BTS of the Halloween
Photoshoot
Written by Yari Sissoko '27
The cloudy skies and foggy quad set the perfect scene for W.Collective’s first zine shoot. The theme was centered around Halloween, and so we wanted to create an eerie and unsettling atmosphere — which suited the weather perfectly. For many of the models on set, myself included, it was our first experience modeling. Zoella, a first year, said that because this was her first time modeling, she was nervous coming up with poses or following the theme laid out by the production team. However according to her, the atmosphere was very inviting and she felt it created a space where she was able to explore something new. Zoella wore a flowy monochromatic mesh dress that created a character of an unconventional, eccentric girl who frequents the club.
To construct the unsettling feeling, we arranged our faces into blank expressions and took up unnatural poses using the background as an aid. The Quint — Wellesley’s five dorms of Shafer, Pomeroy, Beebee, Cazenove, and Munger — were built in the early 1900s in the signature Wellesley gothic style. The buildings provided the perfect backdrop. To get the shadowy lighting needed, we chose to shoot during late afternoon, when the sun was hanging lower in the sky.
We took some shots near the lake as my outfit was inspired by this year’s Munger Mash theme of haunted shipwreck. I used plenty of spirals, ruffles and pearls to evoke siren and danger. Working with the makeup artists, we came up with bold looks that would translate well in the black and white format that this zine took. The makeup artists enjoyed the challenge of creating makeup looks that still made an impact in a monochromatic color scheme. We chose a silver eyeshadow for me and used on the entire eyelid, which stood out in the black and white pictures. Another model, Ari, opted for smeared lipstick and a good deal of blush to pair with her white nightdress and leather jacket, aiming to evoke a look reminiscent of a corpse bride.
The shoot was pretty successful and a delightful introduction to the season and this year’s W.Collective members. Stay tuned for our future zines!
