A charming Valentine’s Day inspired test editorial with pink and red color blocking. I enjoy heavy symbolism, so this project tells two stories. On the surface, it is a simple sweet story of a wife waiting for her husband to come home for Valentine’s Day. Symbolically, it also tells the story of a woman dealing with many emotions that go hand in hand when struggling to get to that moment of achieving bliss.

DIRECTOR/STYLIST/CONCEPT/STORYBOARD: Nadine Makboul

PHOTOGRAPHER: Hayden Sahli

CHOREOGRAPHY: Nadine Makboul/Hayden Sahli/Nicolette Gonzales

MAKE UP: Nicolette Gonzales

HAIR STYLIST: Avery Lemons

MODEL: Bailey Code (Reaction Models)

HAND MODEL: Brandon Gaston aka “The LifeSTYLest”

LOCATION: Private Residence

Bathrobe by NORDSTROM, and stationary from MISSIVE PRESS

Earrings by NINA, Dress by ATTICO, Belt by B-LOW THE BELT, and heels by ALEXANDRE BIRMAN

Earrings by BAUBLBAR, top by JIL SANDER, skirt by VALENTINO, and heels by STUART WEITZMAN

Earrings by OSCAR DE LA RENTA, top by SUSANA MONACO, and pants by ROBERT RODRIGUEZ

HAND MODEL: Blazer by ARMANI COLLEZIONI, and watch by ROLEX (provided by private collector)

MODEL: Earrings by CHANEL, Bracelet by NADRI, and top and skirt by AMUR

For this project, a loose storyboard was created to be a basic guideline of the story I wished to tell, but I knew beforehand I wasn’t going to follow it 100%. Originally there was to be a single love letter. The love letter consisted of beautiful things that had been said to me in my lifetime (pictured above), but ultimately I chose to use Valentine’s cards instead. Said things are redacted except for the one used in the photoshoot. A woman’s heart is a sacred place and while my art is a reflection of myself, some things I must leave private.

Final projected shot along with musings of the shoot.

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