A Year of Beauty- Photography Challenge

[Samtian]

Hello! March's Challenge!! Drumroll please...Free for all! Time to get caught up on anything you missed or forgot to do.

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

February- Candles/Wax Melts/ Diffusers

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 

[Titian06]

Pretty, @misslenax ! 😍

[itsfi]

@misslenax, I can see how you had a hard time deciding between these two pics. Both shots are beautiful. 😍

[Samtian]

@misslenax Oooh I love love love it!!! Lipstick just needs to be in the photo is all 🙂 add all the props you want! 

[Samtian]

The first month will focus on Lipstick! Here's my first attempt. I'm not happy with it haha. But it'll be fun to see my progress ( I better progress!) throughout the challenge. The mono on mono trend has been really popular in the fashion/photography industry right now so I thought I'd give it a try. This is HUDA BEAUTY Power Bullet Matte Lipstick El Cinco De Mayo 

[faeriegirl]

I love it @Samtian !

[Samtian]

@faeriegirl Thank you!!

[SportyGirly125]

@Samtian Oh I love how powerful just this picture looks.

[Samtian]

@SportyGirly125 Thank you!!

[fatimamummy]

This is amazing @Samtian ! I wouldn’t have thought a monochrome photo can look this beautiful. Red on red is stunning ❤️

[Samtian]

@fatimamummy Awe thank you!!! 

[blackkitty2014]

This is just sooo good @Samtian . The red background and red lipstick… who would think they work together beautifully 🌹👍❤️🥰

[Samtian]

@blackkitty2014 Thank you!

[lmaster]

Love this!! @Samtian 

[Samtian]

@lmaster Thank you!!

[AznAngelLiz]

@Samtian You did such a good job with this, truly a powerful pic! 

[Samtian]

@AznAngelLiz Thank you!!

[eshoe]

Well, nothing like setting the bar high right out of the gate, @Samtian! I personally love how this technique accentuates textures. Gorgeous.

[Samtian]

@eshoe Haha thank you! I think I set the bar pretty low. Can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!

[itsfi]

@Samtian, this is a beautiful photo. I look at it and think it could be an ad for the product. 😍 

Is there anything in particular you would do with it or do next time to make it more to your liking?

[Samtian]

@itsfi Thank you! Next time I should just find a textured background. I used plain poster board and had to edit from there. 

[itsfi]

@Samtian, I thought the background you used was a nice touch, and was a good match for the lipstick without it getting lost in the color but it would be interesting to see how it would look with a textured background. You’re giving me all these things to think about! Thank you!