Around Christmas time last year, makeup artist Stephanie VanHazebroeck asked if I would be involved in a Trade photo shoot or a TF* with a team she was assembling with a look inspired by two 2016 Pantone colors.
I love working with Stephanie. We worked together on her first big shoot, and whenever I can, I make a way to agree to her requests for TF*s. She's amazing at what she does, and she's managed to curate a network of some of the most creative people in Chicago.
So of course I said yes.
At first, we talked about renting a location for this Pantone-inspired shoot. There was discussion of Salvage One, which features some really cool furniture and vignettes that can photograph very well. They quoted us at $200/hour. Which we were all okay with. We'd likely only need a couple hours by doing hair and makeup off site. We scrapped idea when we heard of an old vintage bank that promised some amazing backdrops, but they wanted $1500 to shoot there.
In February, we moved into our new space, and we started discussing using an old car that is housed in our space.
And then I found what I was looking for ... one day I was at the studio and a door that's never closed was closed. It's a sliding metal door with tons of rusty patina and character.
"I'm using that door," I said to myself. My voice echoed in the empty studio. I felt like the door would make the colors in our fashion palette pop like nobody's business. And, wow, that door did not disappoint.
The day of the shoot finally came last week.
You know what I liked about this shoot? Everything.
Apart from Stephanie, I never heard of or met the team before, but once we all gathered, we all seemed to click. I could tell it was going to be a great day. I would go to bat for any one of this team. You MUST work with them!
Everyone was so professional, fun and energetic. The clothes, the hair, the makeup ... EXCEPTIONAL. Our model Angelika impressed me to no end.
I try to print images from my favorite shoots, and I think I'm going to print all of the ones I'm posting here today. Also, enjoy my behind the scenes vLog as well!
The team was:
Model: Angelika Rol
MUA: Stephanie VanHazebroeck
Hair: Mariefel Westa
Designer: Lupita Castaneda
Intern: Ryan Barhaug
Tina did a little consulting at the shoot, but many of these types of shoots are for me and my interest in fashion, which is why they post here at jeremywitteveen.com and not at Wittefini.com.
For the video, I had to put a lot more effort into shooting than vLogging, so I filmed exposition yesterday. I messaged Stephanie to ask her how to say her epic last name, and I still feel like I didn't say it correctly ... but we plow forward ... I'll apologize later.
Special thanks to our landlord Al Phillips for letting us use that big door as part of our shoot!
