Benjamin Arthur Brown

7 Mar-5 Apr 2026 12-6pm Thurs-Sun or by appointment

Accompanying Text by Georgia Stephenson

Ready for your close up?

Sure, you turn heads at a distance, but when things get really intimate, are you still the most beautiful of them all? Follow writer Georgia Stephenson’s foolproof guide for guaranteed sparkle both near and far.

1. Prep like a pro

To achieve a truly flawless close-up, rest is an essential ingredient. Give yourself the chance to recover and get some distance from yesterday’s problems with at least eight hours of uninterrupted shut-eye. A long sleep will give you the opportunity to dream deeply, exploring the crevices of your subconscious mind. Bonus points if you can find a mirror down there – how does your mind’s eye see itself?

2. Sculpt that outline

Contour your perfect shape with balance in mind. Symmetry is vital, as it will help your first impression match up with the one that lasts. If it’s helpful, picture the wings of a butterfly – total harmony between left and right. If you closed it up like a book, every detail and flourish would be destined to kiss its perfect reflection. Set the expectation, then match it.

3. Born natural fillers

With your desired lines defined, it’s now time to fill in those gaps. Target sunken areas that have fallen victim to repetitive trauma or general fatigue. Chart your surface and rewrite the story so far. These details are important in close-up, where proximity to complexion leaves nowhere to hide. Smooth out historic frustrations or buff up a forgiving brow. Bounce back to youth with the injection of genuine innocence or real puppy-dog fat – if you can find it.

4. Wear your crown

Posturing is best when your head is held high, so keep that chin up. Relax the shoulders and feel an extension through your beauty bone. This position is crucial to adopt, as it distinguishes you from others who may also be performing their close-up. Onlookers will gravitate towards the sense of control that you project, turning casual admirers into loyal followers.

5. Muted tones, maximum impact

Sometimes silence speaks the loudest, so consider more recessive moments in your close-up that allow your most flattering features to really sing. Cool that inner monologue. Give some breathing space to the jury of indecision and exude a quiet confidence that keeps your audience guessing.

6. A wide-eyed wonder

If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then how should you paint the shutters? From afar, a high-shine gloss or metallic sheen will allure, which is, of course, fabulous. But in close-up, a twinkle in the eye is all that’s required. Fashion your glint expertly by cultivating a private joke, secret signal, or pairing it with a very quick eyebrow raise for the ultimate impression.

7. Shoot from Cupid’s Bow

Only you know what makes your pout pop. That’s why it’s essential to mould the conversation to suit your strengths and allow your personal joie de vivre to shine through. Use a varied vocabulary to move from object to subject in the eye of your beholder, ensuring that your palette has something special for every occasion: from Siren’s Call, to Hot Gossip, and a favourite by moonlight – Smouldering Whisper.

8. Stay timeless

So you’ve done the work and mastered your close-up impression. You hold those

tried-and-tested results. You’ve been fawned over and flattered. What next?

Make it travel. Flatten, splice, and digitise your close-up so that it can be the first thing new audiences experience of you. Smile knowingly with friends over artisanal small plates, dwarf your frame in the majesty of epic natural landscapes, hold and be held in a flash-on, whirlwind-tight embrace. Stage your compositions so that they reflect your beauty best, showing that it’s so much more than skin deep.

#180 ‘…not my face…’

#181 Uprooted

#179 Alloy