Incorporeal Entity

“The best color in the whole world is the one that looks good on you.”

~ Coco Chanel

In early December Greg was contacted to model for the dynamic color consultant Jennifer Butler. I squealed with delight when Greg mentioned it to me as I am a huge and advocate of her work, having incorporated her principals throughout the branding of Roxana Illuminated Perfume.

When Greg spoke with Jennifer about the details she told him to bring me along as well. Thus, we began to put our outfits together and on December 13th headed down to the photography studio of Mikel Healey.

The shoot was focused on the "Summer" essence, of which Greg and I both belong to, which has the imprint of Twilight and defined on Jennifer's website as "languid and gracious; gentle twilight." Here is more from Jennifer's website:

"Summer is a time when we sustain our energy:  Seeds were planted in Spring, are being sustained through Summer, and will come to fruition in the Fall. The Summer essence comes from the twilight energy, relaxed, diffuse, thoughtful. The lines of summer are relaxed.  Wisteria cascades from trellises and wild roses trail the fences. The world seems brushed with a soft blue.  Days stretch into long rosy twilights and dusks are cloaked in purple shadows.

The Summer personality has a quiet and gentle manner, an air of repose and relaxation.  The Summer Essence typifies humility in its highest form. Sensitive to beautiful things, they love elegance and refinement. They tend to exactitude in their thinking and give meticulous attention to detail. They are precise in their planning and honor order. The Summer essence is contemplative and thoughtful and does not make instant decisions. They tend to see life in an intricate way, and they appreciate and honor art and beauty. They have a great sense of order, timeliness and appropriateness."

"We call the Summer woman the princess; the Summer man the gentleman. We often recognize them for their sense of refinement, and they remind us that we can live life gracefully and graciously. Summers are remarkable at research, engineering, and the medical profession. They make gifted healers, counselors and teachers."

Greg and I had a session with Jennifer back in 2007, just before I began working on my branding so as to integrate what I learned from her so that I could give as "authentic" an impression of who I was and what my business was about.

Based on my skin, hair and eye color combined with my temperament I was cast as a "Tapestry" summer because my eye color was technically Autumnal. Greg is a "Artistic" summer, his palette is a bit more keyed up than mine and includes blues.

The small, street facing studio had a large green screen hanging where the photos of other "Summers" were being taken. I sat down to have my make up applied while Greg was whisked to the back to evaluate the clothing we had brought and put together the outfits we would wear.

The shoot took place in the studio with the green screen as well as a few locations just outside, it was a great amount of fun and very different to be behind the camera instead of holding it and wearing make up. Once Jennifer puts the images up on her site I will give a shout out here so you all can wonder over there and see what they have done with the backgrounds for the green screen and what photos she has chosen.

Portraits by Mikel Healey