I’m a photographer and makeup artist with a focus in music, lifestyle and branding. My work has been featured on CD/DVD packaging and in countless publicity and promotional material for major artists in music and entertainment. I have been published internationally in publications such as Rolling Stone Magazine, Revolver Magazine, Nash Country Weekly Magazine, Billboard Magazine and the Hollywood Reporter. I was born in Peru, raised in Queens and currently spend my time between New York City and Nashville.
During TV/Film production days, you might see me around photographing with a massive hard case box. At sound stages, sets, quiet studios or any locations where a loud camera would either cause problems or cause angry glares and murderous thoughts, I use this case to house my camera to suppress the shutter sound.
I’m responsible for the creative vision, the look, the feel, and the tone of the concept of the brand. My direction extends to the lighting to make-up, wardrobe to location scouting to gear. My real purpose is having a point of view and a singular vision that can be articulated well. I work with the client to steer their vision for their brand, I make sure I produce an exceptional photo or video to enhance their concept and therefore it puts itself out there in the best way possible. For this collaborative process, I prefer to share visuals — from sketches to inspiration photos—with the client. These might show everything from different make-up looks to hairstyles to lighting design effects. Then I bring all the final picks together in a visual brief to outlines the entire shoot.
On the day of the shoot, there are no surprises; we’ve discussed every detail down to every accessory. We might spend one or two days at the shoot, but the planning might take weeks. When we go in, we already know we’re going to shoot this person in front of this building. We know what shirt and accessories he or she will be wearing. For a typical advertising shoot, I sketch out the concept for each and every shot. Often, I’ll take a scouting photo ahead of the final shoot day; this allows the client to check out the location at the time of the shoot to see the best lighting scenario. On the day of the shoot, the advance planning means we might capture twice as many shots. I love to prepare to expect the unexpected.
I was a late bloomer when it came to makeup. The most adventurous I came to a makeup product was wearing a red lipstick shade at 16. I’ve come a long way to appreciate the impactful ways to express yourself via makeup. Makeup is an extension of your personality. I believe beauty is found in every person and my gift is the ability to showcase that. Having a background in photography, the world of makeup was a simple transition, based upon my understanding of light, color and form.
Each and every application I do is specifically tailored to the concept in mind. When I design an abstract idea for a photo shoot, I think of the message we want to convey and how the makeup can enhance that idea. When I apply makeup on a soon to be bride, I catered to your personality, image, skin type, and style. I thrive on my clients feeling as beautiful and unique on the outside as they do on the inside.
