The work doesn’t start when the camera turns on.
It starts with listening.
With setting the tone.
With building trust.
From the music in the room to the energy on set, every detail matters.
This shoot was about leadership, collaboration, and creating space for everyone to show up fully — on camera and beyond.
Behind the scenes from a ballet campaign where intention met execution.
Every set has a moment where preparation gives way to rhythm.
Where the references, lighting adjustments, test shots, and moving pieces disappear… and everyone starts speaking the same visual language.
That moment happened with Cheyenne.
She brought a quiet confidence to set that made everything feel effortless — precise when it needed to be, playful when the moment called for it, and fully present in front of the camera.
By this point, the vision for TRUE TEXTURE had fully settled in.
Skin that felt lived in.
Movement that felt natural.
Beauty that didn’t need over-explanation.
Just trust between talent, glam, and direction.
Big thank you to Cheyenne for bringing such grounded energy in front of the lens.
To @beautybychante for understanding restraint and helping us maintain skin that felt honest and elevated.
And to @heymantalentagency for trusting this vision and sending incredible talent to help bring it to life.
This is the kind of work I want to keep building—where thoughtful production meets campaign-level storytelling.
By the third frame, the intention becomes clear.
TRUE TEXTURE was built around a simple idea:
let the skin hold the story.
No heavy diffusion. No over-correction.
Light that sits on the surface instead of flattening it.
Movement that feels lived in, not performed.
With Mei-Lin, the energy sharpens.
There’s a clarity to how she moves in front of the camera — precise, aware, and fully present.
Which shifts the direction. Less about pulling something out, more about refining what’s already there.
This is where my approach to beauty is landing —
not in perfection, but in control.
Not in trends, but in understanding where the language of beauty is going.
Work built with brands like @glossier , @fentybeauty , and @rhode in mind —
where skin feels real, product feels integrated, and the image holds up without explanation.
Talent - @meilinwilliams
Rep - @heymantalentagency
MUA - @beautybychante
Noelle came into this shoot last minute — and shifted the entire energy on set.
Confident, bold, and fully present in front of the camera in a way you can’t manufacture.
As a director, moments like this matter.
Because great work isn’t just about the plan — it’s about recognizing what’s in front of you and knowing how to shape it without losing its edge.
With Noelle, it wasn’t about pulling something out of her.
It was about creating space for her to be, and guiding that energy with intention.
This is the part of directing I’ve grown into the most —
less control, more awareness.
And when it clicks, the work speaks for itself.
Talent - @noelletaylorrr
MUA - @beautybychante
This test became a turning point.
Not just in what I photographed — but in how I approached the entire production.
Casting. Team building. Visual direction.
Letting skin, tone, and presence lead.
This is the new standard for how I create beauty work.
Tag a beauty brand that should see this.
Model @faith.Monique_
Rep @heymantalentagency
MUA @beautybychante
He walked in wondering if this would be like every other photoshoot.
@leroydbean had just come off a national tour with @trippfontane and stepped into the studio carrying the gratitude and reflection that comes with honoring a long journey.
What unfolded wasn’t just about making portraits.
Somewhere between the music, the conversation, and the camera clicking, the energy shifted. The nerves faded and what showed up instead was presence.
Moments like this are why I created the Refresh Session — for entrepreneurs, artists, and leaders stepping into a new chapter and wanting images that truly reflect who they’ve become.
If you’re in a season of becoming, it might be time for your own refresh.
Start the conversation here:
shoncurtis.com/refresh
Save this if you’re stepping into a new chapter of your life.
Building campaigns means thinking beyond single moments.
Every decision — lighting, composition, pacing — supports a larger system.
Creative direction is about alignment.
I’ve been sitting with this series for a while.
This project was about building a visual language that could live on stage, on screen, and in the city.
From concept to key art to public installation, every frame was shaped with intention.
Grateful for the trust and collaboration.
More from this world soon.
Creative Direction & Photography: @byshoncurtis
Client: @daytonballet@daytonperformingartsalliance
Design: @ligcreative
Retouching: @w0llay@oms.photo
Some portraits don’t just show a person — they reveal the layers they’ve gathered along the way.
These images of my brother, Leroy Bean, feel almost painterly in the way the light shapes him… bold in their graphic simplicity… and honest in how they hold the evolution of a man who has spent years sharpening his voice, his discipline, and his place in the world.
There’s something transformative about seeing yourself with clarity — not the version the world remembers, but the one you’ve fought to grow into. The one that carries the journey in the jawline, the posture, the steadiness of the eyes.
I’ve watched Leroy stay devoted to his craft — not loud, not performative, but steadfast. Word by word. Stage by stage. Breath by breath. And now, fresh off a nationwide tour, you can feel the maturity in him. You can see it. You can almost hear it in the stillness of these frames.
James Baldwin once said,
“The artist is a sort of emotional or spiritual historian, and his role is to make you realize the glory of who you are.”
That’s what this feels like.
A documentation of glory.
A timestamp of becoming.
A reminder that vision — when protected and cultivated — will always reveal itself in its own time.
If these images speak to you, tell me:
Do you feel like you’re stepping into a new version of yourself too?
Watching my brother @leroydbean step into the studio after a nationwide tour felt different.
This wasn’t just a Refresh Session… it was a moment to honor the evolution of an artist who has fought, grown, and risen into his purpose.
From opening for @trippfontane across the country to redefining his presence here at home, this shoot was about capturing the version of Leroy that the world is finally starting to see.
Proud is an understatement.
This is what becoming looks like.
This is the work.
This is the glow.
Schedule your own REFRESH SESSION by typing REFRESH in the comments below.
