How does the creative process become a collaborative shoot?
Collaboration is an important part of my creative process and I love the opportunities that it provides me. I stay so busy running Terri Tomlinson Makeup Training Academy, I spend less and less time on set. My main focus is education and selling my color tools and makeup line. So when an opportunity for a collaborative and creative shoot comes available- I jump!
Many times collaborations will start with my own desire to create something. Either I see something that inspires an idea or I have a vision of something I want to work out. I’m almost always the instigator as once I get a strong idea I really want to follow it through.
Usually that means presenting my idea to a photographer to see if there is a shared interest. The photographer might also feel inspired by the idea and think of ways to present it, shoot it or take it to another level. Often the photographer also has creative ideas and we merge them together. The beauty of collaboration is that there are several creative “chefs” making the soup. The idea might come from me, but the face we put it on, the way it is styled and shot all affect the outcome. Once I have partnered with a photographer it is time to think about models, stylists and any other collaborators that we need. We put a team together all with a similar vision and we shoot it.
There is a difference between directing a creative shoot and collaborating. If my vision is very exact and strong, if I know exactly what I want then I will direct the shoot. Basically I’m putting a team together to create my vision. I’m directing how it looks and bringing in the expertise I need to produce it. Collaboration is about putting an idea out there and letting everyone take it in and contribute their own vision to it. So the outcome is a mix of all of our creative minds.
I have always loved Blade Runner and the post apocalyptic grit and dark vibe. I thought it would be fun to create a story around that. I reached out to Michael Myers for photography and Anastasia to style hair. We decided to follow the process of becoming a “replicant” and so I designed my makeup looks to go from dark to gritty. We all had a hand in making the images, from models Jaclyn and Jacob getting into character to Anastasia’s messy yet perfect hair, to Michael’s use of smoke and colored gels. I loved the outcome. We had a great time shooting it and were so excited about the results.
From a makeup perspective I’m always interested in ways to create shine and reflection on the skin. I ground mica and glitter to make a reflective surface on the “replicants” and combined it with a clear reflective gel. I wanted it to look like they were becoming more metallic, more robotic.
Once a story is shot, the photographer gets everything loaded into a gallery and we start editing together the shots to make the story. Once the story is done, it was submitted to XIOX Magazine and chosen for publication.
Good job team!
*See images from Replicants above.
REPLICANT
photography by: Michael Myers @MichaelMyersPhoto
Creative Direction: Terri Tomlinson @TerriTomlinsonMakeup
Makeup: Terri Tomlinson @TerriTomlinsonMakeup
Hair: Anastasia Strattan @Anastasia_stylist Models:
Jaclyn Johnson – e Campbell Agency @jaclynjohnsonxo
Jacob Forinash – e Campbell Agency @jforinash_official
For correspondence: terri@makeup101.com