Close-up of a yellow and dark tulip with green and pink streaks against a pale blue background for Spectra by Jason Kim

Extreme close-up of a model's eye with striking blue eyeshadow and dark eyeliner, photographed by Jason Kim.

Macro shot of a mascara wand heavily coated in thick textured royal purple cream against a pale background

Close-up of a deep purple flower blossom on a dark thin stem against a pale light blue background

Close-up macro shot of a white flower with deep blue petal centers and a dark stem against a pale background.

Close-up beauty portrait of a model with vibrant blue eyeshadow across the brow and metallic gold lipstick against a plain light background.

Close-up macro shot of stacked yellow lipstick pieces against a light blue background

Close-up beauty portrait of a model with dramatic blue and white eye shadow makeup and glossy nude lips.

Close up portrait of an East Asian woman with bold purple eyeshadow and flushed pink blush for Spectra by Jason Kim

Two red tulips against a pale background, one upright and one hanging inverted

Extreme close-up macro view of a single human eye framed by precise red makeup lines forming a vertical slit shape.

Close-up beauty portrait of an Asian woman with styled black hair and vibrant yellow-orange lipstick.

Close-up of a shattered metallic blue eyeshadow pan with textured pigment against a light background

Four-panel beauty editorial composition featuring close-ups of a model with purple eyeshadow, a purple flower, and purple mascara.

Close-up beauty portrait of an East Asian model with wet hair bangs, dramatic red eyeliner, and pink turtleneck.

Four-panel beauty editorial featuring an East Asian model with red eyeliner, two red tulips, crushed red lipstick, and a close-up eye shot.

Four-panel editorial image featuring a model with yellow lipstick, a yellow flower, a stacked yellow lipstick, and a close-up of yellow lips.

Close-up macro shot of lips wearing bright yellow and red gradient lipstick with visible white teeth

Macro close-up shot of a textured red lipstick with sliced layers against a pale background

Four-panel beauty editorial composition featuring a model with blue eye makeup, a white and blue flower, textured blue eyeshadow, and an eye close-up.

Special Projects Spectra 2026

About

Spectra stands as a masterful exploration of the intersection between botanical form and cosmetic artistry. This comprehensive project, captured with clinical precision, channels an editorial aesthetic that celebrates the materiality of beauty through a series of high-contrast compositions. Photographer Jason Kim masterfully employs studio strobe lighting to elevate the mundane, juxtaposing the organic curves of tulips and sweet peas against the sharp, graphic lines of avant-garde makeup applications. Through a disciplined lens, the work oscillates between Fine Art and commercial beauty photography, utilizing macro techniques to highlight the visceral textures of crushed pigments, waxy lipstick segments, and the delicate human eye. Makeup artist Alexia Amzallag delivers a visionary approach, moving from soft, seamless gradients of cyan and navy to the bold, high-impact precision of sharp red liners and ombre lips. Complementing these looks, hair stylist Quentin Guyen introduces structural tension with blunt, architectural bobs and wet-look styling, while talent Wenli Zhao serves as the canvas for these striking visual narratives. By maintaining a consistent, minimalist color palette and utilizing a clean, neutral background, the project transforms cosmetics into a study of geometry and form. Spectra serves as a compelling testament to the power of color theory and precise lighting in contemporary creative production, creating an immersive experience that feels both futuristic and fundamentally grounded in nature.