Now that the dust has settled and finally America has a brand new President. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have made history; Biden as the oldest President they have ever had and Harris as the first female Vice President America has ever produced. And to add to the juice she is black with Asian descent. An amazing moment for the world and even so for women all over the world. Before this peaceful transition there was the invasion of the capitol in an insurrection incited by a former President. Then there was Trump.
Now gone with the wind. Down in history and history may not be kind to him.
Let’s leave that for now as a story for another day and look at angles and lighting and magazine covers. Smack in a furore a week or so before the swearing in was the cover of Vogue magazine bearing the soon to be Vice President Harris. There were two covers both with her and in each she was wearing a suit. Both pictures were however considered uncomplimentary by a lot of people. I have seen the pictures myself and I agree totally with those complaining.
The lighting was so bad it looked like she was deliberately whitewashed to look more
White. The suits did not enhance and she looked less powerful than she usually is. Nothing to suggest her incoming position.
Even though she was meant to be casual the pictures did not do her any justice. As we say in Nigeria, the look, angle, wardrobe, lighting and fashion were just there. Not spectacular, not even interesting. Ordinary and almost dour. In spite of the magazine’s defence, nobody wanted to listen to them. It seemed they wanted to make Kamala Harris look bad because she was black. And all the stories of the Editor in chief Anna Wintour being racist in her years of service at Vogue returned to the front burner
Many years ago, I learnt about covers and how lighting or even angles could ruin an otherwise ordinary story or even change its meaning. The media is powerful and Barbara Streisand, multiple award-winning singer, songwriter and superstar learnt early. Her publicist advised her to always present a certain side of her face, as it is the one that is better in pictures. She never posed with the other side from that day forward. In branding and image making, knowing your angles is critical and understanding your body is very important. Never wear clothes that do not enhance you. And colours matter too.
Choose carefully and be comfortable. Bring your team if you can or ensure its a trusted team. Don’t wear what you do not like because it is fashionable. If in doubt, get a stylist
Vice President Kamala Harris and her team need to insist on previews and colours and backdrops and designers that make her look better. In fact many people on social media presented to Vogue, pictures of the American Vice President in which she looked better than the magazine covers.
I was on national Television as a National anchor for all of 17 years and got my fair share of bad covers even though I did not accept many cover opportunities. Excuses will be made that they are rushing to press, that they got some designer clothes, that they got you a makeup artist. Be wary! They can dress you up like a tomato sometimes to suit their theme or cover and you will be Canon fodder. Make up can make you look like Charlie Chaplin. Choose carefully and be comfortable. Bring your team if you can or ensure its a trusted team. Don’t wear what you do not like because it is fashionable. If in doubt, get a stylist.
Vice President Kamala Harris, watch out. Don’t let anyone tell you who you are not, through pictures or magazine covers. While we are at it, congratulations to you and the new President of the United States. Women the world over and men are proud of you!
