Papercut Magazine | Jaime Alexander of THOR

The first anniversary issue of Papercut Magazine is finally out and features actress Jaimie Alexander of the film‘THOR‘.  I’m so happy to have been a part of this amazing team!  Shot on location in West Hollywood, the superstar lineup was: Photographer Alvin Nguyen, stylist Alvin Stillwell (Celestine Agency), Jaimie Alexander (Kyle XY) of ‘THOR’, the gals at Papercut magazine, hairstylist Christi Cagle (Krop Creative), and  makeup by me (Ajentse).   I had the opportunity to test out some new products from NARS, and fell in love with a line of hair products by Rene Furterer that Christi used throughout the day.

 

Some new favorite NARS products in rotation:  Illuminator in Copacobana, Blush in Sex Appeal, Eyeshadow in Fuji, Trio Eyeshadow in Calanique, Lipstick in Tzigane, and Pore Refining Primer.  Love!!

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Nico Tortorella of Scream 4

Just in!  New shots of Scream 4 star Nico Tortorella are out in MF Magazine!  Shot on-location in West Hollywood with photographer Alvin Nguyen and stylist Stacy Zimmerman.  Super fun day.  Love that boy’s hair!!

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83rd Annual Academy Awards

The Oscar’s!!! It’s Hollywood’s most prestigious event and the top of the mountain in the Entertainment Industry.  The paparazzi, the gowns, the jewels, the security, the celebrities, the excitement of being in LA on Oscar night is overwhelming.  It was so cool to be in the mix at the Four Seasons Hotel, where I prepped Oscar Nominee Jed Rothstein and his gorgeous wife Mira Jacob for their stroll down the red carpet.  Jed was nominated for his documentary ‘Killing In the Name“.  It was an honor to be there and work with such inspiring people.

Some of my favorite products that night..

Caudelie Radiance Serum, Smashbox Primer Light + Smashbox Artificial Light , Dior Airflash Foundation,  MAC Blush in Raz, NARS Blush in Exhibit A, NARS Multiple Bronzer in Palm Beach, Urban Decay Eye Potion Lid Primer, Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow in Night Dust, MAC Fluidline Eyeliner in Black Track,  Too Faced Lip Insurance primer, Stila lipstain in Coconut Crush, Dior Addict lipstick in Garconne 330, Smashbox Reflection High Shine Lip Gloss, Skindinavia Makeup Fix, Moroccan Oil conditioning treatment, TIGI Sleek Mystique Hairspray.

Behind the scenes at the Four Seasons Hotel..

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Molly Ringwald – Getting The Pretty Back

I recently had the chance to work with iconic actress Molly Ringwald.  Molly starred in Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink and The Breakfast Club.   I was thrilled to do her makeup and hair while she was in Seattle.  She was in town to promote her new book Getting The Pretty Back with It Books (HarperCollins Publishers).  I love the idea that being ‘pretty’ is something we can choose to feel and cultivate, and that it doesn’t have to go away with age.

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Nicole Richie – Personal Appearance

What a dream to design your own clothing line and sell it all over the world!   Nicole Richie is doing it with her line Winter Kate, and best selling Accessories line, House of Harlow.  Her style is hippy-chic, her pieces are unique and totally wearable.    I had a great time doing her makeup,  she was a doll.  We bonded over baby stuff and being new momma’s..

always setting up in odd places..

Note to self:  standing sideways to the camera is much more slimming than standing square on.

Nicole had beautiful skin, but I still used a tiny bit of foundation by FACE Atelier , a little goes a long way to create glowing skin.  She looked gorgeous!

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Tegan and Sara – Sainthood

Tegan and Sara’s new record Sainthood is officially released and has hit the shelves!  It’s the band’s sixth full length album (Vapor/Sire Records) and Spin Magazine gives it four out of five stars.  Nice work girls!

While they were in Seattle finishing up the record and playing a sold out show at the Showbox, they managed to squeeze in a two day photo shoot for the album artwork and press junket with Los Angeles photographer Pamela Littky.   I was sooo happy they called me to do hair and makeup, I’m a huge fan!  Their record ‘The Con’ is one of my favorite favorites!  We shot most everything at Ben Gibbard’s (Death Cab for Cutie) capitol hill loft, and Gasworks park.



It was magic watching Emy (super-genius art director) pull out props that she made for the shoot.  She jumped from the laptop to sewing machine, to set, back to sewing machine. Her graphic projections brought the set to life.  I can’t wait to see the other photos in print.  Especially the shots at Gasworks park, Pamela spotted a tuba player rehearsing with a Scandinavian dance troop, and ran over to borrow the instrument.  It was massive!!  Somehow, Tegan was able to navigate it for a few shots..

The show was AMAZING!  It’s no wonder they sell out venues.

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more Decemberists!

Yaaay!!   You never know when you’ll see work in print, so it  feels like Christmas when you discover something new.  Seems like i’m always at Easy Street Records in West Seattle when it happens.   The Big Takeover and Sound Magazine both featured the Decemberists in the last months issues.   All the shots were  from a Portland shoot with LA photographer Autumn De Wilde .

If you haven’t heard the Decemberist’s new record The Hazards of Love, it is soooo good…  Just FYI..

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Patrick Stump – Fallout Boy

Super fun shoot for Alternative Press Magazine with Seattle photographer Lydia Goolia and Patrick Stump, lead singer of  Island/Def Jam recording artists, Fallout Boy.   Patrick was rad!!   He was wearing the coolest Chanel glasses that I’ve ever seen.  We bonded over the video games on our Blackberry 8190′s and it warmed my heart to know that he is as addicted to the Word Mole game as I am.  Ha!   The shoot took place at a recording studio in Ballard before the Fallout Boy show at Key Arena.   The rocker arrived in a Lincoln Town car complete with a body guard.  Nice.

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The Decemberists – Hazards of Love

My recent photoshoot with Capitol Records recording artist The Decemberist’s was an adventure! The photogragraphy for their new album Hazards of Love was shot by LA photographer Autumn De Wilde.   I carpooled with Jenny Jiminez, Autumn’s assistant and Sarah Murphy, producer. We piled into the Subaru at 3:30 a.m. in Seattle and made our way to Portland, Oregon on one of rainiest mornings in Washington’s history.  It continued to rain throughout the day.

We arrived just in time for our 8AM call time at the Ace Hotel, grabbed coffee from Stump Town and headed out to Colin Meloy’s house.  It was on the outskirts of Portland and up a huge winding hill, felt like we were in the middle of a forest.  We quickly set up in Colin’s garage and I did makeup for the five band members and two guest vocalists, Lavender Diamond out of Los Angeles and My Brightest Diamond out of Brooklyn.   When makeup and hair was set, we headed out for a fifteen minute hike up to the first location, in a down pour!!   Garbage bags and umbrellas were used to protect the camera’s and equipment, and it was hard not to slip on the muddy trail. The location was incredible and worth the soggy journey.  I was soaked for the entire day!

The second location was the studio attached to the Ace Hotel.  Dry land!!  Autumn had a gigantic backdrop ready and had built a diorama out of black cardboard panels and cut-outs of cactus’ with weeping willows.  Her creativity has no bounds.  It ended up being a 14 hour day and at the end we discovered that all the freeways into WA were closed due to a huge sweeping flood.  We ended up staying at the Ace that night, then I flew home next morning. Can’t wait to see the photos come out in print, it was truly one of the most memorable shoots that i’ve ever done.

Band members: Colin Meloy, Chris Funk, Jenny Conlee, Nate Query, John Moen

Guest vocalists: Becky Stark (Lavender Diamond), Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond)

Photography: Autumn De Wilde   Assistant: Jenny Jimenez

Stylist: Shirley Kurata     Makeup/Hair: Me!

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Elizabeth Mitchell for Alternative Apparel

“Alternative exists to promote the quest of free-thinking people to individuate by wearing t-shirts when and where they want.” -Alternative’s Reason for Being

        Alternative Apparel recently launched a line  of  100% organic cotton garments, including the best fitting, most comfortable t-shirts imaginable!   I recently worked on a shoot for their new Earth line with actress Elizabeth Mitchell, aka Dr. Juliet Burke on the ABC television series LOST.   It was a quick shoot since she was heading back to Hawaii  in the morning to begin the next season of filming.  Photographer Michael Oneil did a great job finding the most perfect set ups her back yard and around her house.  She was a dream to work with, so so sweet and beautiful (inside and out!).  It was a fun day.

PS.  Mark your calenders, the new season of Lost premieres on January 21st (sooo excited for it)!!

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Captain Sig from The Deadliest Catch

       Gold chain, gold nugget watch, only Captain Sig Hansen can wear designer jeans and maintain a tough guy persona. I recently worked with the captain for his up and coming line of packaged Seafood.  He wasn’t thrilled about the film crew that set up in front of the Northwestern,  being the star in a super bad ass tv show on the Discovery Channel brings alot of glamourous attention to the boat yard.  He’s a real life bad ass, and has definitely earned his celebrity following.  Aside from the tv show, he’s created his own xbox game Deadliest Catch: Alaskan Storm, his own Deadliest Ale in collaboration with Rogue Ales, and he’s the captain of an award winning crab boat that dominates the Bering Sea.   Sig is a cool charachter. 

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Death Cab For Cutie – Atlantic Records

YAAY!! I got to work with Death Cab For Cutie and LA Photographer Autumn De wilde for the recent release, Narrow Stairs, on Atlantic Records.  Super-star crew, including stylist Brandy St John (who made those amazing button suits for The White Stripes!).  We shot at the Stimson Green Mansion on Capitol Hill (Seattle), and around First Hill.  It was the one of the best days ever.  Ben Gibbard is my hero.  I’m a HUGE fan, there are three death cab cds in my six disc changer as we speak!   I’m the luckiest girl on the planet. 

 

   

 

  

   

  

 Band Members: Nick Harmer, Jason McGerr, Chris Walla, Ben Gibbard

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Hollywood premiere of SinCity

I was walking down Union street in San Francisco on a Thursday afternoon, when I got a phone call to do actress Devon Aoki’s makeup for the Hollywood premiere of Quentin Tarantino’s new film, Sin City. The film starred Bruce Willis, Benicio Del Torro, Jessica Alba, Elijia Wood, and Rosario Dawson.  The premiere was to be held at the legendary Grauman’s Chinese Theater and the call time for makeup was 2pm on Sunday afternoon, at Devon’s house.  I love my job!

 

I flew back to Seattle on Saturday afternoon, watered my plants, organized my makeup kit, and decided to sew a jacket for Devon. When I did her makeup for the DEBS premiere, she fell in love with the jacket that I was wearing (which was part of my clothing line, Yoshimi). It took me all night to make a custom jacket, but it was rad and I couldn’t wait to give it to her!  At 4am, I took a 30 minute nap in my cozy apartment, and at 5am headed back to the airport to catch my flight to Los Angeles. The adventure begins.

Going through airport security was a nightmare.  Already late, they made me go back and check my makeup kit.  I was so flustered and sleep deprived that I left the directions, contact phone numbers, etc, all in the kit, along with my phone charger.  I slept a few hours on the flight, and arrived into Burbank around 9 in the morning. I waited until all the bags came out on the carousel, and mine wasn’t there.  I kept my fingers crossed that the bags would come in on the next flight, and went to pick up a rental car. 

In the meantime, my phone battery was dying and I realized that I was going to have to go buy a charger.  The time to be at Devon’s was quickly approaching, what if my baggage ended up in another city? What if I couldn’t find her house?  Ahh!  I couldn’t be without a phone.  It should have been an easy thing, but it turned out that my nokia phone was obsolete, and I had to go to six different stores, in LA traffic, before I finally found one.  

 Thank god, when I returned to the airport at 12:30pm, my bags had arrived. I found the directions, navigated my way to Devon’s house in the Hollywood hills, and arrived on time!! YAY!!  I gave Devon a hug, and gave her the jacket which fit her perfectly! She loved it, and danced around the house.  

The makeup was the easiest part!  I used Studio Tech foundation by M.A.C. mixed with a luminizer.   Dior lip pencil in Tile, with #434 Dior Addict lip color.  Blush was Dior #849, and eyeshadows were from M.A.C.  Waterproof eyeliner by Dior in Trinidad black (best black eyeliner ever), liquid eyeliner by Bourgois in black. 

After Devon left in her limo, I got back in my rental car and headed to the airport to go home.  Finally could breathe.  All that, for a makeup application that took 30 minutes!! 

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High School Musical’s Ashley Tisdale

Walt Disney’s High School Musical superstar, Ashley Tisdale, recently celebrated the release of her debut CD Headstrong on Warner Brothers Records .   I worked with Ashley during her visit to Seattle for a benefit show sponsored by KISS 106FM.   I love doing performance makeup, I was in Heaven. 

Ashley was delightful to work with, truly a professional.  We did smoky dramatic eyes that smoldered with metallic shimmmering Gold Mode pigment from MAC.  Foundation and luminescent lotion by Armani, best blush in the world by AMP, and lips were ultra-shine #612 by Dior, on top of a nude lip stain.  I used big whispy false eyelashes, that gave her an exotic cat-eye look on stage. 

 

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the Decemberists shoot

The Decemberists shoot, Portland Oregon.  June 23, 2006.  Period styling.  Press shots for Capitol Records. 

A 14 hour day.  The Decemberists had just signed on with Capitol Records  and were getting ready to release their new cd, The Crane Wife.   

 Autumn de Wilde  (the photographer) had flown in most of her crew from LA, and brought some of us up from Seattle.   I had worked with Autumn on several other shoots for Barsuk Records, along with some of my favorite people in Seattle assisting and styling.  My good friend Jenny Jimenez was Autumn’s assistant,  Anna Lange (owner of the Pretty Parlor) was the assistant wardrobe stylist, and I was assisted by Jenni Hensler.  The first location was the John Palmer House, a historical victorian estate on Mississippi Avenue.  Rooms and decor befitting the band and it’s sound.

Here is the video of the shoot:

The sounds of obscure instruments filled the house, along with the banjo, guitar, and Colin Meloy singing.  It felt like a party.  Everyone was tinkering with something.  The stylists were busy steaming vintage costumes, Autumn was busy framing different shots, and Jenni and I kept up with powder and lip balm.  One shot featured a Geisha inspired look (the Crane Wife is a Japanese folk tale).  We put Jenny Conlee in a black wig, used a white airbrush foundation by Temptu, and a MAC lipstick called Lady Danger.

The down time was spent in the kitchen with amazing food from the caterer (McMenamins), or out in the back yard laying in the grass.                                                                                                                               

The second location was the Crystal Ballroom on W. Burnside, a historical dancehall built in the 1920′s.  The floor upstairs is built so that it bounces when you walk.  A Huge backdrop of Mt Fuji was hung from the Balcony, and the prop stylists had brought these amazing hand made umbrellas.  My favorite was the umbrella raining coins on the inside, shown in the photo above. 

                    

After a long day of shooting and hanging out, the crew was exhausted and starving, as were the band.  We got the gear packed up, and headed back to home base at the Jupiter Hotel.  There was a cool restaurant/bar called the Doug Fir next door, so we ate a huge late night feast without having to go driving around.  We all got our second wind after dinner, so with four girls sharing a room, there were pillow fights and loud laughter until 3am.  

We left early the next morning back to Seattle, and listened to the Decemberists’ album Picaresque on the way home.   Jenny J. also played me a cd of a band she plays with called Night Canopy, I loved it.  A few months later I walked into Sonic Boom Records on Capitol Hill and saw one of the images from the portland shoot on the cover of a magazine called The Big Takeover. 

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