A little look at the Oro Collection by Nohemi Capetillo.
Read MoreCyberpunk Photoshoot for PBA's NAHA Makeup Artist of the Year and Official UK Playstation Magazine
I decided to write a blog and make a video for my 2021 NAHA Makeup Artist of the Year submission. As a bonus I submitted a separate group of images (same theme) to UK Official PlayStation Magazine set to drop on January 12, 2021.
This photoshoot was a very significant to me. After dealing with my sickness 2019 and having to postpone so much last year, I couldn’t wait to final get this project done. This was inspired by one of my favorite visual aesthetics out there, Cyberpunk. Being a huge fan of vivid colors, post apocalyptic, and body modifications, the game Cyberpunk combines all those elements to it’s fullest.
For this I was the photographer, makeup artist, wardrobe stylist and (in one shot) the model. It was pretty involved and was truly challenging which is what makes people learn and grow.
I’ll post BTS, video, moodboard, call sheet, and tips from the shoot below.
The call sheet contained the structure of the shoot from inspirational images through to illustrating the models “mood” for each image. Using google documents and inviting all the talent to view it as I added/altered made the shoot go smoothly. Here’s the call sheet along with all the inspo I put together:
I used a software program that is the first photography studio simulator. It allows me to construct lighting setups on my computer so I can experiment and find new ways to light my subjects as well as keeping things COVID friendly so people aren’t in and out of the home studio from test shooting. This is also great for my clients because they get a chance to see lighting setups prior to the shoot so they have less to worry about on their big day. Here is an example of what I put together for this shoot using that software.
Below is what I put together for three looks
A little BTS
Aside from the three models it was just my husband and I the day of the shoot. I’m eternally grateful for having someone that loves and supports me so much. He made sure I ate, took BTS, and was on top of backing up the files when I was done with each look.
As I mentioned before, I used accessories and wardrobe I own. One of the models was generous and brought an outfit she owned that fit perfectly with the theme! One wardrobe piece that was used three times in different colors was the jacket. The spikes were added to give it an “edgier” look with materials I’ve gathered over the years. When the first model finished shooting Eddie then went outside to spray it silver. The third time we used it, fluorescent green was splattered all over to give it a “grungier” feel.
Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.
I couldn’t agree more with the above statement. I spent so much time preparing - going over outfits, practicing makeup styles, studying the aesthetic, etc. Below are two final outfits I prepared for two of the models:
I used procreate to doodle some makeup ideas. As you can tell from the final images the makeup did change as I applied the makeup. Some things didn’t go very well for example Romany had bangs so the yellow dots needed to be relocated. Always be open to adapting to the challenges, nothing will ever be 100% as you envision it which is ok because most if the time it’s so much better!
I’m beyond over the moon to receive news that my Cyberpunk collection along with 4 others I photographed were nominated for the Professional Beauty Association’s NAHA 2021! To top it off a separate image along with an interview (same shoot) was published on Official Playstation UK.
Here’s some more little BTS taken from the phone. It’s 100% genuine, no filter or skin retouching only resizing so the file sizes aren’t load heavy on the website.
I want to thank everyone for being so patient, trusting and just being the bad asses they are. If you want to check out the models their instagrams are:
Romany: www.instagram.com/romanysuicidexox
Amithyste: www.instagram.com/offleshandbones
Morguenmarie: www.instagram.com/morgue.n.marie2
Below are the images I collaborated with Irina Istratova. You can find her amazing retouching work here www.instagram.com/big_bad_red
Thank you so much for making this far! For those of you wanting a video version, here it is!
Diana Ortiz
I had the wonderful pleasure of working with the talented Diana Ortiz. If you don’t know who this person is….well you should! You can follow her and her husband, Manny Ortiz, on Instagram or YouTube. He offers very informative tech knowledge, behind the scenes photoshoots, and lots more. Check them out here
So back tracking a little bit. I’ve been out of the game for about 8 months due to medical malpractice. You can read all about it in my previous post if you’re curious. Ok moving on! So after being absent I was itching to create so naturally I went with gels because I live for color!! Below you can see the setup I had.
As you can tell from the images the panels are very close to her but far enough that she could put her hands to her face and have her elbows out. To create that shine we used baby oil and some makeup to create the shimmer and lastly some water to get the dewy look.
For the lighting setup I used the Dracast 500 S Series LED panels. I do not own flash heads that have modeling lights and I really wanted to see the lights in real time so I used these bad boys. My settings along with the camera and lens were:
Canon 5DS R
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM Lens
100mm · f/2.8 · 1/250s · ISO 1600
The images do have a high ISO and I usually keep my shutter speed at 1/160 but because I was very shaky and the lights with gels were already dim I have to compensate for that in other areas.
I’m extremely happy with the results to say the least! I did bump up the vibrance in Photoshop to make it a bit more rich for the first two images and for the last one I did alter the colors to something a little more subtle. Other than the basic editing such as skin smoothing, fly aways, dodge and burn (not that she needs it, this woman’s face is flawless) not much was done to it.
The third image was a little bit more involved and that’s because I wanted to make it slightly more tame compared to the first two. Some people might ask “well why didn't you just do it during the shoot and not do it in post?” “that’s cheating, that’s not real photography!” so on and so forth. Everyone is entitled to their opinions. The reason why I decided to do it differently is to 1) make a collection of three to frame them in the studio and 2) I’m always looking for ways to push my retouching skills. Check down below for a before and after
The GIF quality isn’t the best but you get the idea.
So whether you do beauty portraits and rely minimally on retouching or go all out and create composites, you do YOU, just don’t be a dick ;) some of y’all know what I’m talking about.
About my absence...
It’s been a few months since most of you heard from me. As some of you already know I fell ill late April (had type A and B flu) and since I’ve been trying to recover from it all. You can read more in depth here:
www.facebook.com/noamyphotography/posts/2554876014524688
I ended up in the ER four times, the last one being in June where I stayed there for three days. They did all types of tests including MRIs, scans with contrast, a lot of blood work and I left with no answers. After a lot of research I found out that the medication (Lorazepam) given to me on my first ER visit (I went there because I was having shortness of breath and wasn’t sleeping) was causing me all these horrible ailments I described in my FB post. At the time I didn’t know that this drug was in the same family as Xanax. Over a decade ago I ended up in the ER because my body was going through big changes. I went cold turkey from alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine which caused my body to do funny things. I was 19 at the time and didn’t know what was happening so I ended up there. Since they couldn’t find the cause of my ailments they immediately gave me Xanax without any warning of it’s dependency and withdrawals. They literally were like “here take this and we’ll give you a prescription for it.” My body went through withdrawals the moment the first pill was out of my system and I spent months recovering from that horrible drug even though I was on it for a week or so.
I told the doctor from my first ER visit that I do not want anything like Xanax as my body didn’t take it well. She reassured me that I would be ok, it’ll be like taking a shot of whiskey so it’ll knock me out. I trusted her and took it. She said I could take it as a “as needed basis” so I only took it for 3 days to let my body catch up on rest but my body became dependent and that’s when all this hell started. Once my body became accustomed to the drug the withdrawals started to kick in. I didn’t understand what was happening, the drugs stopped working, I was worse. I ended up going to the doctor asking for sleeping pills because I would be up for days but I didn’t know that my insomnia along with the other horrible symptoms were from abruptly stopping the Ativan. I never amped up my dose for Ativan to make it work as it was before, even though it was suggested by my doctor. After many follow up visits, blood work, theories and dismissals, they never had an answer for my “bizarre” symptoms and I repeatedly asked “could it be the Ativan I’m taking?” and I was assured it wasn't. The rheumatologist, the sleep doctor and even the general doctor were eager to prescribe me more, “ Here’s another month’s worth”. These doctors were so eager to give out Xanax or Ativan like it’s freaking CANDY! And none, not one ever told me the risks/complications of it. One doctor told me “are you sure you don’t want to take a sample of Xanax?” Eddie and I looked at her at the same time as we were exiting and told her at the same time “NO!”
Despite my bad state I did a lot of research and discovered it was the drug. I knew I had to come off the drug but you can’t just stop it abruptly. I went through that on only the first three days and it was impossible so I had to get back on it (1mg at night) and begin a tapering process. For the next 2 months I had to go from 1mg nightly to 0.75mg to 0.50mg to 0.25mg to nothing. Some might say this was a fast taper but I was only on it for about 1 month and wanted off this drug asap. This was a whole other thing that I needed to hurl through if I wanted to recover from this and it wasn't going to be easy. Each time I tapered down my symptoms worsened until I leveled out, once I did I tapered again and the symptoms came back.
Each person is different so the recovery process varies. August 17 was my last dose and I’m finally on the road to recovery so my body now just needs time to heal. I found that meditation helps tremendously as well as benzobuddies.org. That website is great for support and reading people’s posts reassures me that all the weird symptoms I face day to day are all part of the recovery process. I’m on that road to recovery, I don’t know how long it’s going to take for my brain and nervous system to get back to normal but I’m happy I’m off that drug. It’s only a matter of time now.
For those of you going through this I’m so sorry for your pain. You are strong and resilient, you are a fighter. Know that time will heal you and it will come.
Behind the Scenes 2019 NAHA Finalist - Nohemi Capetillo | Makeup Artist Of The Year
I’ve been meaning to share some images and video snippets of THE MOIRAI Collection for NAHA’s 2019 Makeup Artist of the Year . You can read all about it in an interview with BangStyle by clicking HERE.
Trying to get a BTS footage on top of everything else was nearly impossible to be honest. I wanted this collection to go smoothly so selfies were not even in my head when the pressure was one. Some of you might be like, well you could just set up the camera in a certain spot and press record. Well it wasn't that easy. I had to move back and forth between the studio and makeup room, with makeup and hair done as well as spikes and trying to keep it PG 13 because…well I was topless. Most of the footage I captured was test footage before making final adjustments and throwing the robe to the side and getting in the zone. I figured showing you something was better than nothing right? Next time I’m getting someone else to film BTS! I am happy that most of my focus was entirely on the shoot and footage was last on my list. Sadly I don’t have any of the RED as that one was my most challenging and time consuming. I’m not much of a writer, however, if you have any questions I’d be more than happy to answer them in the comment box or you can email me directly at noamythephotographer@gmail.com
Body paint: @mehronmakeup Liquid Makeup
Lips: @mehronmakeup Liquid Makeup
Foundation: @fentybeauty
Black Eyeliner: @mehronmakeup Liquid Makeup
Red Eyeliner: @nyxcosmetics
Highlighter: @bhcosmetics Spot Highlight
Body paint: @mehronmakeup Liquid Makeup
Lips: @katvondbeauty Vampira
Foundation: @fentybeauty
Eyeliner: @mehronmakeup Liquid Makeup
Highlighter: @bhcosmetics Spot Highlight
Body paint: @mehronmakeup Liquid Makeup
Black lips: @mehronmakeup Liquid Makeup
Foundation: @fentybeauty
White mascara: Bloody Mary Cosmetics
Red eyeliner: @nyxcosmetics
Highlighter: @bhcosmetics Spotlight Highlight 6 Color Palette
I didn’t have to worry too much about the black covering up my tattoos so I didn’t layer as much as I did with the red and white.
And yes I did shave my eyebrows to achieve my vision. #arthasnolimits
I definitely layered a bit of Fenty Foundation before applying the Mehron white liquid makeup.
I used eyelash glue to get the spikes to stick to my face and chest.
If you still haven’t read the interview with BangStyle here it is below:
Model turned photographer and now a makeup artist, she's taught herself everything she knows! As the model, artist, and photographer, Nohemi Capetillo has blown us away with her artistry. Her inspiration was everything she loves, from color to style and everything that embodies her character. We are so excited to share the beauty she has created both inside and out. Keep reading to learn more about her collection and how she got to where she is today!
Tell us more about you as an artist. How did you get into makeup?
Well, I’m actually full-time photographer that also does makeup as a secondary creative outlet. As long as I can remember I have loved to paint and draw. I became fascinated with makeup when I was given permission to use it and loved expressing myself through that. I knew my style was weird to most people and I was bullied/made fun of/put down on many occasions, however, I didn’t let negativity get to me and I stayed true to myself.
How has your style changed over the years?
That’s a very good question. I don’t feel like my style has changed at all. I’ve always had a passion for the dark and the weird, I think I just learned what complements one another and have adapted from there. I am still that Goth girl on the inside, haha.
What was the inspiration behind this collection?
This was actually a mix of things. As I mentioned before, I was put down for my style, which was and still is a lot of cat eye designs. I wanted to take what was “me” and put it in this collection along with my three favorite complementary colors. With those colors I wanted to portray a character trait for each. Black is integrity, White is humility, and red, which isn’t anger as most people would think, it’s perseverance. A few of the many character traits that I strongly abide by.
What was your biggest challenge in creating this collection?
The biggest challenge, funny enough, was me. Everyone that knows me knows I’m a perfectionist and I’m my absolute worst critic when it comes to anything I do. There were numerous times that I kept going back and forth between minute details such as the angle of liner and things like that. The second bit was doing everything yourself – hair styling, makeup, photography, and lighting setup for three separate looks. The amount of body paint was heavier than normal due to the tattoo coverage so after one look I had to pop in the shower and start all over again. It can be really challenging, but nothing good comes easy.
What does your collection say about trends or movements within the industry?
I feel like the trends/movements are heading towards a positive direction each year. People, as well as artists can be themselves and express themselves more, which means they can stay true to their path and true to themselves. In this case, getting in touch with your dark side isn’t a bad thing.
If you were to describe this collection in one word, what would it be?
Bizarre – but not in a bad way, more of a way that intrigues the audience with fascination.
Did you have any hero products? (Or any product faves!?)
I DO! I can’t begin to tell you how the Fenty Foundation has saved me immensely. I’m in my 30’s and still suffer from acne (sadly my body doesn’t know puberty is over) so when I use it, it covers my scars perfectly without having to use concealer! I’m also a big fan of Mehron and Kat Von D cosmetics.
What were you hoping to convey to your audience with this collection?
I wanted to convey emotion and encourage people to get out there and just bring out the best in each other.
Tell us a little more about you, as an artist.
Well, I’m a former model turned photographer, not many people know that. I’ve been in the industry in some way for the past 15 years now and it all stemmed from creative visuals in videogames, films, and animation. My passion for creating fueled my hunger for knowledge and I began to learn as much as I could with photography, editing, film, makeup, wardrobe, etc. I’m entirely self-taught and I’m always learning as everything is evolving.
I’m a hardcore fan of color, don’t let my monochromatic attire fool you, as you’ve probably have seen in my heavily saturated portfolio. I love to turn something “ordinary” into my interpretation of beauty, which always has some type of twist –subtle at times but it’s definitely there. I also don’t like to limit myself, I love all types of photography and know everything from beauty, hair, conceptual, dark, portrait and so on.
Where will we find you in Long Beach?!
I will be walking around ISSE! I will also be on stage with Liza Espinoza and Cherry Petenbrink on Sunday at 3:15 pm. You will definitely see me at the Red Carpet Ceremony and the after party celebrating with all the creative artists! I always love meeting new people so if you see me be sure to say hello!!
If you won the lotto (or slot machine) tomorrow, what would you do?
Oh my! I’m not going to lie but I would be a bit selfish and splash out with a lot of photography gear and possibly get my custom pick up truck and motorcycle I always wanted. If it was a large sum that I received, however, I would definitely open up multiple animal shelters.