Evgeny Milkovich is a New York-based fashion/beauty photographer hailing from Ukraine. His passion started as a teenager and he knew within that to create original ideas is what sets his soul on fire. What did he do? He went to school for it. He graduated from 2016 Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts with a full course on Photography.
He set foot in New York, in hopes of starting his career in The Big Apple. While there are numerous opportunities in his hometown, he felt that a new place with a different crowd would help him grow. Artistic minds were everywhere and he firmly believed that opportunities are waiting. They just need to be found.
The start of his career was the hardest – especially being in an unfamiliar place. He didn’t know anybody, the culture was different, and getting connections was difficult. He had to take unpaid jobs, which he does not regret in any way because these gigs are most often the more exciting ones. These are the projects that constantly spark his inner creativity so he feels lifted for what he does. For him, not all paid jobs are inspiring but of course, you still have to remember that there is rent to pay, bills to remit, and a stomach to fill.
About four years ago, Evgeny’s first photo was published on Vogue Italia. It’s a project for photographers like himself. He said anybody can apply, but you would just have to go through editors and approvals. It’s not easy but it’s possible. It’s a hub where you can extend your portfolio. Today, we are proud of him for making it yet again to Vogue Italia – this time with our student as the makeup artist!
This is Thijin, a model from EMG. She’s one of the sweetest individuals we have met in our studio; a very free-spirited and talented model. You can definitely trust that she will give justice to your work. Her makeup was done by our Extensive 5-Week student named Jessica Feintisch whose goal was to create makeup with texture that popped off the face. She went to the craft store looking for adornments such as flowers, gemstones, and sequins; but of all things she saw, the pearls seemed visually perfect for an added ethereal look.
We remember Jessica as a student from our Private Session, which is just a one-time 3-hour class with a professional makeup artist back in December last year. She felt that she walked away with so much knowledge from just those three hours that she decided to move forward with a 5-week long program. She took the weekend class which she felt encouraged her and gave her the confidence to pursue makeup as her full-time career.
After a little while, good news was extended. Eugene and another student of ours made it to Vogue Italia! She was in the same class as Jessica and her name is Viviana Martinez. They both took the Extensive 5-Week program together on the weekends with the intention of becoming a makeup artist. Viviana was inspired to incorporate gold since Thijin’s skin is undeniably beautiful. She wanted to put some shine on her lids with a combination of a smokey eye.
Viviana took a makeup program because she has been fascinated with makeup since she was in 7th grade. The endless looks you can create and having control of your own creativity inspired her to become a makeup artist; but be surprised that this profession is only one thing for her full bucket list! So as always, keep dreaming, and you will achieve it just as long as you do something about it.
To quote Viviana on her experience with us, “Nina Mua school was fantastic! I had previously checked out the school and took a small tour, the price for the course and what you receive afterwards… wow! It was worth my every moment and it just an experience I can take away with me and grow!” Things like this keep us going. Everyday, they inspire us as we inspire them to fulfill their creativity.
Third time’s the charm, they say – because this is Thijin’s third time to be featured on Vogue Italia with Eugene as the photographer and our newly-graduated Master student, Jamie Lewis from June 2018. She was inspired by the week she was able work with foils during class. She was actually hoping to use foil for one of her photo shoots and she knew it was perfect timing when Thijin was assigned to her as her model. She described her face as gorgeous with high cheekbones, which was perfect for what she had in mind. The stunning earrings she picked certainly completed the whole sophisticated look.
Jamie has always circled around the arts and design that it is no puzzle as to why she is making her way towards the makeup industry today. She was completely sure that being in the arts would be her passion and that transforming people from one look to another would be her dream come true. She felt that signing up with Nina Mua helped her improve her skills tremendously and developed her confidence in makeup and her own creativity. She knew from the minute she walked in the studio for a tour, that this would be her home to learn makeup. And as she describes it, it was a better experience than what she had imagined!
Her favorite part of the program was the fact that she belonged to a small group. This meant that she and her classmates were guaranteed individual attention. She is also grateful for her teachers that have been helpful from start to end. The fact that she also got to experience a real photo shoot with professional models and photographers was a dream for her creative freedom in terms of makeup and styling. Now that she has graduated from makeup school, she is certainly ready for what is more to come!
