I originally was planning on recapping the Heartbreak shoot with a quick Instagram Live, but thanks to some helpful advice from my friend Megan while she was watching my live broadcast of the shoot, I’ve realized there is a lot more to chat about!

 

So thank you Megan for asking some really great questions for me to use as a jumping off point! I must say, the more I do Live broadcasts, the more I love them because you guys give me so much back in return. I’m honestly bummed it’s taken me this long to really start doing them!

 

 

But anyway, on to the questions! Here is what Megan asked:

 

  • What changes did you make from the original sketch?
    • In the original sketch, I continued the mirroring up onto the shoulders. I didn’t end up doing this, though, because I realized I needed to keep the neckline clean. With the shattered texture on the rest of the dress, keeping the simpler neckline helped the entire look seem more elegant and less disheveled. Plus, when we ended up doing the makeup, I like that we brought the silver leafed mask effect down onto her neck, which I most likely would not have done had there been the mirrors on the shoulder of her gown.
    • Also, I ended up making a very streamlined skirt, rather than the tattered version I had originally planned. Like with the mirrored shoulders, I decided that the shattered texture of the dress meant that I needed to keep everything else fairly simple and clean. I was going for elegantly disheveled, if you will!

 

 

  • Was there anything that you think missed the mark or that you had to change?
    • Fortunately, I wasn’t forced to change anything unwillingly. The changes I made above were intentional, and so I feel that I really lucked out with getting pretty much everything I wanted with this shoot! I had the perfect location, and the gown and HMU came together pretty close to how I had originally envisioned. I even got in all of the poses that I really wanted, plus a few extras I hadn’t thought of!
    • And while nothing missed the mark, there was one thing that I realized after the shoot I wish I had done: letting off a few smoke emitters during the shoot. I find that they can create a really intimate and dark/mysterious environment and I think that could have added a lot to the photos. However, that is definitely something I can explore in photoshop, so it’s not a completely missed opportunity!

 

 

  • What were you able to achieve and what turned out great, in your opinion?
    • I learned how to put in zippers! I mean, it’s definitely not the best zipper insertion, but it’s a great start to many more zipper insertions down the road!
    • I’m also extremely proud of the amount of mirroring that is sewn onto this gown. I’m not sure how long it took, but I would guess upwards of 15+ hours. It was very tedious, but I had a lot of Repair Shop episodes to keep me company and I’m extremely pleased with (and proud of) the end result!
    • I created a sheer neckline for the first time. I knew I wanted the neckline of the costume to be very dramatic, more than could be achieved without any support from the straps. I knew I needed to create a sheer neckline so I could maintain the illusion. Again, this isn’t the best sheer neckline that has ever been created, but it was a great start!
    • Also, I am thrilled how the HMU came together. I am not a makeup artist, but I had a lot of fun putting together a look that really fit with the gown I created. Of course, it helped practicing via Instagram and Facebook Live so I could ask for opinions and advice. Some of my favorite parts of the look (like the silver leafing on the neck), come from viewer suggestions!
    • And finally, I just have to say that I’m very pleased with how the entire process came together in general. I have been wanting to shoot this photo for years and it almost felt like Heavenly Father was saying “it’s finally time” as I prepared for this photo. I HAPPENED to have the perfect fabric for this dress already in my cupboard. I HAPPENED to stumble on the perfect substitute for using actual mirrors while going through some old CDs, so the dress wasn’t too heavy and it wasn’t a hazard to wear with all that broken glass. The PERFECT location just HAPPENED to be right outside my front door. So of all the many things that went well with this photo, I can easily say that I am most pleased with how everything came together almost perfectly in the end.

 

 

I haven’t finished editing the photos yet (my newer and not as good computer is a little (a lot) glitchy, so it’s taking longer than usual to edit), but overall I am incredibly thrilled with what Chloë and I were able to create (with some valuable input from you guys)! There is a certain amount of satisfaction you feel when you finally have the photos sitting before you on your computer after months of hard work (and years of brainstorming). And I don’t think I will ever tire of the feeling of success and absolute joy that comes from that!