We began this journey with imagery of the Skeleton Prince, an elaborate look that Marcela had so carefully put together, and throughout these 31 days you have seen a LOT of other beautiful Halloween makeup looks that she has done, so it only seemed fitting to end this series with the Skeleton Queen herself. Thank you for joining us throughout this month as we told our favorite spooky stories!
These are my “Other” children. Coraline is one of their favorite “scary” movies and they are always so interested in what Mom does at work so I surprised them with their very own photoshoot. They absolutely loved playing model and getting to sit in the makeup chair! A huge thanks to Hannah for giving me a “Mom of the Year” moment.
We present to you: the “Pumpkin King” of Halloween Town! Tim Burton’s Jack Skellington, the patron spirit of Halloween, is curious, idealistic, and enthusiastic. His strong leadership skills paired with his kind nature makes him a favorite holiday character.
Stingy Jack played tricks on the Devil. When he died, he wasn’t allowed into heaven OR hell and so now his soul roams the earth for eternity. Keep a jack-o-lantern in your window to scare all wandering souls away from your home.
Newly awakened, thousands of years after death, she emerges from her sarcophagus in search of vengeance. The mysteries of ancient Egypt have kept the Western World curious for centuries. Considered a “Classic Monster”, The Mummy will forever be classic Halloween.
31 Days of Halloween: DAY 23
DAY 23
Model: Rachel Hall
Photography: Jessica Montgomery
One of the best parts of Halloween has always been playing dress up. Put on a mask and a cape and be a superhero, or paint your face and bite into a fake blood capsule and be undead, or even a wig and fancy gown and be a princess. Have fun and pretend to be someone else for a day!
Serving as a spy for Apollo, a prophet for Bran Stark, and a mournful reminder for Edgar Allan Poe, the raven portrays complex symbolism throughout the history of art and literature. Ravens are often accompanied by bad omens, secrets, and even death. Please enjoy our interpretation of the Raven in this dark and mysterious collaboration.
When you hear the word “witch,” what comes to mind? Hermoine Granger? The Sanderson Sisters? A pointy hat and a wart covered nose? In pop culture, the term “witch” generally just means a woman with magical powers. There are good witches and evil witches. Witches with wands, brooms, and cauldrons. Witches with spells, pentagrams, and sacrifices. When we reached out to Eerie to help with our 31 Days of Halloween project, we knew that she would perfectly represent one of womankind’s most powerful magicks: sensuality! There’s a reason that beautiful women are sometimes called “bewitching…”
Don’t dare to stray from the path! The Big Bad Wolf is lurking in the trees and hungry for human flesh. Hurry along to Grandma’s house or risk being gobbled up and never seen again…
Do you ever get that feeling that someone is watching you? Have you been hearing strange noises? That doll your Aunt gave you just give you the heebie jeebies ? Maybe it’s possessed.
Halloween doesn’t always have to be gory and scary. It’s also a time to celebrate the supernatural and unknown. “Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” Temporarily suspend your disbelief and enjoy the enchantment of the season.
“We’re painting the roses red.” Quick-tempered, demanding, and willy nilly with the death sentence, she’s everyone’s favorite psychotic monarch. Please enjoy this gorey reinterpretation of Lewis Carroll’s Queen of Hearts.
The Dark Priestess… As powerful and frightening as she is, she is equally tempting and alluring. Bound to the will of her Dark Lord, she is compelled to gather and indoctrinate unsuspecting mortals into his vile family. If she cannot persuade you with ripe promises, she will coerce you with festering visions of death and damnation.
What better way to get in the festive mood than with a witchy cocktail? To make this beautiful dark beverage, let your black berries soak in 1911 vodka for a bit and then smush them up to let out all of that rich color. Add ginger beer and lime. Easy peasy. Now go get your Halloween party on!
Vampires. Bloodsucking, immortal, seductive. They are lurking in the shadows, patiently waiting for their next victim. With their heightened senses, they know you are coming from a mile away and will be ready for you. Quick and quiet, you’ll be dead before you even notice they are there. Garlic might protect you. But probably not.
31 Days of Halloween: DAY 9
DAY 9
Model: Jessica Montgomery
MUA: Marcela Tobar of MTMakeup
Photography: Jessica Montgomery
Photos of me are rare, and now you know why! Lol. Just kidding.
I try my best to stay BEHIND the camera, but how could I say no when Marcela asked so sweetly?! The idea of playing model gives me so much anxiety, but sitting in Marcela’s makeup chair was so much fun, and so worth it! I know I look like a gory demon with a giant maw of teeth, but I felt like a princess being pampered.
These photos may look creepy, but acupuncture is actually used to treat pain, stress management, and overall wellness! When Chelsey Mollin, a specialist in Chinese medicine, volunteered her services, we couldn’t resist the chance to rock some Hellraiser vibes. We learned a lot, and all had some new firsts with this photoshoot! An extra big thank you to our model Breana DeVey for being willing to have her first acupuncture experience on camera!
According to folklore, she was Adam’s first wife until she was banished from the Garden of Eden. Exiled for refusing to submit to her husband and for her sensuality and freedom, she has become one of the most notorious demons. Throughout history, there are a great deal of depictions of this iconic dark spirit in both art and literature, but we like to imagine her in all black with hair horns.
“Quiet! quiet! Quiet! There are ways of telling whether she is a witch.”
…..
“Tell me, what do you do with witches?”
“Burn!”
“Burn, burn them up!”
“And what do you burn apart from witches?”
“More witches!”
“Wood!”
“So, why do witches burn?”
[pause]
“B–… ’cause they’re made of wood?”
……
“Does wood sink in water?”
“No, no.”
“It floats! It floats!”
“Throw her into the pond!”
“The pond!”
-Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Beginning in February of 1692, The Salem Witch Trials heard the cases of more than 200 people accused of witchcraft and resulted in the hangings of 19 who were found guilty. For Centuries people have been curious and frightened over the idea of black magic, because there is nothing more truly terrifying than the unknown. In memory of the witches and the unknowns who lost their lives to ignorance, please enjoy our portrayal of the Classic Witch.
Maleficent. Powerful, evil, terrifying. A classic villain, first appearing in Disney’s 1959 “Sleeping Beauty”, she still has us intoxicated with her wicked wiles. “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” is coming to theaters later this month. Perfect timing for an iconic collaboration with the Queen of Disney: Rachel Hall!
“So the heathen gods placed upon the gold…a terrible curse. Any mortal that removes but a single piece from that stone chest shall be punished for eternity.” – Hector Barbossa, The Pirates of the Caribbean
Buried treasure and pirates’ curses always make for a good intrigue (and an easy, inexpensive Halloween costume). From Captain Hook to Jack Sparrow to The Dread Pirate Roberts there’s a favorite pirate for everyone! Check out our favorite pirate:
Mysterious and macabre, Morticia Addams is our favorite matriarch. Silly, spooky and sexy, she has us all enraptured. The moment we met Yuka Liptis, we knew she would make a perfect Morticia! Confident and poised, with elegance, grace, and sense of humor, Yuka perfectly embodies everything that is Morticia. *snap* *snap*
Don’t look directly at these images! You might turn to stone!
From DaVinci to Versace, Medusa has been an artist’s favorite subject for centuries. Legend holds that Medusa was once a beautiful maiden with golden hair. Until one day she fell in love with Poseidon… which pissed off the almighty Athena. Athena then punished her by turning those beautiful locks into dangerous, poisonous snakes and placing a curse on her. By Athena’s curse, anyone who looks upon Medusa turns to stone.
We may not be DaVinci status yet, but please enjoy our interpretation of Medusa.
31 Days of Halloween
Day 1
In celebration of the most magical of all holidays, Stay Fresh presents: 31 Days of Halloween!
We’ve been waiting for an entire year, but finally, October is here! Fall leaves, corn mazes, pumpkin spice everything, and best of all…HALLOWEEN. The one time of year when it’s socially acceptable to be tantalized by the macabre, to get down with the supernatural, and to change our appearances.
Stay Fresh has put together 31 photoshoots to help get you in the holiday spirit. Each day in October we will post images from a different Halloween themed shoot– so stay tuned!
Traditionally, Sugar Skulls are a symbolic part of the Mexican “Día de los Muertos” celebrations, honoring death and loved ones who have passed. Sugar Skull art has recently grown in popularity and since the movie Coco, America cannot get enough.
One day while shooting Jessica overheard one of the make-up artists we use telling model John O’ Reilly she was wanting to do a jeweled Sugar Skull with “like, waaayy too many jewels!”. When we asked who was shooting this spectacular piece, she said she was going to use her phone. We can’t have our homies using their phones, so we stepped in to be a part of this project. It was shortly after this that Jessica decided she needed way more Halloween in our lives, and started planning 30 more photoshoots! Stay tuned to Stay Fresh design for our 31 days of Halloween.
Happy Valentine’s Day
On a Sunday evening a few weeks ago Stay Fresh photographer Jess P. shot me a text saying, “Michael wants to do an American Beauty shoot, but instead of roses he wants to use potatoes.” Immediately I texted back, “Yeah let’s do it! And I’ll pose with Bomb-Pops!” Then she said “We should get Paul with donuts. It could be a Stay Fresh Valentine’s Day shoot.” We quickly went back and forth and came up with a plan to shoot some of Stay Fresh’s clients and friends American Beauty style, featuring items unique to each individual—items that would surround them if someone were having a steamy daydream of them.
We ran the idea past Michael that night, he was totally in. Jess, Michael and I put our heads together and came up with a plan of attack for the first-ever Stay Fresh Valentine’s Day shoot. We reached out to podcasting giant and star of Comic Book Men on AMC Bryan Johnson, Glazed & Confused owner and donut slinger, Paul Valenti, and Sophistafunk’s main keyboard man and Funk ‘n Waffles owner, Adam Gold.
Crispyonthemic. Tots. $PUD$. These are all names our first model goes by. He has Irish heritage, raps exclusively about potatoes and if there is a dinner party happening he’s always got salt potatoes at the ready. Making Syracuse better every day with creative input and inspiring concepts for our city, Michael is one of the main gears in the machine that is Syracuse. These days you can find Michael John Heagerty promoting local art events he curates at Wildflowers Armory — a unique and vibrant shop hosting merchandise from a squadron of local Salt City Artisans. Michael is pictured, above, wearing his signature spuds and Terrell’s Potato chips. (Because he keeps it local.)
Being both a star on film and TV, Bryan Johnson is no stranger to the camera. Along with Walt Flanagan and Brian Quinn he hosts the podcast Tell ‘Em Steve-Dave. The pod has reached 400 episodes has a slew of videos, a claymation featurette, and bonus pods. To capture Bryan in this dreamy angelic pose we entered the minds of TESD listeners. Bryan is pictured here in a bed of recording cables with his trusty Shure Super 55 Deluxe wearing some really tasty Valentine’s Day threads supplied by MeUndies. Check out the podcast at tellemstevedave.com, soundcloud, and itunes.
When funk master supreme Adam Gold heard what we were shooting he said, “Sign me up!” Adam owns the restaurant and music venueFunk ‘n Waffles and is the key master of the award-winning band Sophistafunk. As I’m directing him to lay in this fluffy cloud of waffles I say “Shit, I shoulda asked you to bring a keyboard”. Of course, Adam replied, “I have one in the car!” Adam’s love for music and food brings a creative, bright and delicious flavor to Syracuse. Adam is pictured laying on a bed of his flavorful waffles with his 1983 Moog Rogue.
This next creative cherub is Paul Valenti. Paul, has created a whimsical world of confection at his donut shop Glazed & Confused. Paul and his team at Glazed, produce some of the most creative and outlandishly delicious donuts around. Paul is seen creating a Valentine’s Day sprinkle donut, laying in a cloud of his fried treats.
The Stay Fresh logo is a blue and red popsicle, so we initially thought let’s shoot Tommy with Bomb-Pops! Let me tell you, Bomb Pops? They melt really fucking fast, and when you have over 100, it turns to a purple sea of goo. So we had to resort to Plan B. We thought there are a good amount of toys, and comics around the shop lets use those! With some extra comic help from our homies at Cloud City, we created a very fun “I Spy” background featuring the creative inspiration for what Stay Fresh is today.
Thank you to everyone involved for making this a super fun shoot. Happy Valentine’s Day from Stay Fresh!
