For this fitness editorial with Tessa Johnston, I wanted to create imagery that felt strong, athletic and feminine without making it feel overly polished or staged. This was a spec shoot, created not only as a creative editorial but also to demonstrate how the imagery could translate into a major athletic campaign. The visual direction was inspired by brands like Adidas and NikeSKIMS, with the goal of producing work that felt commercially relevant while still maintaining my own photographic style. A lot of fitness advertising shows athletes looking almost untouched—as if they stepped directly out of the makeup chair and onto set. I wanted this shoot to feel different. The inspiration was the middle of the workout: flushed skin, sweat, movement and that slightly imperfect quality that makes the images feel more physical and believable. At the same time, I wanted Tessa to still feel beautiful and confident, creating a balance between raw athletic energy and elevated fashion imagery.
The looks were kept intentionally minimal and performance-driven, using streamlined athletic pieces that allowed Tessa’s movement, physique and expression to become the focus of the photographs. Rather than building elaborate sets, we built some different sets at Know Good Studio in Miami to give each look its own visual identity. Lighting played a major role in shaping the mood—from harder, more directional light that emphasized muscle definition and sweat to softer moments that brought a more editorial quality to the story. The result was a series that sits somewhere between an Adidas campaign, a NikeSKIMS editorial and a fashion story: strong, feminine, authentic and intentionally a little undone.
Team members:
Model – Tessa Johnston – Freedom Models Miami
Makeup and hair – Shani Gottlieb
Video – Marisol Nevano
BTS – Daniela Ocana
Studio – Know Good Studio
Photographer and Creative Director – Josh Eskridge
From Shani Gottlieb, makeup artist – “For this look, I wanted to keep the skin fresh, dewy, and naturally radiant while creating that effortless “no-makeup makeup” effect. I started by prepping the skin with the Medicube Zero Pore Pads to create a smooth base, followed by the Supergoop! Glowscreen in Sunrise for that beautiful lit-from-within glow. I used Tanielle Jai Bronzer in Latte to give the skin a natural, sun-kissed warmth, then added Hapa Kristin Sheer Blush and Sheer Highlight for a soft flush and subtle glow. Tower 28’s concealer serum helped even out the complexion while still allowing the skin to look like skin. Together, these products created a fresh, luminous complexion that felt polished and camera-ready without looking overly made up.”
