UR Fierce hosts Valentines Day themed photoshoot

It was a 'Fierce Friday' at 5 p.m. on Feb. 10 as students lined up to have their pictures taken at a photoshoot sponsored by UR Fierce in the Commons of the Carole Weinstein International Center.

"Our idea is to pick one Friday of every month to host an event that all students can participate in," said junior Katie Apolinario, the club's co-secretary.

For this month, the organization decided to host a Valentine's Day themed photoshoot for couples and friends called the "Sweetheart Photo Shoot," Apolinario said.

UR Fierce provided the participants with two professional makeup artists, one student makeup artist and four photographers, three of whom were Richmond students, she said. They also offered several props, such as roses and a large frame that participants could use during the photoshoot, she said.

"We were really interested in making it as student-oriented as possible," Apolinario said. "We want to build a community with students, even if they aren't members of the club."

Junior Vivian Trinh, one of the organization's co-secretaries, organized the photoshoot. Trinh booked the location and contacted the make-up artists and the off-campus photographer through the president of the organization, she said.

"Our initial idea was to have the photoshoot outside," Trinh said, "but because of how unpredictable the weather has been, we knew that would be too risky. After our second choice for a location had been booked, we decided to shoot it in the Commons because the lighting is so good."

Apolinario said four couples and six friend groups had participated with no cost to them.

Sophomore Beverly Duran, one of the participants, said, "My boyfriend and I had been thinking about getting our pictures taken, and when we heard about the event we thought it would be great, especially since it's free."

The off-campus makeup artists, Ellie 'Retrophilia' Smith and Malachi Cardellino, volunteered to work with UR Fierce in hopes of expanding their clientele to include students on campus, Apolinario said.

She said the off-campus photographer, Roderick Patterson, had been volunteering with the organization since its inception.

Patterson said, "I've known the president of UR Fierce [Courtney Harvey] since high school, so when she asked me for my help with the project, I was eager to help out."

Last month, the organization hosted a skin care workshop in partnership with Sephora. Some of the makeup artists from the Richmond stores came to share some tips and tricks to promote healthy and vibrant skin, Harvey said.

Harvey said, UR Fierce was co-founded in the spring of 2010 by her and Tasha Baah, a graduate of the class of 2011. Both women realized that there was no creative outlet for students interested in the fashion industry, Harvey said.

On March 26, the club will host another photoshoot, capturing lightwriting in the dark, Apolinario said.

Contact reporter Nabila Khouri at nabila.khouri@richmond.edu