They say that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, but in our case, it lies in the pages of this magazine. But achieving what we’ve accomplished with our “Most Beautiful People” cover story is not something you see every day. Having tracked every major magazine in this market for the past decade, I’ve never seen a publication attempt what we set out to do with our “Most Beautiful People” gatefold cover and corresponding 20-page feature. The wide range of personalities, backgrounds and professional affiliations during the photoshoot turned the studio into a buzzing playground of camaraderie and networking amid lighting adjustments, poses, wardrobe changes and camera flashes. Some were comfortable in front of the camera, some weren’t. Some had graceful natural poses, some didn’t. In the end, they all came out looking like professional models. But shooting the photographs was just the first of many steps to come. The post-production work had us up at all hours of the night for several weeks in order to get everything perfect, including selecting the right shots, completing Photoshop work and tweaking layouts to perfection. But perhaps it was the editorial lessons we learned throughout this production that has allowed each of us to see what we’re all capable of doing when our passion is at its prime. I’ve learned that I can conduct 60-second interviews with 10 people under the most hectic of circumstances and still be able to crank out a paragraph for each that gives a clear glimpse into each one of their souls. We also realized that our publisher, Alex Avila, is as creative as he is business savvy, and our art director, Alexis Cubilla, is as humble as he is talented. By far, however, the MVP of this issue is our photo editor, Kate Benson. Her mastery of lighting and composition coupled with her ability to make anyone she shoots feel more glamorous and comfortable than they’ve ever felt in front of a camera puts her work in the company of some of the world’s most renowned photographers. In the end, the sleepless nights, behind-the-scenes temper tantrums and creative differences resulted in an unrivaled accomplishment that has brought us all closer together. It’s an experience we will never forget — or at least one that we’ll remember until next year’s “Most Beautiful People” issue comes around!
Jorge Arauz | Editor-in-Chief
