Daniella Barsotti: Portfolio Build with Purpose

May 16

For the past year, I have hosted a quarterly modelling test day for models to get on season work in their books. In the test, we have two looks: one classic clean beauty with natural hair and makeup and soft, even lighting similar to skin care campaigns. The second look is elevated and brings inspiration from the season and makeup and fashion trends.

Recently, makeup artist Alyssa Courtney and I finished our 2024 Summer Test, during which we had the pleasure of working with model and commercial actress Daniella Barsotti for the second time. Daniella is a mother of two who hails from the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. When she was at the studio four years ago, it was for a headshot and digitals to start looking for the right agency. Since then, she founded that agency and has worked on international campaigns, from health care to banking.

During our planning call, Daniella told me her goal for the next year is to get work in beauty, specifically skincare campaigns. That's right up my alley! So, Alyssa and I made a plan to showcase her beautiful skin and create a beauty story that shows who Daniella is and her personality.

For the first look, we wanted to show off Daniella's marvellous skin tone and lean into her being a mature model. We also wanted to show her fun, softer side. Having beautiful, soft, defused light and a moca backdrop gracefully highlighted everything we intended to. The second look was all about summer! Tanned, dewy summer skin and a bold summer RED lip. We created summer on a rainy April day by using a gold beauty dish, positioned like the mid-day sun, which gave that warm summer glow and complemented Daniella's skin. To highlight Daniella's island flair, we incorporated some tropical plants while listening to Bob Marly; you can feel the island vibes in these images.