Here are some tips and tricks that you may find helpful.
- First, your portrait needs to look like you, so it is not the time to have someone who has never done your make up do it, unless they are a professional specializing in portraits! If you are doing your own make up, keep in mind that you want to look like you, but the best you possible. After your shoot, I will retouch your photos to get rid of any scars or blemishes on your face, so don’t worry too much if your face decides to break out. More than anything, you just want to feel like you look your best because the way you feel will come across in the photos!
- Foundation – Recently, it has become the fashion to have a dewy or shiny finish for your foundation. This may look great in person, but, in photos, it tends to give the appearance of an oily face. Instead, use a matte finish liquid foundation and seal it with a loose powder. Never wipe powder on with a powder puff. Pat it on (pushing the product into the skin) or use a brush. Too much make up is far worse than not enough! Make sure it matches your skin at the jaw line and that it is all well blended!
- Mineral make up is very popular, but may not be the best choice for portraits. The minerals can reflect light, making your face look flat or creating a glare that is unflattering.
- I recommend using bronzing powder around the hairline and cheeks first, then adding blush. The bronzer will both add color and create depth in the cheekbones.
- Eyes – Avoid shimmery eye shadows. Again, what looks great in person tends to look oily on photographs. A trick that I like to use is to line both the bottom and top inner lids with a dark brown or black. It gives the eye great definition, without looking like you are wearing a lot of make up. Also, bring allergy eye drops and use them right before the shoot! I can get rid of red eyes with Photoshop after your shoot, but you will be happier with your eyes if they start out without red in them. Mascara is a must. Do the bottom lashes first, then the top to avoid getting mascara on your upper lid.
- Lips – I recommend that my clients use lip stain first, and then lip gloss. With lip stain, you can get an even line and fill in the lip. What is important about this is that you won’t have to keep going back to check your lip stick, because the stain stays on! Avoid super shiny lip glosses because they are so reflective that they can be hard to photograph.
- Hair – What is most important is that it is clean, and that if you are training your hair (say, growing out bangs) that you spray it in place with something with a cement like hold! You won’t be happy if your baby bangs have split and are doing something you don’t like. Remember, as a photographer, I’ll look for things I don’t think look good in the photo, but my taste in hair styles may not be the same as yours, so what I think looks cute and wispy, you might hate. If there is something you really like or don’t like, please call it to my attention so that I will notice it if it is becoming a problem. Also . . . especially if your children are blond . . . avoid pony tails on young girls. Take my word for it; they will end up looking bald in the photos if the pony tail isn’t showing, and you will hate it!
- Hair Accessories – I LOVE bows and flowers are girls, and even flowers on women if you have the right hair style. These small accents can have a big impact in a close up. That said, make sure you really like yourself in it, and we will want to get pictures with and without, because if you end up hating the way it looks, you don’t want it in every shot. All that to say, don’t have someone put it in your hair and hairspray or pin it so that you can’t get it out easily! I love, love, love hats on kids and adults . . . but don’t put it on until the last minute, and wait until the end of the shoot, so that you don’t have hat hair for all your photos!
- If you are going for a RETRO look, and are doing your own makeup, I suggest going to YouTube and searching for retro makeup tutorials. You can learn everything from foundation to eyeliner from these dedicated video bloggers!
by Tera Leigh
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