One Year in Good Housekeeping Philippines


Has it been 12 issues? I guess it has.

While coming on-board the magazine in late-April last year, the greatest anxiety I've ever felt when it came to art direction was the covers. Because the covers had to look good. Because the covers had to sell. And I, coming from four years of art directing inanimate objects in Real Living magazine, hardly knew the nitty-gritty behind having living, breathing celebrities on magazine covers. (I used to do art direction for a short-lived gay magazine called Icon, but I was never asked to attend the cover shoots.) Not to mention having the responsibility of choosing which clothes the celebrity would wear from the numerous selections made by our lovely fashion editor.

So, I relied on two things--pure gut, and referring endlessly to the original American version of Good Housekeeping:


It was only when the March 2011 came round, with Janice and Gelli de Belen on the cover, that my confidence level was where I thought it should be--challenged, but capable. We actually shot the celebrity siblings separately because their schedules wouldn't match up, and did a bit of digital magic merging for the end product. You can read about that shoot in photographer Ocs Alvarez' blog.

Anyway, there's so much to learn and more celebs to shoot, but I've been getting the hang of it. In the past, I would normally whisper to the photographer any changes I wanted in the pose, but now I've been a little more outspoken. The September and October cover shoots turned out really well, IMHO. Level up-level up lang 'yan.

Comments

JOJONYC said…
Hi Carlo - I have been recently introduced to your work and must say I find it quite refreshing to finally have a "gay" superhero!!!! I would like to discuss a few ideas and would like to correspond but do not know how to get in touch with you. I am a FIL-AM who has lived in New York City for the past 30 some years (practically American as apple pie). My email address is jojo7nyc@gmail.com. Looking forward to corresponding with you.

Jojo
Carver said…
Hello Jojo! You can write me through my Facebook page. Thanks for taking the time. :-)
JOJONYC said…
Hi Carlo unfortunately I shut down my Facebook page. What would you suggest as an alternative? Please advise.
Carver said…
Hello JOJONYC... You can send an email through zaturnnah@yahoo.com. :-)
Hello Sir! This would be off topic but may I know your email address? I would like to invite you po as a speaker for Media Speaker Series in DLSU. Hoping for your reply. Thank you po!

-Daph
Carver said…
Hello Daph! You can write me through zaturnnah@yahoo.com. :-)

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