06/01/2026
Colorfully Uncanny 🎨
This is number 4 out of 5 magazines that I submitted some of my Halloween images into, and was probably the most time consuming submission I've ever experienced before.
Usually there are different steps involved when submitting work to magazines. You have to make sure your images are a certain resolution/size, provide a specific number of photos, and often they want certain crops, images, or an overall theme that matches the magazine.
That's all pretty common.
Additionally, sometimes magazines want the names of the outfits, the model, accessories, and all the details that went into creating the look. The funny thing is, this shoot was completely DIY. There was no designer involved. Just a cheap bodysuit and pantyhose from Amazon that we splattered makeup all over and ripped. 😅
Then they wanted me to write about the shoot. Another pretty common thing.
But then they wanted me to write some more.
And then even more!
There were probably 3 different revisions of the "about" section alone. The first version was very basic, but they kept wanting it to be more detailed, use a larger vocabulary, and have more specific wording. It's not normally how I speak or write, but eventually it was finally accepted.
It made me think about what I had originally written...
I don't remember everything word for word, but I talked about how beauty is, whether we like it or not, so prevalent in society. We're reminded of it daily through advertisements, social media, how we were raised, and even through our own individual styles based on our likes and dislikes.
Everyone has their own definition of what beauty means to them.
For me, my relationship with beauty has always felt pretty toxic.
When I first saw another photographer's work featuring pantyhose stretched over the model's face with makeup over top, I immediately felt this sense of discomfort. It sparked an interpretation of beauty that felt very personal to me. I've always felt like makeup for me in the past sometimes acted as a mask, and the pantyhose over the face felt like the perfect visual representation of that feeling.
It was uncomfortable.
And that's exactly why I wanted to create this look for our Halloween series.
Model: Nate Warne
Makeup: Jessi B Artistry
Magazine: Miroitér Magazine (based in Australia)
Look inspired by: Kabuki Makeup & Hair School
