All Eyes On You: Andrew Day’s Still and Motion Work For Clarins
New York City-based Andrew Day’s specialty is capturing elegant still-life imagery and short films for fashion and beauty brands like Maybelline and Ralph Lauren. The photographer and director’s recent work for Clarins, a leading luxury skincare brand, includes a series of short-form videos and stills showcasing the brand’s new “Total Eye Lift” eye cream.
Andrew knew the client from working with Maybelline, and they had worked with him on various projects in the past. This history meant they were able to collaborate on developing the creative direction for the project easily. The shoot and direction changed several times due to the pandemic, but they were prepared and had everything on lock when they finally got into the studio.
I had worked with the client before, when they worked at Maybelline, so we were very aware of our capabilities and collaborative approach. Going into a project with a team that has a clear creative vision always helps ensure the shoot goes smoothly.
The images and videos were shot in Andrew’s studio space in downtown Manhattan. They had a COVID compliance officer on set to facilitate rapid testing and maintain strict safety protocols. They also had some of the client team join remotely to provide feedback during the shoot. Andrew and his team’s planning paid off when there was an issue with the rental lighting equipment, and they were able to shift gears quickly.
One of the key lights from our rental vendor was broken, but we had ordered an adaptive equipment list to be ready for anything. So while the vendor was making the delivery and repair, we were able to move forward seamlessly.
Andrew would manage the shoot from start to finish, so communication with the client during post-production was critical to ensure that the final product aligned with their vision for the project. Andrew made sure that the final edits matched the brand’s global guidelines and oversaw the retouching process to ensure consistency.
I provided a creative deck with the final work and carried the lab work and editing through rounds of client feedback from the global team. I was also traveling abroad for other projects, so time management was crucial on all accounts!
Several videos show fresh-faced models applying the eye cream and smiling at the camera, while another is a stop-motion beauty shot of the product styled with its raw ingredients. Combined with the still images, the campaign portrays the product’s attributes in a simple but attractive way while showing the cream in action and the natural botanicals in it.
My favorite part was being able to shoot hero still life and beauty images with the talent for both stills and video. I enjoy working with mixed mediums and love using them to create a cohesive vision.
Credits:
Photographer: Andrew Day
Stylist: Livia Cetti, B & A Reps
Hair and Makeup: Megan Lanoux, The Wall Group
Agency: Kramer + Kramer