Make up artist inspiration, Norah Nona

                                                                       Norah Nona

Norah Nona is a London based fashion make up artist who as been in the industry for 30 years, first working as a hair dresser then starting out on test shoots, where her make-up skills became of a higher standard

which then lend her to make-up for TV and film going back to fashion and working in fashion for

the last 20 years.

How did Norah Nona become such an inspiration to me? In 2010 I was studying at Poole & Bournemouth arts college were I found such a passion for fashion photography, there was one fashion photographer in particular Stuart Weston who's work always caught my eye and I could look at for hours just image after image was never a dull photograph always so colourful, and such strong structure to the image Stuart would always bring his all to each photograph taken!

So one day I contacted Stuart Weston and asked if I could come and help on one of his shoots to gain some experience and get to work along side such a talented man with Stuart saying yes to me, few weeks later I was on my way to London to help out on set for Toni and guy hair awards 2010. Helping the set up of the shoot along side Stuarts best friend who is also a photographer Colin Ellis & two more other students who's in the same shoes as me wanting to gain some experience. After helping the set up we got to take a look what was going on behind the scenes getting to see the stylist's give the models their outfits, hairstylist's creating their competition style's & Nora Nona doing her thing and I took a moment to take in all this amazing creative skills happening around me thinking this is the industry I want to work in, and meeting Norah in person seeing her work and then see her work come alive in front of the camera just felt so unreal seeing all this for the first time!

Seeing all this I was so torn as I loved fashion photography in college but styling my models for my photography projects made me realise that was the career I wanted to be in and taking my portfolio along to Stuart & Colin both took a moment to go through my portfolio, saying they seen potential in me but also could see I had a passion for the make up side is well as! And after amazing day and having a good chat after the shoot it led me in more of a direction and I couldn't thank Stuart enough because he inspired me so much and was hoping to go on shoot with him now I live in the big smoke but unfortunately he passed this year and only meeting with Stuart the once and talking over Facebook now and then this man inspired me so much and I wouldn't of met Norah if it wasn't for that day and seeing her work on set and researching her after and thinking she is the make up artist of Stuart Weston so out there and creative within her work! so I guess these two creative artists in make up and photography have inspired me to get to where I am now & never to give up!