About the Image

This beauty advertising image was photographed in Milan, Italy outside a run down villa that had peeling paint and weathered green shutters that immediately stood out to me. All of this is texture which I look for. Sina was not tall enough to naturally line up with the shutters in the frame, and she is 5'10" tall, (178 cm), so we found an old wooden chair outside the villa and had her stand on it while I moved in close for a tighter composition.

The final image was about the clean beauty lighting on her face. The shallow depth of field pulled the attention directly into her eyes while still keeping enough of the green shutter detail to hold the feeling of the location.

Milan has always been one of the strongest cities in the world for fashion and beauty photography, but sometimes the best locations are not the polished places people expect. This beauty advertising portrait was photographed outside an older villa in Milan that had seen better days. The building was worn, the paint was peeling, and parts of the property felt abandoned, but that texture was exactly what made the location work.

During the shoot, the green shutters immediately stood out because they added shape, color, and texture without feeling overly designed. In commercial beauty photography, small details in a location can completely change the feel of an image.

Sometimes commercial advertising photography comes together through expensive production setups, and sometimes it comes together by reacting quickly to details already sitting in front of you, like a chair. This was one of those moments.

Once the composition lined up, I moved in close and focused on keeping the frame simple. The beauty lighting stayed soft and controlled while the shallow depth of field helped separate her face from the darker background. I wanted the texture of the shutters to remain visible without competing against the makeup or expression.

Advertising agencies often look for beauty imagery that feels clean but still believable. Overproduced beauty work can sometimes lose personality. Using real locations with natural texture helps keep the image grounded while still maintaining a high end commercial look. Italy works especially well for this because older buildings carry layers of character that cannot easily be recreated on a set.

This photograph also shows how much commercial photography depends on problem solving during the shoot itself. The chair was never part of the plan. The shutters were not originally meant to become the main visual element. I "See" photos quickly and know how to use light.

The final result feels direct and simple. The attention stays on the eyes, makeup, and expression while the background quietly adds atmosphere. That balance is usually what makes beauty advertising photography work over time. The image feels polished, but it still feels connected to a real place.

More about Sina below.

BTS photos below.

When looking for models to shoot, I have a few parameters:

1-Looks, of course is important. However being pretty or attractive is not always needed or wanted. For editorial fashion there are many different looks that could work and are used.

2-Tall and slim frame, willowy but shapely limbs. I sometimes get chided because I shoot with girls/women that are slim. Not scrawny, just slim.

The reason: We live in a 3 dimensional space where everything has 3 dimensions: Height, Width and Depth. The "Problem" is the camera captures in 2 dimensions, height & width, meaning the depth dimension is compressed into height & width. When this occurs everyone "Gains" at least 15 pounds, or about 7Kg. This is 100% caused by the change in perspective.

This means an average sized women, even on the slim side looks heavier in a photo vs. in person. When we hire models, we always want tall and slim. Unless of course the line is for big women. Another reason we want slim is when shooting we will shoot straight on the model. The average women has hips, some more than others. When one shoots with an average women straight on, the hips will look wide.

When one shoots with fashion models, we do not have this issue, we can photograph them from any angle and they will look fine.

Why tall? If I put a garment on a 5'7" woman (170cm) vs. putting it on a 5' 10" woman (178cm), the garment will look better on the taller model.

3-Movement, I want a model that moves from when I start to shoot until I stop. And not just move, move with grace. This is tough.

4-The ability to change facial expressions and look believable.

5-The ability to "Project". This encompasses physical attendance and a strong and commanding personal demeanor. A LOT of models can move well, change expressions, move their body into shapes but frequently they will loose that due to a waning energy level. The great models can push through this and still look fabulous all the way to the last frame.

The model I used on this shoot, Sina, is a fabulous example of what I want in a model.

My expression for this kind of model is they are a "giver." They don't stop giving me looks to shoot. To get all of this in one model is a gift to me, and by extension, other fashion photographers.

Every time I was in Milan I wanted to shoot with Sina. She was a giver, a wonderful person, an awesome model and I am very happy I was able to shoot with her as many times as I did. She was a very nice photography gift to me.

See the BTS photos below.

Feel free to share, this is the shortcut link: stpvd.com/26/13

There is zero artificial intelligence used in this image. I used the old fashion AI... Actual Intelligence.

Emotions: Confidence, Mystery, Strength, Quiet, Intensity, Elegance

For Photographers

The Gear:
Canon camera set to 1/500 shutter speed, using 100 ISO with an 85mm Canon lens at f1.7.

The Light:
The main light is ambient with a Sunbounce Mini reflector. See below.

Here I'm holding a Sunbounce Mini reflector, using the silver side.

Sina standing on a chair.

We are based in Atlanta, Georgia, Los Angeles, California, both in the USA, & Milan, Italy, and serve the nation and travel worldwide for projects, both video and stills. On average we travel 175 days a year from all over the USA, to Singapore to Japan, Europe and the Middle East. We are normally in Europe 2 or 3 times a year, mostly Italy and Germany, shooting for clients there.

If you would like to use this image, or any of my images for mock or comp use, please just ask. There is never a charge for this service. Educational use is permitted without charge, unless published, but please ask first. All commercial use is available only with a limited copyright release prior to use from the copyright holder, Steve Thornton. Thanks for looking!