US Elle April 2019 : Taylor Swift by Ben Hassett

[crmsn]

Oh, this is not a flattering photo. It looks like someone punched her in the right eye. The aibrush is also evident (tilt your screen and you'd see what I mean).
+ the photo shoot looks rushed. I know Ben Hassett and Elle US could do better than this.

 

[A.D.C.]

Looking at this cover made me feel like Mia Farrow at the end of Rosemary’s Baby.

 

[GivenchyHomme]

The first shot is good as a beauty shot, the second one is trash. All I see is pinched little mouth and a lot of hair. Secondly, the top looks like it’s strangling her. Third, the retouching is absurd! The texture of her skin looks unrealistic and the shadow under the jaw makes it look like her head was placed in post. Fourth, who cares about Taylor Swift anymore? Her presence feels very forced these days. Where are the relevant subjects?

 

[dfl-001]

I always thought she was not a great beauty. I don't want to see her face that close up. Fail.

 

[Handbag Queen]

Love her and love this cover!

 

[amby]

Source Elle.com

 

[JPineapple]

Is she following Beyonce steps? Because this is annoyng.

 

[MON]

I ak bothered with her lips. There’s something different about it. Is it drawn differently?

Ps. Not shaming here.

 

[Perickles]

She looks like Laura Dern. Cheap looking cover, it matches her low-quality music.

 

[SophiaVB]

She does not photographic well IMO.

It's sad that no one does actual interviews anymore. The editorial content was just her listing a bunch of things she learned for her 30th birthday.

 

[caioherrero]

She does not photographic well IMO.

It's sad that no one does actual interviews anymore. The editorial content was just her listing a bunch of things she learned for her 30th birthday.

The problem is Nina. She’s not a good editor

 

[A.D.C.]

Is she following Beyonce steps? Because this is annoyng.

Right?! First magazine started with the “interviewed by a fellow celeb” crap and now we get these lame AF self written essays. Next, please.

 

[honeycombchild]

The style of article doesn’t bother me I have to say. If you’re genuinely interested in the cover subject then why wouldn’t you want to read an article they’ve actually written themselves as opposed to a write up from someone who has to do their best to send up whoever they’re profiling? If you’re not interested in the subject then it’s unlikely you would have read or cared about whatever way it was written.

If the genuine Taylor Swift fans are outraged by the fact there isn’t an interview and is instead an article she wrote herself, then fair enough, but I can’t imagine there are many.

 

[333101]

Elle US has fallen flat on their face with this one. Granted she's insufferable but they've really done her dirty with that cover! Not flattering by any means.

 

[VanTerminator]

I think they were going for a beauty shot with edge, but it just looks like bad lighting.

 

[SophiaVB]

if you care about journalism then you should care that celebrities are no longer doing interviews. it is another example of magazines ceding whatever authority they used to have.

over the years, i've read many interviews with subjects that i've never even heard of and walked away learning something or having my opinion altered by a journalist that knew the correct questions to ask or how to persuasively write a feature. celebrities and their publicists cared about altering public perception in this way. i'm sorry but having access to social media and direct "communication" with your fans is not the same and it's even sadder that magazines cede their authority and give a glorified verbal selfie in order to get an ugly shot for their cover for ad revenue.

 

[tigerrouge]

Are we going to pretend that there isn't someone behind the scenes whipping these articles into shape?

After all, if all these celebrities consistently demonstrated such a great - and universal - talent for journalism, they'd be doing more of it on their own time - and no doubt, letting us know ALL about their multiple talents.

No, the face of journalism is now unseen and uncredited, probably also overworked and underpaid, and likely let go at any moment. Not even a byline.

Even editing the flow of a recorded conversation into a coherent written piece worth reading takes skill and judgement.

 

[vogue28]

This shouldn't have gone wrong - they've opted to recreate the classic US Elle cover style of a close-up portrait, using someone who's good-looking enough to withstand such scrutiny.

But the shadows make her face look unfortunate and the fringe takes away the impact of her eyes.

My sentiments exactly! This should have ticked every single box and I myself was incredibly keen to see the outcome, having learned Ben Hassett (a terrific beauty and portrait photographer) had shot Taylor for the cover. However, the outcome is unfortunate and uneventful. That hideous lip color makes Taylor look like she's emulating Bette Midler in Hocus Pocus.

No wonder Hassett has yet to post any of this on his immaculate IG!

 

[ellastica]

Taylor's cover/editorial is decent. The first 2 shots, close-up and waist-up are nicely composed. Taylor has those gorgeously shaped lips and pulls of that electric pink lippie. The shade is reminiscent of NARS Sciap but much more flattering; just wish she was sporting a tad bit less fringe.

So far standard US ELLE dullness. Haven't cared much about this mag since the mid '00s. Nor have I ever been impressed with Nina's aesthetic direction or ideas.

 

[axiomatic]

202 pages.

Review:

"Sugar Rush"
P: Miles Aldridge
S: Samuel Francois
M: ?

"Killing Her Softly"
P: Allie Holloway
S: Nicole Chapoteau
Jodie Comer

"Motorcycle Diaries"
P: Sebastian Kim
S: Katie Mossman
M: Vanessa Moody

Articles/interviews: Margaret Qualley, Sally Rooney, Marsai Martin, Jemele Hill, "The Rise of the Mom-Shaming Resistance"