We’ve been working on our brief for i-D Magazine.  The title was “Youth Now!” and we wanted to share our thoughts and some of our final images.  Model: Emma Mannheimer, Photos by Ben Trivett.  Makeup, Hair, Styling by Coleen Scott.

This is a side by side comparison of the same image of Emma in black and white and color. Image creation was inspired by the style of Daniel Jackson, the assigned photographer for the brief.

STATEMENT OF INTENT: I’m looking for the coolest young people I know, and hoping to make believable, interesting, optimistic, sexy images, full of life and vigor, full of the motivation to change the world in their own individual way. The concept is clean, minimal makeup, showcasing natural beauty, and showcasing each models’ original look and style. If color is used, it will be unconventionally, trading the stereotype of red lips and blue eye makeup for just the opposite. Red lipstick on the eyes and blue on the lips, symbolizing individuality, rebellion from the norm.  Our friend Emma is the embodiment of the hopeful side of youth now.  She’s a mover and shaker, and we’re excited to see what she does next.  We’re pretty sure there will be good food involved, as she’s really got her finger on the pulse of what’s trending on NYC’s food scene.

This is the makeup chart next to the final execution on Emma. The thinking behind the red eye makeup and blue lips is taking the stereotypical woman’s makeup of red lipstick and blue eyeshadow, and switching features, as a symbol of rebellion.

I was inspired by other artists in The Val Garland School of Makeup to title my idea for this editorial. The brief is “Youth Now”, but I think I would call this: “Youth Now: Live Forever”.  Generally, young people have that zest for life and adulthood that you can sometimes lose as you get older. In general, they don’t have quite as many responsibilities or attachments that hold them back from living every moment to the fullest. On the other hand, the general societal pressures and ideas about the state of the world, also leads youth to have a “live now, worry later” attitude- always reaching for what is the most fun, wildest thing they can do at any moment.  This doesn’t necessarily lead to productivity, it can be laziness that is the chosen activity. Leisure. Living beyond your means to make every moment the exact way you want. Satisfying your whims. That can be youth now, too. When you’re young, you feel like you’re going to live forever and you can do anything. When you’re young in 2015, you do whatever you can, however you can, to keep yourself engaged and satiated, and distracted from the negative. Youth Now: Short Attention Span Lifestyle. Or, as I like to call it: “Shiny Penny Syndrome”. Go wherever the pretty fun things are.  We explored both sides in our shoot with Emma.  The hopeful, exuberant side, and the “I don’t care, as long as I’m having a good time” side.  They both have their merits.  Check them out below.

One of the favorite final images for the i-D Magazine Brief. Model: Emma Mannheimer, Photo: Ben Trivett

The final image we selected:

The final image selection for i-D Magazine. Model: Emma Mannheimer, Photo: Ben Trivett