I am so excited to share my first front cover and editorial fashion story published in print for Elegant Magazine! 🎉

Front Cover, Elegant Magazine

Fashion Photography by Robyn Damianos

When I first found out Elegant Magazine was going to publish our summer editorial, I was overwhelmed with excitement and rushed to share the news with the team! Imagine how high I jumped for joy when I received news from the editor that one of the photos had been chosen to be featured on the front cover!!

Pants + Top: LIVI Resort Wear

I first met Paige, a British model when she came to the Bahamas for a family vacation. She had just signed with a modeling agency and wanted to test-shoot for her modeling portfolio. We created a range of imagery in different styles for her to share with her agency, and we were lucky enough to have our test-shoot featured in Jute Magazine shortly afterward.

When Paige messaged to say that she was coming back to the Bahamas, I was excited to work with her again. We discussed a few ideas before deciding that this time around we would plan an editorial style fashion shoot. I reached out to a creative’s who I had worked a number of times in Nassau and shared with them my ideas for the photoshoot.

The First step was to decide on a concept that would be different from our previous test-shoot. Taking everything into consideration, we decided on a destination themed editorial story featuring mostly black and white styling with a subtle pop of color here and there. Gigi’s makeup looks highlighted natural, sun-kissed skin and a selection of bolder colors for the eyeliner while Aseel created beautiful textured beachy hair with braids and saltwater straight out of the ocean.

Our location was a private property situated in Nassau. I instantly fell in love with this location because it gave us direct access to the beach and allowed Gigi & Aseel to prep our model’s hair & makeup in air conditioning. The Bahamas weather in July can be relentlessly hot, and having the option to take escape the humidity and take breaks in air conditioning between shots is a blessing. The house also gave us plenty of privacy far away from tourists and enough space to spread out.

Necklace: CiCi Jewellry

One of the first things I do as a photographer is to walk around and scout the entire property. I’m a planner, so I like to find the perfect spot for each shot. If possible, I’ll do it days ahead of the shoot date. My goal that day was to photograph six to eight looks, so I wanted at least eight different shots, or you could call them location sets lined up and ready to go. When photographing out on location with natural light, It’s critical to know precisely where the sun will be at each hour of the day.

Having chosen each spot that I wanted to photograph, I worked closely with the stylist throughout the day to plan which location we would use for each outfit. Colors, fabrics, and textures can change drastically when placed in different lighting scenarios. One of our first looks and one of my personal favorites was a black bustier top paired with a vintage skirt. I envisioned the skirt flowing in the Island breeze as our model walked between the palm trees.

As we began shooting, you could feel the excitement bubbling in the team as our vision came to life. I get excited when I see beautiful light and a concept becoming a reality through the lens of my camera. The team energy was fantastic all day, and Paige looked stunning!

The styling theme was a combination of black, white, off-white, soft shades of blue and blush. We also included lace textures, gold accessories and a few of Paige’s swimsuits. The wardrobe included a few international designers, including U.K. based CICI Jewellry, who I value as one of my very first clients to put their confidence in me when I was just starting out, and an up and coming Bahamian brand called LIVI Resort Wear. We also added vintage pieces from our personal collections and borrowed from local boutiques in Nassau such as Sabrina’s Shop, and Shop The CC.

The genuine straw beach hats added to the island destination vibes that we were after and deciding not to incorporate shoes kept the look of the shoot natural. We wanted our model to dig her toes into the sand and connect with the environment.

Out of all of the creative projects that I have organized this year, this is undoubtedly one of my favorites! The day was effortlessly productive from start to finish, and I couldn’t have had more fun working with this incredible team of Nassau based creatives. It isn’t always so easy working on location and shooting in the incredibly high humidity and summer heat of the Bahamas, so I just want to give a special shout-out to everyone for giving 100% the entire day and giving their all into each look. Amazing shoots like this are the result of incredible teamwork and happy vibes.

At the end of the day, we went through plenty of sunscreen and still ended up with summer swimwear tan-lines! You can view more behind the scenes pics, stories, and videos from this Bahamas editorial photoshoot on my Instagram.

I am so proud of this team! 💖

Photography & Creative Direction: Robyn Damianos
Model: Paige Short
Stylist: La’Vonne Alexis
Makeup Artist: Gigi Lenora
Hairstylist: Aseel Nixon

Featured designers and boutiques to contribute to the styling wardrobe:
LIVI Resort Wear, Sabrina’s Shop, CICI Jewerlly, Shop The CC.

Robyn Damianos Photography

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Magazine Cover, Bahamas Fashion Photography