What is Project Beauty?
When I first heard about Project Beauty, I knew I had to bring it to Delaware. While I was in Cincinnati over Christmas break, I got together with fellow photographer and friend, Thomas Nguyen, to discuss this empowering campaign. Thomas started Project Beauty in 2017 with his senior model crew + has since grown to hundreds more high school students throughout the country, He has worked with girls who struggle with low self-esteem, depression, eating disorders, suicidal ideation, bullying, and many other things
With this campaign, the goal is to help these young ladies define who they are and embrace their inner beauty. Project Beauty focuses on eliminating the idea of perfection and empowering those involved to not only feel confident about themselves, but to embrace the flaws that make them uniquely beautiful. It also allows those who are struggling to come forward, with strength and courage, to tell their story and serve as an ambassador and voice to those who feel they no longer have one.
How do I get involved?
If you are in high school and part of the Class of 2020-2023 and are ready to stand-up and free yourself, please take a few minutes to complete the application at the bottom of the page. This is just a way for us to get to know you better and to let us know why being a part of Project Beauty would be meaningful to you.
Project Beauty Delaware will be held at the end of February or beginning of March. Once the date has been confirmed and you have been selected to take part, you will receive an email with a detailed schedule, location, and a link for a $25 non-refundable registration fee. Your registration fee doubles as a donation and will be given to Girls on the Run program at Banneker Elementary School, where I am a school counselor. After the project has been completed, you will receive your digital images approximately one week after the shoot.
Read more about Project Beauty by clicking on the link and to see why this is campaign has become a growing movement across the country.
What should I wear?
Keep it simple. The emphasis of the project is to connect through emotion and body language, it's not about showing off the latest fashion trends. Jeans or jean shorts and a white or black top is usually preferred. It is also recommended that you bring a white or black flowy dress. We do suggest to avoid wearing anything that’s busy or has a lot of pattern. And, make sure it's comfortable.
Shoes or no shoes? We've started having girls wear shoes, but the more they got into the session, the more they became comfortable taking them off. Now we take the photos without shoes. It definitely add to a more natural look.
Outfit changes. It's usually a good idea to bring two outfits and one as a backup. We'll do our best to photograph as many looks as possible during your time in front of the camera.
How do I prepare?
Make-up. This is pretty obvious. No make-up means no make-up. That includes not using any foundation or concealers.
Hair. For hair management, this is totally up to you. Every girl has their preference for how they want their hair, whether they straighten it, curl it, or put it up in bun or a pony tail. To us, it doesn’t really matter what you do, because we feel it doesn’t take away from the overall natural beauty.
Skin. Please be sure to exfoliate a few days before and have a fresh, moisturized face before your shoot.
Lips. No lipstick or glosses, of course. Just be sure to exfoliate your lips and use lip balm beforehand to prevent chapped lips.
Nails. We prefer participants to not to wear any polish, but if you do, please have them painted nude, white or just keep them simple. As long as they’re not chipped, we’ll be fine.
Anything else I should know?
Trust your photographer and be open to suggestions. Janice and her team will guide you into your poses and have creative ideas for shots. She might also surprise you with something really creative!
Stay focused. It’s a fun time, but we have a lot to accomplish in a short amount of time. We’ll work hard to keep you on task.
Be energetic. More energy means better experience! We’ll get to know and will work our magic to bring the best out of you!
Watch your time. Please arrive early for your scheduled shoot. No one likes to wait long, but sometimes it’s unavoidable. Just be considerate to the next person scheduled right after you.
Need help with outfits? If you need any assistance with outfits, absolutely feel free to reach out to us for our input and recommendations.