everyday and transform their faces to this level. Do they ultimately feel beautiful after applying it, rather than being fresh faced and natural?
