How I Bring an Editorial Concept to Life as a Queer Alternative Photographer.

Fine Art Editorial / Photographer: Jazmine Rolon

Its on every Luxury Wedding Photography page, But what does Editorial actually mean?

PLANTING THE SEED: The Birth of a Concept.

Sometimes it takes very little to inspire an artist. We are romantics – falling in love with the world around us and using our observations to draw inspiration from the most simple things. I was once inspired in the middle of grocery shopping, by a box of fortune cookies. For me, I live in nostalgia. I collect vintage clothes from all decades, and source props from marketplace to tell a story of that time period. I will remember pop culture from the early 2000s that I want to recreate, or childhood toys I have taken with me into my 30s. I find that ONE little nugget of memory, and run with it until it becomes an obsession.

The thing about being a creative is that we follow the wave of inspiration into every detail of execution. What we want the overall colors to look like, the shot I want to get to do the concept justice, the wardrobe that will perfectly match the model and era, How the makeup should look, what the props need to be, the location, the light etc. It can take months or even years of planning a production before the concept ever gets shot, because I am procuring the props one by one. I design them myself sometimes, or hire set designers, stylists, studios and makeup artists to bring it to life with me. I have learned to make jello molds using only what I could find at Goodwill + a little Youtube, Or risked my life in sketchy areas of the city to secure $200 worth of beanie babies – for the plot.

What if you were allowed to be as weird as you want to be?

My Process Step by Step [ Steal it if you want to]

1. Pick A Subject: Couples, Elopements, Boudoir, Editorial OR An aesthetic, A nostalgic Item/Outfit or film, A pop culture or current event reference or even as simple as a fave food.
2. Pick A Model: Pick a Person, Couple or group that will match the look you need to achieve your concept or has experience modeling in that style. Or build the concept around the person inquiring.
3. Choose A location: If you want full control, a Studio is best, or scout a Specific Location. Often my concepts are built around a location I drove past running errands.
4. Get a Prop list + Shot list put together: What items do you need to help tell the story? What could be sourced and what can be made? What would make this even better?
5. Bring in vendors: Does your concept require a certain look? Pull in a makeup artist who can pull off the skill needed to elevate your model.
6. Once all props have been acquired, Models and vendors and studios all confirmed, Figure out how you want the lighting to work and which shots to get first. There will be factors beyond your control that often are better than the initial inspiration, make sure to allow the time for it.
7. Make a playlist that will add to the mood and HAVE FUN.

MY FLAVOR OF EDITORIAL: UNSETTLING.

As a self taught photographer, I had to fail, fail, and fail some more before things began to click. I had to become okay with sucking ass at everything I tried, and continue to chose to keep pushing long enough to understand how to pull off my creative ideas. I carry that energy into every shoot, allowing room for the unexpected to unfold because that’s where the magic happens. We try ideas as they come, and sometimes it doesn’t work and we laugh and move on to something else. I create a safe space to experiment and laugh and have fun creating something ridiculous and edgy in all the right ways.

My flavor of this niche is heavily set on pushing boundaries and adding edge to everything. How can I take one simple idea and make it kinda creepy, fashionable, and make a statement? What message are we trying to communicate to the audience? I will Obsess over these details in my mind for weeks, jotting down each fresh idea, messaging marketplace weirdos for their vintage garbage, and you-tubing “How to make a layered Jell-o mold” – Editorial Photography is not as simple as showing up to a studio with a cool style and harsh lighting. It is the sweet spot in the industry where art and fashion collide, a place where boldness and edge is celebrated – a place where there are no limits and rules don’t typically apply.

My goal is always to make you stop scrolling and really take in the art and the message.

Otherwise, whats the Fuckin Point? What questions do you have about Editorial Photography, my process or what should I yap about next? Let me know below!