A vibrant green caterpillar crawling across the pointed tip of a magenta lipstick bullet in a sleek black tube.

Luxury makeup products including a red lipstick, compact, and foundation arranged on an illuminated surface with live snails crawling by.

East Asian model wearing dramatic spiky rhinestone false eyelashes and a black head wrap against a plain white studio backdrop.

Macro extreme close-up of vertically oriented lips with magenta lipstick and frosted white texture against dark skin.

Close-up portrait of a model with dark ombre lips, glossy skin, and a heavy blunt-cut black fringe over one eye.

Close-up beauty portrait of a woman with metallic bronze lipstick and smoky blue eyeshadow against a dark background.

Cut matte pink lipstick bullets stacked in a precarious vertical tower with dark woodlice crawling across them against a dark gradient backdrop.

Close-up beauty portrait of an East Asian model with short black bangs and sparkling crystal rhinestones embellished across her lips and face.

Macro view of two ladybugs on a black makeup brush dusted with sparkling green loose cosmetic powder against a light blue backdrop.

Close up portrait of a model featuring vibrant yellow and green eyeshadow with glossy neutral lips for the Specimens project.

Translucent winged butterfly specimen resting over textured, broken magenta cosmetic powder.

Close-up portrait of a model with dark skin, glittering eye makeup, and glossy lips shot upside down against a dark background

Extreme close-up beauty portrait of a Black model with metallic green eyeshadow and glossy iridescent blue-green lipstick.

Issue South America Specimens 2025

About

Specimens is an editorial beauty series commissioned for Issue South America. The project explores the intersection of cosmetic art and organic nature, placing luxury beauty products and high-concept makeup applications alongside live insects and specimens. The work features a macro, tactile aesthetic, utilizing clean studio lighting and chiaroscuro techniques to heighten the surreal contrast between the organic subjects and polished beauty items. Photographer Jason Kim leads the visual direction of the series, working closely with makeup artist Sophia Sinot to create bold, avant-garde looks. Hair styling by Ruby Howes further emphasizes the graphic, editorial tone of the portraits. Models Nyangath Lual, Weiyi Fang, and Antonia El Ghali anchor the series, showcasing complex applications that integrate crystals, metallic pigments, and glossy textures.