A Year of Beauty- Photography Challenge

[Samtian]

Hello! January's Challenge!! Drumroll please...Blush/Bronzer! 

Previous challenges-

April- Lipstick

May- Eye Shadow

June- Primer/Foundation/Concealer/CC/BB

July- Highlighters

August- Brushes

September- Sheet Masks

October- Hair Care

November- Fragrance

December- Nail Polish

January- Blush/Bronzer

I've been thinking for a while now about creating a challenge. And why not mix my two favorite things in life!? Beauty and photography. As some of you know I am a photographer on the side. But my creativity for things like this are horrible! Each month we will have a different theme, and your challenge is to incorporate the theme into a creative photo!

This challenge is going to be a little different, because you won't be creating looks! Starting in April, but I'd love to get your input and if this is something you would be interested in participating in. I thought about doing prizes and voting, we can still vote for the best if you guys want. But with all the legal jargon needed for prizes I decided I didn't want to mess with that. I might send  unicorn mail throughout to those who participate often though 😼 PS- They make for great filler posts on your social media too. And active participation in the forum, reviews, and gallery ( don't forget to post your challenge photos there too!) can possibly help your chances of getting gratis...like those two beautiful perfumes I got as a gratis below *wink wink*.  

The challenge and "rules"-

1. Flat lays and staged photos only. I'll post examples below. But no faces or people allowed in your photos. (Though you can include photographs).

2. All photos you take must be your own. 

3. Post as many images as you want, you have a whole month to get creative with each theme. Post one, post everyday, doesn't matter.

4. Let's talk gear and products! Tell us about your image. List the products and colors, talk to us about your concept and how it came to be, taken with your phone or DSLR? 

Here are some helpful reads- digital-photography-school dot com/flat-lay-photography/  and digital-photography-school dot com/tips-for-getting-started-with-still-life-photography/

Here are some of my example images I've taken in the past-

Gucci Bloom Eau De Toilette 1 oz/ 30 mL eau de toilette spray 

Floral Street Sunflower Pop Eau De Parfum Travel Spray 0.34 oz/ 10 mL Eau de Parfum Spray 

[Samtian]

@fatimamummy Thats so cute!

[fatimamummy]

@Samtian  Thank you 🤍

[Titian06]

@fatimamummy - Another beautiful photo! 🥰  You have such a gift! 

[fatimamummy]

Thank you so much @Titian06  I really appreciate your kindness

[Sunnysmom]

You are so talented @fatimamummy , I also love to see your creative pics! 

[fatimamummy]

Thank you so much @Sunnysmom  Means a lot 🤍

[tsavorite]

@fatimamummy , This is beautiful!  Well done!

[fatimamummy]

Thank you @tsavorite 

[itsfi]

You have such a gift @fatimamummy! I could just stare at your photos all day long. I thought this might be taken from your camera. Impressed with the quality of your phone camera. 😍

[fatimamummy]

You are so sweet @itsfi  Thank you. Yes the camera on this phone is really amazing and ability to capture Raw images makes it even better

[itsfi]

More photos for November's Photography Challenge: Fragrance   

The first photos I posted for this month's challenge were of two travel size fragrances, each with a seasonal theme - autumn and winter. I mentioned to @Samtian that I would try to take and post fragrance related photos for the other seasons 📷 and voila, here they are - spring and summer. I really liked how one turned out; the other … meh. Work in progress. 

For me, lighting has always played a significant part in how my photos have turned out. The night I took this photo, the sun had set and it was dark outside by the time I was home, so indoor, artificial light it was. It's not bad; I like the angle of the spray bottle but it's not the look and feel I had in my mind. That said, it's given me more to add to the list of things to work on when it comes to developing my photography skills. 📔📷

Spoiler

Product(s):	NEST New York Wild Poppy Eau de Parfum Travel Spray 0.27 oz/ 8 mL
Camera:	iPhoneX
Background:	Sundress
Prop(s):	Flower shaped reed from a diffuser
Other Material:	N/A
Lighting:	Artificial indoor lighting
Editing:	Rotate so the photo is upright

This fragrance makes me happy. 🌻 It is sunshine in a bottle. It was part of a gratis package (thank you @TeamBIC!) and one of my favorites within that box of beauties. There was just enough light out for me to get the shot.

Spoiler

Product(s):	Floral Street Sunflower Pop Eau De Parfum Travel Spray 0.34 oz/ 10 mL Eau de Parfum Spray
Camera:	iPhoneX
Background:	White eyelet top & denim jacket
Prop(s):	Sunflower, filler leaves and flowers (all real)
Other Material:	N/A
Lighting:	Indirect light, about 10 minutes after sunset
Editing:	Cropped at sides

[Saradestin]

Wow @itsfi ! Gorgeous and creative! 😍

[itsfi]

Thank you @Saradestin! 😊 The fragrance challenge has been a fun one - and a good reminder to work through some fragrances I love but sometimes forget about. Whoops.

[fatimamummy]

@itsfi  I love the back drop in first photo! It is going really well with the floral theme. You did a great job with indoor artificial lighting. White balance in both photos is beautiful that is one area I often struggle with.

[itsfi]

Awww, thank you @fatimamummy. 😊 Appreciate so much your kind words. I had to move my set up more than a few times away from the indoor light source. I’m sure there’s an easier way than trial and error. Hahaha! Another reason I prefer shooting with natural lighting. 

[Samtian]

@itsfi I love how you've done all the seasons! I really like how Summer turned out!

[itsfi]

Thank you @Samtian! This month’s photo challenge again offered some valuable lessons learned and some inspiration for future photo shoots! ♥️

[Titian06]

Both pictures are lovely, @itsfi !  The Nest photo is focused on the bottle, even the background colors coordinate with the label.  The Floral Street photo has great atmospheric props so you know the intent is a summery feel.  I like both! 🙂

[itsfi]

You are so kind @Titian06! Thank you! 😃 I may try to give the Wild Poppy scent another go, maybe in the spring or if I get my hands on a stem or two of poppies. I’m happy with how the Sunflower Pop photo came out. It’s one of the few times when what I was thinking in my head turned out well on film. 😆 

[Kim888]

Love these spring vibes @itsfi !!! I love the sunflower scent as well!

[itsfi]

@Kim888, the scent is so cheerful! 💛 It’ll be a staple in my collection for years to come!