Project Evaluation

I have really enjoyed completing this project and although it has been challenging I feel I have learned a lot. After receiving the brief I initially struggled to come up with a concept and found it difficult to create six designs that all reflected the Givenchy brand, Spring/Summer 2016 trends and linked in some way to each other. However on reflection, I feel this was a positive thing as it pushed me to do more research than I usually would for a project in order to create an overall concept in my head. As make up for fashion is of the most interest to me, I found the research for this project enjoyable. It encouraged me to pay more attention to what the current trends are and how they reflect trends of the past which as a make up artist is crucial. I found my designs influenced each other and that the link between them formed naturally through me drawing inspiration from similar trends and sources. Technically, it was very challenging to produce six different looks and consider all elements of the image as apart from models I didn't collaborate with any stylists or photographers on this project. I do see this as beneficial in some ways as I knew I wanted to do the styling for this project myself and with every shoot I do, I feel slightly more confident in my photography skills which is something that will benefit me in my third year. I am happy with my choices for models and they ended up being a mixture of friends that happened to have the look I was going for and models that I found online. I had to overcome some issues such as loosing the images from an entire shoot due to my memory card corrupting and also my realisation about a month in to the term that I wasn't happy with my choice of brand and starting my research from scratch. However overcoming these problems has had positive results as my shoot was better the second time around and I wouldn't have been nearly as motivated for this project if I had pushed on with the brand I originally chose.

Out of the catwalk, editorial and advertisement looks I created, I am happiest with my catwalk designs. This is partially because I loved the make up from Givenchy's S/S16 show so it was easy to draw inspiration from and partially because I used models I was comfortable directing and who were comfortable around each other. However if I was to do the shoot again, I would make sure to take a 'backstage' style image of my second look as I ended up liking this more than the studio setting and would have liked my images to have been taken in the same surroundings. Unfortunately, when looking back at the images from my second look, I have realised that the quality is not as good as I would like. When getting my equipment out at the hatch they had run out of Canon 550Ds and I was given another camera which I was told was as good. Even though adjusted the settings as I usually would, the images are quite poor quality which is very disappointing and will teach me to ensure I'm getting the correct equipment every time in future.

I am pleased with the finish and design of the make up for my editorial shoot and from looking at Givenchy's previous editorials I do think it fits the brand, however wish I had taken more inspiration from Givenchy's Fashion Ad campaigns which are of large groups or people, shot outside as I think this would have pushed me creatively and brought diversity to my looks. I wanted to shoot my editorials full length but struggled within the small studio space I had booked. I do wish that I has been able to do this as I did a lot of research focusing on lace, that I don't feel the lace and general styling of the image were as noticeable as I had hoped due to having to shoot much closer in.

I do like the end result of my daytime advertising shoot as it looks how I had imagined but next time would apply the make up slightly heavier as although it is a natural, Spring inspired look I think certain elements of the design like the eyeshadow and blush could have come off stronger. My evening advertising campaign is the one I am least satisfied with and I did have plans to re shoot, but unfortunately my model dropped out last minute and I was unable to find anyone else in time. I think I could have chosen a product that fitted better with the rest of my five looks and more Spring inspired. I also didn't realise when shooting that I should have left more room for my products at the bottom of the page as I feel the end result is a little squashed and I ended up having to make my evening look a double page spread. Overall I am pleased with this project, the things I found challenging ended up benefitting my final outcome and I have learned to push myself from the beginning and balance my time productively.