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A top-down view of a person preparing makeup on a blue-painted wooden floor. They wear a gray shirt and jeans, with a rolled-up brush holder resting on their lap as they handle a false eyelash with tweezers. In front of them, a small wooden table is cluttered with colorful makeup palettes, foundation, glitter, wipes, and tools. A circular mirror on the table reflects a dramatic, fully made-up face staring back, adding a striking duality between preparation and performance. The scene captures a moment of transformation, intimacy, and self-expression.
Photography: William Hohe | Model: Heraldo Hermosillo | Creative Direction: William Hohe and Heraldo Hermosillo

Inside Heraldo’s Makeup Bag

William Hohe

Digital Photography | Archival Pigment Print

Graduate

Heraldo is a drag queen and friend of mine who goes by the name Lydia Ryder. Taking a moment to bake and looking at themselves in their mirror, I shot a candid of Heraldo in a state between himself and herself. When does Heraldo become Lydia? In what instance is the human left behind and the drag put on?

Performing and putting on a look for a small-scale photoshoot, this composition speaks to not only the artistry and tedious details behind drag makeup, but an ongoing fascination with performance in photography.

Collaborating with Heraldo and Owen (another drag artist not pictured), we investigated and documented going from the self out of drag and the interrogation with the drag persona during this photoshoot. These images were included as part of William’s Summer of Rest & Relaxation and speaks to the artist’s interest and the entertainment they find in watching drag and drag queens.

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