Alison Cameron Makeup Artist

Under the Tuscan Sun...

2011-10-11T09:57:00.000-07:00

This Summer I had the privilege of being asked to beautify the already beautiful Sarah-Jane Goodman at her summer wedding to the love of her life Jason Baker. I jumped at the chance as Sarah-Jane had a little something to do with why Im a makeup artist in the first place. Many moons ago Sarah-Jane worked at MAC Cosmetics, and me being bright eyed and bushy tailed would have given a limb and then some to get into the company. SJ being the wonderful creature that she is went over and beyond the call of duty to get me the info needed to nail an interview with MAC including printing out valuable inside information and giving me her MAC Bible Handbook! It was my absolute pleasure to return the favour and make her over for her wedding compliments of the chef. When she casually mentioned that it will be taking place in the rolling Tuscan Hills of Florence I actually nearly wet myself! The theme was Vintage Hollywood glamour so we went with Fifties flicked liner and matte red lips which complimented her Pronovias dress perfectly.

Here are some of the pics I took on my phone as my camera went walkies, and let me tell you it was THE most spectacular wedding I had ever been too. 80 odd close friends and family celebrating in the boiling hot sun. The ceremony was under a canopy of Olive trees whilst listening to acapella version of Adele's Feel My Love then onto the drinks reception where we had ridiculously scrummy Rossinis and Bellinis whilst munching on lovely meats and cheeses from the surrounding region. We were then ushered through to a sight that took my breath away. Dinner was at sunset on a cobbled terrace overlooking the sweeping hills of Florence with twinkly lights as far as the eyes can see. A lively Jazz band accompanied dinner making everyone clap and sing along through dinner. Then came the first dance which had us all balling our eyes out as SJ danced with her dad to Butterfly Kisses. A firework display had us in
awe, which lead perfectly onto the boogying under the night sky. If it sounds perfect.... let me tell you it was! Congrats SJ and Jason ;-)))))

I will update with her proper wedding pics as soon as I can which I can tell you after seeing a sneak pic look like something from Conde Nast Brides Magazine *le sigh* xx

Im back woop! Time for a catchup methinks :-)

2011-10-11T00:31:00.001-07:00

Right, well that was a busy wedding season!! All you lovely Brides have kept me so busy my feet have barely touched the ground! I have been sustaining myself on a diet of Red Bull and petrol station sausage rolls as I have travelled the length and breath of Southern England to beautify my gorgeous clients. Over the next few weeks I will be updating my blog with all of the adventures I have gotten up too over the past few months which include a Bride in the stunning Tuscan Hills of Florence and everything in between...see you soon :-)

Complexd Magazine 1st Anniversary issue

2011-05-02T16:48:00.000-07:00

Check out my cover for amazing magazine Complexd :-)

"Complexd is the UK’s first on-line lifestyle magazine celebrating multicultural women of all shades, shapes and sizes.We compile content that is inclusive, relatable, visually diverse and representative of reality.We aim to encourage you by featuring the success stories of talented individuals and we want to inform you on the lifestyles of women from a multitude of countries and cultures.Overall we serve to embrace togetherness and most importantly, eliminate stereotypes by being a forward thinking publication capturing a wide and varied audience."

Awesome team with beautiful model Rachel Ritfield and her adorable baby Rosalia...top day was had all round. Photography by Frederique Rapier.

Tantrums, Tiaras and Wedding Makeup

2011-04-27T13:47:00.000-07:00

With the Royal Wedding but 1 day away its fair to say that the nation's interest in Will and Kate's Big Day has reached fever pitch. With endless speculation on the design details (I cant wait to see her dress eek!) the wedding industry is waiting with bated breath to see just how the most anticipated wedding in recent times turns out.

One such industry specialist whose attention to detail and on point sense of style should have got them on Kate's speed dial is Wedding Planner Debra Mai Weddings.

I was lucky enough to catch them in between their hectic schedule to talk Tiaras, Tantrums and the Royal Wedding...

Who is the Debra Mai Team? The Debra Mai team consists of a group of people who are passionate about weddings, and skilled in so many different ways, from floral designers to logistics experts. We offer a full wedding and event planning service as well as a unique wedding design and styling service. Everything is designed to ensure that every aspect of the wedding process delivers on a bride's high expectations and with impeccable service, quality and finish.

So what sets apart a wedding styled and planned by Debra Mai Weddings? The couple. Ultimately they set the tone for everything we do here at Debra Mai and its all about them not fads and themes. Personalising the wedding to a couple is big on our agenda and most of the time the bride has the most input to the wedding plans but we are equally attune about getting some input from the groom and what he'd like to infuse too - then ensuring it all comes together seamlessly. This way the wedding is a reflection of their style and personalities so what they like to eat, where they like to shop, travel destinations are important questions we ask early on. It can be as simple as what we did for a recent couple which was to print behind each guest's menu setting “fun facts” about the couple. “Did you know the bride does this at 4am in the morning”, “Did you know the groom was recently at...”. Guests loved and stole ideas from that wedding after.

How does the Royal wedding affect the wedding industry? The Royal Wedding has had a tremendous impact on the wedding industry as a whole. Instead of “what’s on trend”, bride’s and most suppliers that have anything to do with weddings on a regular basis now want to hear about the latest news from Clarence House! It will go down in history as one of the most memorable wedding of this century and it wouldn’t surprise me if it was still inspiring wedding designs for years to come.

With talks of Kate Middleton planning to go DIY for her wedding makeup, has any one of your brides ever tried doing her own wedding make-up?

Fortunately not! Many people are great at doing their own make-up on a day to day basis, but it’s completely different when the cameras are on you. High definition cameras aren’t so forgiving, so we always encourage our bride’s to go pro when it comes to hiring a make-up artist. We did have a bride do her own hair styling once, but she was a professional hair stylist and the end result was utterly fabulous.

I've had the pleasure to work with your team on a number of occasions and always wanted to know, what do you guys carry in that little black bag?!

Thats our wedding emergency kit. Its a small case where we take along basic essentials and not so obvious tools to help rescue dramas that may happen on the day. So anything from split bridesmaid dresses to aisle walk music suddenly not working, we've got a remedy to fix it. We did have one situation a few years back that would have been a little tricky to fix on the day. A very well know London patisserie supplier (whom I shan't name!) thought they had delivered a wedding cake a few days before the wedding already. Thanks to our regular supplier checks in the weeks and even days leading up, this disastrous error was spotted and quickly rectified ensuring we definitely had cake to be cut!

What trends do you predict for the coming year?

With the news that Kate will be wearing the Queen’s tiara, I think popularity of tiaras may boom again, with brides wanting replicas of the headpiece. Bridal gowns will also take a lot of inspiration from her style, perhaps vintage refined elegance with sleeves or a somewhat moulded silhouette. When it comes to decorative details...gold! Nothing screams royalty like trimmings of gold from floral containers to cutlery and table settings. Invariably, I think anything Kate has at her wedding will set a trend in all aspects of the wedding industry and not just for weddings in London or the UK but all over the world.

For more wedding design candy, visit this London Wedding Planner at: www.debramaiweddings.com

Bridal Makeup for Black and Asian Skin...

2011-01-27T04:19:00.000-08:00

Being a good makeup artist is not just applying makeup well or even about having loads of colours in your kit. (Although that is very nice :-) Over the years I have found that its more about providing a tailormade service thats unique to every situation whether it be Vogue or your everyday Bride. Both require the utmost sensitivity for the look that is being created. Being able to to work with all skin tones, in any environment and for any occasion is part of providing that tailormade and unique service. All to often I find Brides from ethnic backgrounds struggle to find accomplished makeup artists that can makeup black and Asian skin beautifully, naturally and to last the whole day right from your first entrance through to your last dance.

Im very lucky to have had extensive experience and training concerning bridal makeup for Black and Asian skintones. Please note this isnt a "colour" issue: a good makeup artist is a good makeup artist regardless of ethnicity, its about knowledge and experience :-) Matching foundations and getting the skin tone right is the biggest issue Black and Asian Brides. Ashy and heavy is what most Brides fear and seek to achieve a look that is glowy and natural.

When choosing your Bridal Makeup Artist its really helpful to have a look at their portfolio, do they have real life examples of the Brides they have made up? Does the beauty of the bride shine through? Are you inspired? So I thought I would I put together a collage of a few of the Black and Asian Brides I have done separate from my website just so you prospective Brides can get an idea of what I can do..enjoy :-) http://alisoncameronmakeup.carbonmade.com/

Thankyou to Photographer Maria Murray and

Bride Abike Abu xx

Happy belated new year!

2011-01-27T04:14:00.000-08:00

Hola peoples! Its been ages since I last posted purely because I have had no time at all! After Christmas I hit the ground running which Im very grateful for but it means that I have had no time update about my coming and goings! I shall spank myself on the wrists and wish anyone reading this blog a belated but happy new year... :-)

Andrea from M and P models...

2010-11-18T15:57:00.000-08:00

Acouple of weeks ago photographer Kurtay Okan http://www.kurtay.co.uk/, stylist Sophie O, model Andrea Chovanova and myself descended upon

Canary Wharf to attempt to shoot a fashion editorial....I say attempt because 1. security is super high on the Canary Wharf complex, if they catch you boy, there will be hell to pay and 2.the wind chill factor was easily about -2 degrees... in the sun. Im not joking.

Model Andrea from M and P models is not only super beautiful but super human to resist the biting wind wearing only chiffon harem pants, PVC leggings and a plastic chest plate...without complaining once! I on the other hand looked like a Tibetan goad herder I had that many clothes and could be heard whimpering every time the wind blew.

The attempt, Im pleased to say was very successful and M and P agency were very happy as they used several of the images for Andrea's model card.

http://www.mandpmodels.com/html/portfolio.php?key=1113

Roll on summer sheesh kebabs.... :-)

Trash Your Wedding Dress! (Not literally...!)

2010-11-13T07:05:00.000-08:00

Calling all Brides! Do you secretly wish you could wear your wedding dress again? Do you love having your hair and makeup done? Fancy twirling around in your very own photo shoot?

Wedding Art Photographer Sean Casey http://seancaseyphotography.com/ is offering post wedding fashion shoots affectionately known as "Trash Your Dress."

The chance to dress up in your wedding dress again, be made up by myself with Sean Casey taking care of all the design details such as props, styling and location. Come alone and be the centre of attention or with your bridesmaids for a fabulous girly day out!

The photo shoot includes:

-Photography and styling by Sean Casey

-Hair and Makeup by Alison Cameron

-Champagne Lunch

-All your images hi res on a CD for you to Print and Share

-2 Tickets to see a West End Show on the same evening

Trash Your Dress shoot £500 or complimentary to Brides who book Sean Casey for their wedding in 2011....http://seancaseyphotography.com

See you soon :-)

Christmas Party Makeup!

2010-11-13T06:06:00.001-08:00

Christmas is fast approaching which means one thing..... Christmas parties!

Have your makeup done professionally and feel confident and sparkly...

I am available to come to wherever you feel comfortable getting ready and with my fully stocked makeup kit in tow, transform you into a party princess!

Contact me for details, happy nearly Christmas everyone :-)

Modern Bride Show 5-7 November 2010

2010-10-28T06:45:00.000-07:00

Sophisticated, elegant and on the ball are just some of the words I would use to describe wedding and event planners Debra Mai http://debramai.com/.

I have had the pleasure of working with Company Director Mayowa many times and have always been impressed by her professional and capable demeanor and the seamless way she handles the weddings and events she looks after. Debra Mai are exhibiting at the Modern Bride Contemporary Wedding Show at the ExCel Centre London http://www.modernbrideshow.co.uk/ which promises to be a glamourous, fun and hassle free way to find every perfect essential for a unique and modern wedding. Debra Mai have 2 complimentary tickets to give away to prospective Brides :-) Please email weddings@debramai.com Good Luck and Enjoy!!

Rock and Revolution...A Rock and Roll Bride in Paris!

2010-10-25T03:40:00.000-07:00

Check out this super cute backstage video, images by amazing photographer Shell de Mar put together Allora Visuals.... http://vimeo.com/16097637.

There really isn't enough words to say how much fun we had on this project and how pleased I am with the beautiful images taken by David McNeil http://www.davidmcneil.co.uk/and Shell De Mar http://www.shelldemar.com/.

See the full shoot here http://www.rocknrollbride.com/2010/10/rock-n-revolution-a-parisian-punk-rock-marie-antoinette-photo-shoot-the-final-results/ and for backstage footage see here http://www.rocknrollbride.com/2010/10/rock-n-revolution-behind-the-scenes-exclusive/....Bravo to everyone involved :-)

Paris...the Rock and Roll Way!

2010-10-17T10:55:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 12th Oct...officially the best day of my year so far. About a month ago, I decided to get into Twitter...to be honest, I still dont know how to use it but what I have been doing is posting up my website in the name of shameless self promotion and hoping for the best. It was on such a day that I was Tweeting when I got a phone call from the lovely Penny from Tigerlily Wedding Planners http://www.tigerlilyweddings.co.uk/...it was one of those dream phone calls that we all hope for. "Would I like to come to Paris and shoot Kat from Rock and Roll Bride in a Marie Antoinette styled shoot"...errrr is the sky blue? For those of you who dont know Kat Williams is the candy pink haired, tattoo covered author of alternative wedding blog Rock and Roll Bride http://www.rocknrollbride.com/ her mantra "my aim is to provide a little haven of kick ass weddingness in the overly poofy, pastel and often puke-worthy wedding world. If you’ve ever picked up a bridal magazine and felt queasy, or trawled the internet and felt disheartened by what you didn’t find, well my friend you are in the right place! ♥" Loves it!

Soooo one month later, Im up at the crack of dawn (4am) to get the 6.55am Eurostar into Gard de Nord :-) I had never been to Paris before and so was bursting with excitement. Its safe to say Paris rocks big time.

The team consisted of David McNeil Photographer, Cassandra Rizzuto on hair, Shell de Mar awesome assistant and Penny from Tigerlily who worked incredibly hard sourcing many many beautiful pieces for the shoot including a handmade crown by Kirstie from Flo and Percy http://vintagetiaras.co.uk/, shoes from Emmy http://www.emmyshoes.co.uk/and 3 stunning dresses from no other than Ian Stuart http://www.ianstuart-bride.com/.

The weather was perfect, crisp and sunny but quite chilly but it didnt matter as we were rushing around Paris, hopping in cabs, sweet talking the hotel staff to keep our rooms for longer and thanking taxi drivers with tiny cakes for his wife. We caused a frenzy at Sacre Coeur, when Kat resplendent in her pink haired glory and massive tulle wedding dress got drew a massive crowd and got papped by literally a hundred tourists. To top the day off we made a dash for the Eiffel Tower at sunset and to capture the massive structure with amazing light. I feel very lucky to have been involved in this project, Rock and Roll Bride has a huge following and so it will be excellent exposure for me. Plus the team worked so well together it couldnt have worked out better if we tried...Good times!! The full story goes live n Kat's blog tmorrow at 9am!! http://www.rocknrollbride.com/

James @ M and P

2010-10-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

These pics oare the result of a Tuesday afternoon mess around with Irish photographer Rebecca Naen http://rlnaen.carbonmade.com/, who by the way is one of the nicest girls ever! Rebecca was over from the Emerald Isle to do a couple of testshoots for super cool model agency M and P. James was our 2nd model for the day who hails from Durban, South Africa but now resides in SW London. Fresh from working at the Reading festival the previous weekend he couldn't stop talking about how many "fit birds" there were there! I dont often work with male models and when I do comparisons of Derek Zoolander (best film btw I can repeat most of it verbatim) spring to mind but Im happy to say he was a nice bloke with a sharp sense of humour.

Single ladies enjoy!

Kizzy

2010-10-01T05:40:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post these pics of Bride Kizzy that I did on the 4th of September. So pretty! In the run up to their wedding, the lovely couple hit a few complications which meant that they were not sure if the wedding was going to go ahead at all.....thankfully it all worked out and I was called in to do Kizzy's makeup just 1 week before the wedding, we didnt even have time for a trial! Congratualtions Kizzy and Paul, I wish you all the best :-)

Abike!

2010-09-27T10:12:00.000-07:00

I just thought I would post these backstage pics of a Bride I did back in March.

Abike is not only totally stunning but an accomplished hair stylist too! I have worked on many a wedding with her, so it was a treat to be a part of her special day :-) special thanks to photographer Maria Murray for her beautiful handiwork. Sadly Maria no longer photographs weddings :-(After a successful career, the long Saturdays have taken its toll and so she will be now be focussing on another passion and talent she has...capturing newborn babies and their famililies......check out her work http://www.mariamurray.co.uk/

Black Beauty and Hair Oct/Nov 2010

2010-09-18T05:25:00.000-07:00

Have a look at my new beautiful editorial in Black Beauty and Hair Oct/Nov 2010 featuring Mercura Sunglasses :-)

Photography Jayesh Pankhania

Hair Eugene Davis
Makeup Alison Cameron
Model Mariam Ogunsanya @ D1
Retouch Imre Fejes

Eugene Davis, super duper legendary hair stylist extraordinaire hails from New York and has dressed the locks of celebrities such as Lauryn Hill, Mary J Blige, Aaliyah to name a few, managed to speak to the good folk at Mercura Sunglasses NY and convince them to send 8pairs of their new collection to us to shoot! If you dont know, Lady GaGa and Beyonce have rocked Mercura in their past videos so we were in good company!! Its on sale now, Enjoy xx

When you get to Warwick Ave, meet me by the tube..

2010-09-17T13:33:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, awesome photographer Antonina Dolaniecka, Super cool stylist Sophie Ono, beautiful model Rebecca from Zone models and myself met by the tube at Warwick Avenue, London for a fun filled shoot day. Our plan was to shoot by Little Venice and work our way up the canal. We found a bench to start hair and makeup, shivering in the wind and then baking when the sun came out....the weather is bonkers at the moment! Once we were done we walked along to the gate that led down to the canal but it was locked! Ive got to say a thankyou to John Pepperpot who very kindly let us in....we made our way to a picture perfect spot. Bless Rebecca who stripped to her underwear to get changed, braving the wind and a couple of odd stares!

All was good and the team was vibing when a lady who owned on of the barges that were docked by the edge of the canal came out. "Errrrrr, have you got a permit to shoot here?" I was like "No" feigning surprise. I kinda had a feeling we might need to but we thought it would be ok. I wont be rude but she was one of those ladies that have a little too much time on her hands and should probably get a hobby. There were loads of people along the canal who didnt have a problem. She was like "You need to get permission from the British Waterways Authority". I was like "Errrr ok, we'll go now" so we shuffled along and found a awesome spot with dried sunflowers and another really nice man let us shoot by his boat. We got through another outfit which was made complete by a giant snood. (You have to see it, I cant explain but its hot!)

Then, I made a fatal mistake. Sophie and I needed the toilet so I ran up to the gate to see if it was open. As I reached the gate, who should I see? Annoying, bossy, anal retentive woman :-(

''I thought you had gone?" she barked. I thought I would try the 'kill them with kindness' tactic and apologized/pleaded with the ratty haired crone. I couldnt believe what happened next, she came off her barge and was like ''c'mon''.....she then frogmarched us all the way to the end of the canal, '' Im gonna call the British Waterways Authorities if you dont leave!'' she then opened a locked gate and threw us out! We reluctantly picked up our things and walked out. It took every bone in my body not to have a go at her, but Im pleased to say I held it together :-)

Anyways we still manage to get some awesome images. Ive attached one as a preview:-)

Lounge Magazine

2010-09-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

Way back at the beginning of the summer me and my favourite photographer Antonina Dolaniecka cam together to shoot a fashion story for submission. did a shoot using a projector. We used Antonina's images as the backdrop to our story by projecting her images onto a blank wall. Katy Cee was our awesome model who told the story of a young girl lost in a new city.

Lounge which is a Polish magazine, took our story and ran it in their Sept issue.....Enjoy :-)

The Best Scottish Weddings magazine

2010-09-06T07:59:00.001-07:00

I found a this little snippet in The Best Scottish Weddings magazine. The picture is a shoot I did about a year ago featuring jewellery from Flo and Percy and starring the lovely Charlie Howard :-)

Love My Dress wedding blog

2010-08-13T18:49:00.000-07:00

About 2 months ago I worked with the most lovely Sophie Pycroft, Milliner Uma Turan and new face Alice French from Cosmic Models. The shoot took place in Uma's back garden which was an oasis of calm away from the hustle and bustle of Richmond. It was probably the hottest day of the year and had been lugging my makeup kit around since the early morning so I was a little hot and bothered. Upon arrival Uma presented us with a very important question. "Would you like a drink? Juice or I have some Champagne?"

My ears pricked up...Sophie and I looked at each other and smiled....Uma then proceeded bring out the most divine spread of Champagne, crisps, homemade spreads and nibbles!! It was such lovely lovely day, it didnt feel like work more like a day hanging out with friends, even though it was the first time I was meeting them all. The pictures came out beautifully and were featured on wedding blog Love My Dress....

http://www.lovemydress.net/blog/2010/08/uma-turan-millinery-theatrical-daring-romantic.html#more

Models International New York

2010-08-13T18:38:00.000-07:00

Check out some of my work on New York model agency's website Models International. Gorgeous model Zainab, awesome photographer Jay Pankhania and uber talented hair designer Angela Plummer (and myself) collaborated on a shoot waaaaaaay back in Feb which was subsquently published in Pride and Black Hair and Beauty magazines. Some of those pictures made it on to agency's website which is used to promote the models that they represent...... awesome!! http://www.mi-agency.com/details.aspx?nav=2&city=ny&subid=6461&mainsubid=6461&modelid=506594&sexid=2

:-)

Four Seasons, Hampshire = Awesome!

2010-08-02T06:05:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I had a Bride who was having a post wedding party at the Four Seasons, Hampshire.

She had already had a small registry and was now throwing a huge (and might I add fabulous) party for all her friends and relatives. I was on hand to makeover the Bride and a few of her friends. The Four Seasons has a reputation for luxury and elegance which I can definately say lives up to its name, the hotel was STUNNING! I was totally mesmerised by the beauty and grandness of the hotel not to mention the scenery, it was divine. The honeymoon suite had more floorspace space than my house itself! I got so carried away I forgot to take backstage pics of the Brides makeup! Seriously good times :-)

Backstage @ JOY

2010-08-02T05:44:00.000-07:00

So the shoot for Joy went well and I think its safe to say that I want everything from their new in house range Louche! The whole team was so lovely and accomodating, I cant wait to shoot with them again, special big up to Abi on sausage roll/general awesomeness duty who kept me fed and watered all day while I was dripping with sweat from the multiple hair/makeup changes. I will also take this opportunity to say yay me for doing my first beehive updo which I was very proud of! I cant wait to work them tham all soon.....http://joythestore.com/

Joy to the World!

2010-07-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

So excited! Im shooting my first advertising campaign on Wednesday for clothing company JOY!

Watch this space..I will post up the my backsatge shots asap, woo! :)

Complexd Magazine..

2010-07-08T15:30:00.000-07:00

Complexd magazine is an awesome new magazine http://www.complexd.co.uk/ "Women come in all shades, shapes & sizes'-complexd" I was very flattered when editor Kered Clement asked me to write a beauty feature based on Summer Colour using some of my work as a reference. I jumped at the chance of course as I like writing and enjoy the chance to share what knowledge I have with everyone...Check out the magazine its fantastic, lots of beautiful images and thought provoking features :-) http://www.complexd.co.uk/

Bridal Attire magazine

2010-07-06T13:26:00.000-07:00

Hey!! I havent posted for a while as I have been a very busy bumble bee :-)

Been nice and occupied with lots of lovely Brides as the wedding season is well and truly upon us.

Back last summer I was lucky enough to work on a shoot with awesome jewellery designer Kirstie Taylor of Flo and Percy (http://vintagetiaras.co.uk/) Kirstie designs the most beautiful pieces, bespoke and ready to wear to make you look stunning and incredibly original on your wedding day. Im so sad I didnt know about Flo and Percy during the time I was getting married as i would have snapped up a one of her unique haircombs or headbands in a heartbeat :-)

This month one of my favourite images from the shoot made it onto the frontcover of Bridal Attire magazine....yay!!

London College of Fashion Graduate Show 2010

2010-06-06T12:09:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday, I attended the London College of Fashion BA graduate fashion show as part of the MAC Events Team. 8 of us lead by Resident Trainer Cher Webb created looks on models from Select, Models 1 and Next. The show was held at The Dairy in Bloomsbury.

It was a lovely hot day and much fun was had by all...

I have attached a very silly backstage video of my and fellow makeup artist Gemma Kimmings. While the rest of the team endured the craziness and heat of the changing area, we stayed and looked after everyones kits and so amused ourselves making this movie! Copy and paste this link into your browser bar to view the video....

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150207871935298

Backstage video of Camden shoot!

2010-05-26T17:25:00.000-07:00

How cool is this?! Super clever photographer Jason Mark Harris compiled a backstage/behind the scenes video of our Camden Town shoot...check it out here: http://vimeo.com/12045762 :-)

Camden Town...I'll meet you by the underground :-)

2010-05-25T05:52:00.000-07:00

Shooting in Camden is a daunting yet exciting prospect, but a creative team made up of Jason Mark Harris/Eugene Davis, Myself and cool models Fifi and Octavia from Models 1, we gave gave it a go and came up with these results...special thanks to Helen Newberry (Fifi's mum) who is the coolest mum ever and has the powers of negotiation that would make a politician weep! Helen successfully talked around the powers that be that run the Camden Lock complex after they caught us shooting and asked us to leave! Lucky for us we were able to stay yay!

Regents Park, dont mind if I do...

2010-05-25T05:38:00.000-07:00

With Spring/Summer upon us (finally) means that I can shoot outside now and Im able to seek out interesting and visually stirring locations. So when I was asked to collaborate on a shoot with photographer Doh Lee http://www.dohlee.com/ shooting on location at Regents Park I jumped at the chance. I knew the park was going to be lovely but I didn't know just how pretty it was! It has beautiful sculpted english gardens and stunning flower arrangements. I would highly recommend anyone to take a trip down there, it felt like we were in another country!! Styling by Addian Lin and Hair by Eugene Davis (the dream team!)

See http://alisoncameron.carbonmade.com/ for the full shoot....:-)

Black Beauty and Hair... oh yeah!

2010-05-25T05:30:00.000-07:00

Im on a roll... In March I collaborated with revolutionary hair designer Angela Plummer http://www.angelaplummer.com/ and awesome photographer Jayesh Pankhania http://www.jaypp.com/ on submission shoot for Black Beauty and Hair. Again it wasnt going to out for ages, this time not till May eeek! I love seeing my work in print it gives me such a feeling of satisfaction and that Im actively seeking and achieving my goals..goodtimes :-)

For the full shoot check out my editorial website http://alisoncameron.carbonmade.com/

Pride magazine

2010-05-25T05:17:00.000-07:00

Waaaaaaaay back in February I collaborated with hair genius Eugene Davis (http://www.freelancetheworkspace.com/), visonary stylist Ihunna Iberendu and photographer James Bell on a submission shoot for Pride magazine..

After waiting impatiently for 2 months (I couldn't wait, it has long been a goal of mine and I was happy to have achieved it:-) It was oout in the April edition and I was very pleased with the results.....next stop....Vogue, here I come!! For the full shoot check out my editorial website at

http://alisoncameron.carbonmade.com/ :-))

Eeeeek!

2010-04-11T20:38:00.000-07:00

I have always been fascinated with prosthetics but never had the opportunity to try it out. Good Friday was my Church's Easter drama production Unfailing Love. Fellow makeup artist and all round lovely woman., Sarah-Jane Goodman taught me the basics of prosthetics and together we recreated Jesus's back after he had been whipped, beaten and scourged.

Pause for thought. What we created is not even half of what Jesus went through for you and I. Thats why I give thanks and glory to Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour. Please accept my invitation to visit my church Victory to Victory on Sunday mornings at 11am and Wednesday evenings at 7.30pm :-)

http://www.victory.org.uk/

Glug, Glug...

2010-04-11T20:23:00.000-07:00

Last week Tuesday 6th April, I was given the opportunity to fulfill a dream of mine... shooting underwater baby!! Let me just fill you in. Its a rarity to shoot underwater...

1.COST!! Its sooooo expensive. You are looking at between £60-£100 per HOUR to hire a pool!!! 2. You have to have the right equipment to house your camera otherwise its going to get wet boo!

3. You have to find a confident model that is not going to swallow water and potentially drown while posing underwater...

So when I saw a casting on Model Mayhem to shoot with Middlesex Uni student Daisy Hollingdale, I jumped at the chance. Daisy thankfully like my work and allowed me to come on board :-) How does one makeup one's face for underwater I was thinking? You cant use powder as it would melt so thats eyeshadows/blushers out the window. Unless...you use cream/grease based products. I started researching all different kinds of waterproof cream based makeup. Luckily awesome brand MAC Cosmetics products are just the thing for the job. They have a foundation called Face and Body which holds up well, their Studio Finish concealers and Cream Blushers/Cream Colour Bases are awesome and do not budge!! I used their Paint Pot cream eyeshadows and their Lipsticks are grease based so they didnt come off either! Result! Here are a couple of backstage pics for now the full shoot will be coming soon :-)

Layla @ The Mayfair Hotel

2010-04-01T13:45:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday night I was requested to do the hair and makeup of song writer/model Layla Manoochehri gorgeous girlfriend of Simon Webbe from Blue. On location at the Mayfair hotel, I set about turning her lovely thick hair into a glossy bouncy blowdry with tumbling girls and then worked on her makeup ensuring that her skin was flawless with a Jennifer Lopez-esque glow...

She was off to dinner at Nobu then on to Funky Buddha to dance the night away for Simon's Birthday :-) Goodtimes!

StyleIndependence.com

2010-03-24T12:15:00.000-07:00

Heeeey! I collaborated with up and coming designer Viking Wong for his Spring/Summer 2010 Lookbook and I spied it featured on website StyleIndependence.com yaaa!

Viking's tailored womenswear is beautiful and easy to wear...keep an eye out for him.

http://www.styleindependence.com/style/vikingwong.html

Even more new work...

2010-03-24T03:31:00.001-07:00

I have been silly busy over the last couple of weeks...I have been a busy bee, shooting lots of exciting new work which I cant wait to show everyone yay! I shot a fashion editorial with photographer Melissa Jenkins http://www.melissajenkinsphotography.com/and model Jose Wickert http://www.modelmayhem.com/1074519 at the legendary Adrian Pini Studios http://adrianpinistudios.sm4.biz/ on Monday.

Tuesday was another fashion editorial with Shareen Akhtar http://www.shareenakhtar.com/ and up and coming stylist Cecilia Cauville http://www.modelmayhem.com/1047010 with beautiful model Amber Anderson http://www.portfoliopad.com/detail.asp?fromemail=3&packagesentid=3374045&careerid=1&linkback=3&modelid=118638&agencyid=9096&userid=-1&packageid=2365372&packagelineid=18081205 fresh from shooting the current Match.com commercial (check it out on You Tube its soooo cute)

We shot at the incredible Instituto Maragoni near Brick Lane, which is an independent Fashion University...OMG, I love it there, its all glass walls, plush carpets and everyone is so creative/trendy/stunning I felt like I was in The Devil Wears Prada meets 90210 scenario sheeeeesh!

Look out for the pics dudes :-)

Du Jour magazine....

2010-03-08T12:59:00.000-08:00

Check out Du Jour magazine...my new secret crush and haven for inspiration....all things feminine and girly but with a beautiful whimsical edge.... I heart *sigh* http://dujourmag.com/

New Work :-)

2010-02-28T10:52:00.000-08:00

Introducing Antonina Dolaniecka http://www.adolaniecka.dphoto.com/

....totally amazing, up and coming fashion, beauty and portrait photographer....Polish in origin and only 20, Antonina has a unique and visually stirring style of photography. I was lucky enough to shoot with her last week and was incredibly happy and inspired by the results.. I cant wait to shoot with her again!!

Photography Antonina Dolaniecka

Styling by Louise Litchfield

Hair by Shana Bond-Dixon

Makeup Alison Cameron

Vanity Fair Italy...yes I know!

2010-02-21T08:13:00.000-08:00

Last week I was ridiculously excited to be given the awesome opportunity to assist amazing makeup artist Martina Luisetti http://www.martinaluisetti.com/ on a fashion and beauty editorial for Vanity Fair Italy (er wow!)

Shot by Fillipo Fortis, hair by Angelo Seminara and styled by the incredible Kimi O'Neill who managed to call in the most wonderful peices from Alexander McQueen, Mark Fast, Chanel to name a few, the shoot lasted a marathon 15 hours!! We managed to squeeze in 4 beauty looks and 5 outfit fashion story!!

Make up designed by Martina Luisetti http://www.martinaluisetti.com/

Viking Wong Look Book

2010-02-02T11:47:00.000-08:00

Im looking forward to shooting the Look Book for up and coming designer Viking Wong this Thursday...www.vikingwong.com look out for the results of the shoot!

Teneisha Bonner

2010-01-29T02:24:00.000-08:00

Teneisha Bonner, UK dancer and actress has just finished another run as lead character "Spinderella" in hit West End show Into the Hoods. You might see her popping up now and again as assistant to the Creative Director of UK dance company Zoonation Kate Prince on BBC's "So You Think You Can Dance" as well as countless videos, tours and music shows.

Soon to be featured in a supporting role in film Streetdance, Teneisha is one of the most talented and gifted dancers I know as well as being an all round lovely and kind woman.

Teneisha has been a friend of mine for years and was a bridesmaid at my wedding, so when she asked me to do the makeup for her new comp card I happily obliged...and here are the results!! Look out for Teneisha in cinemas near you :-)

Photography Mark Barnfield http://www.markbarnfield.net/

Hair Diana Francis http://www.dianafrancis.co.uk/

Lindsay Wakelin Wedding Photographer

2010-01-28T09:12:00.000-08:00

Im so excited to be collaborating with amazing photographer Lindsay Wakelin for 2010...

http://lindsaywakelinphotography.com/ Lindsay is talented, versatile and will bring a beautiful and stylish edge to your wedding photographs.

During the initial meeting, Lindsay will discuss your requirements, taking into consideration your ideas. Shooting primarily in a documentary style, Lindsay captures the essential moments as they happen on your big day whilst remaining discreet and professional.

Lindsay is able to deliver stunning pictures that you will treasure for a lifetime :-)

Follow her blog at http://www.lindsaywakelinphotography.com/blog/

Kismet Magazine...

2010-01-24T16:27:00.000-08:00

This is a sneak preview of a shoot I was involved in for Kismet magazine...

Keep your eyes peeled for more from this series woo!

Winter Wonderland Bride!

2010-01-24T14:54:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everybody!! Been a while since I last posted...have been back to back with January Brides would you believe? Seems the snow and sub zero temperatures weren't going to stop Grace and Edmond on the 9th of January :- )

Ankle deep snow was the perfect fashion accessory for their big day and they tied the knot in true Winter Wonderland style...best wishes for the future guys xx

New Work :-)

2009-12-17T19:18:00.000-08:00

Last week I had the pleasure of shooting with the Uber talented Grant Thomas again, stylist Debbie Lerner and model Lilah@Profile (fresh from shooting the latest Chanel campaign!)

The shoot was a late 80'S/early 90's inspired fashion shoot, shot on location in a laundry in Primrose Hill. More to come.... :-)

Wedding Ideas Magazine!

2009-12-05T03:40:00.000-08:00

Check me out in January issue of Wedding Ideas magazine! Im offering a special discount to Wedding Ideas readers... pick up a copy to have a take advantage of this fabulous offer :-)

www.weddingideasmag.com

Christmas Party Makeup!

2009-11-25T08:43:00.000-08:00

Christmas is fast approaching which means one thing..... Christmas parties!

Have your makeup done professionally and feel confident and sparkly...

I am available to come to wherever you feel comfortable getting ready and with my fully stocked makeup kit in tow, transform you into a party princess!

Contact me for details, happy nearly Christmas everyone :-)

Lotions, Potions and Me

2009-11-23T04:03:00.000-08:00

Have a sneaky peek at cool online blog Lotions, Potions and Me.

http://www.lotionspotionsandme.blogspot.com/

The lovely Segun Garuba asked to run a feature on me and my work and I happily obliged...

http://lotionspotionsandme.blogspot.com/search/label/Alison%20Cameron%20Makeup

Lotions, Potions and Me is a really informative and unbiased source for all things beauty related, check it out for honest advice and tips....

Real Brides...

2009-11-22T13:26:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Bukki and Precious Osula who tied the knot at the gorgeous Hampstead Garden Suburb Free Church (where I got married too ;-)....

I had the pleasure of beautifying the already beautiful Bukki who was as serene as they come whilst getting ready (watching Bride Wars on DVD!)

I wish them all the best for the future...

Bridal Attire Magazine

2009-11-20T17:38:00.000-08:00

Back in July I had the pleasure to collaborate with amazing designer Kirstie Taylor of vintage accessory company Flo and Percy (www.http://www.vintagetiaras.co.uk/) on her 2010 collection.

The shoot was captured by photographer Nathan Pask and shot on location at Rochford Hall, Essex (Anne Boleyn's former home no less!)

The results of which Kirstie is using for her advertising campaign... :-)

Its so lovely to be flicking through a magazine and see your work staring back at you!

Check out Flo and Percy all you Brides to be her pieces are to die for and will truly make you feel like a princess whatever your style of wedding....

Behind The Scenes....

2009-11-16T14:17:00.000-08:00

Further to the shoot I worked on with photographer Grant Thomas, model Jade McSorley (Models1) and hair stylist Soichi, Grant put togther a behind the scenes video, made up of loads of still photos put together to make a moving picture! One of the highlights of the day featured the whole team sneaking over to a rooftop car park (secret location!) and climbing up a rickety (and quite frankly dangerous) ladder to be met by an amazing view of Central London where the bulk of our shoot took place....and much to the surprise of office workers in nearby high rise office blocks :-)

I love Fashion!! Enjoy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUZomQvVI9Q

Idioms......

2009-10-28T03:25:00.000-07:00

On Monday I had the pleasure of shooting with the ridiculously talented Grant Thomas http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=61164563740&ref=ts (who by the way has only JUST turned 17 Happy Birthday) and the beautiful Jade McSorley from Models1.

The concept varied from natural to dramatic to a concept we had been discussing based on Idioms. The first one we tried was "A Leopard can never change his spots". The image is going to be laid out over a double page spread with one side showing Jade natural and the other side showing her made up like a leopard (courtesy of moi!) more of this series and pictures to follow.....

2009-10-19T15:48:00.001-07:00

Gorgeous bridal magazine You and Your Wedding are running my special offer on their website

http://www.youandyourwedding.co.uk/v1/1155137

The Morning After, The Night Before...

2009-10-17T08:03:00.000-07:00

Photography by Alexandra Cameron.

Model Bethany Harper Walsh

Stylist Paula Appiah

Makeup Alison Cameron

Possibly the best shoot I have had the pleasure to be involved in! The team consisted of Alexandra Cameron an amazing photographer who has an eye for capturing the natural light and who was able to bring our fashion story to life....

Harper Walsh, Australian model who was signed to one of LA's biggest agencies Next and has just moved to London ... stunningly beautiful, totally professional and down to earth, Harper endured the mud, hornets and the cold to make sure we got the shot.

Paula Appiah who has over 10 years experience in the business put together the styling for our shoot with gorgeous garments from no less than Primark would you believe!!

An amazing team and an excellent collaboration... have a look at the full shoot at:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=335318&id=511295297&l=94e271aca2

Launch of Alison Cameron Makeup

2009-10-12T08:20:00.000-07:00

Drumrolls please.... introducing you to the launch of Alison Cameron Makeup!

I am a freelance makeup artist, having started my career at MAC Cosmetics, I have now branched out into the big wide world. Specializing in Fashion, Beauty, Commercial, Advertising and Bridal.

Have a peep at www.alisoncameronmakeup.com to view my work.

Over the coming months I will share with you my comings and goings including test shoots, Brides, editorial work, fashion shows and everything in between.