Make-up for Photographic Work

Don't feel that you always have to go straight for the foundation; using different types of moisturisers alone can give totally different finishes on the skin.

I always start with the foundation, then top up with concealer (if needed) and finish with a light dust of powder.

If you are going for the dewy or shiny finish, be careful not to overdo it. When the light from the flash bounces off the skin, it can make the skin appear greasy if you are not careful. If this is the look that you are going for, great. If not, a light dust of powder on the inner corner of the eyes and around the crease by the nostrils can make all the difference.

Eyes

Whether you want to achieve a natural look or something more glamorous, the eyes are always the focus in any picture.

Eye make-up can get lost under strong lights. It is important to use shadows and liners with strong pigments. Put a little more on than you normally would, as you will loose a lot of definition under the lights.

Make-up will loose up to 40% of its tone and colour through the lens - that's almost half, so you can imagine just how strong you need it to be to transfer onto print.

Find out from the photographer what lighting and lenses will be used as this will make a huge difference. You do not want to overdo it if the lighting and lenses are to a truer finish.

Tip: Avoid using anything too shimmery, as this will reflect the lights badly. If you are going for a heavy eye make-up, create the eyes first and apply foundation/base afterwards. This way, you can wipe away any shadow that drops onto the skin and maintain a clean fresh look on the skin.

Cheeks and lips

Do not overdo it on the cheeks as you may end up looking flushed if you are not careful.

A basic guide to applying your blusher is to look directly into the mirror to identify where the centre of the eye is, move down to the apple of your cheeks (but not below the nose) and sweep up towards the top of you ear.

If you are going for a more contoured effect, feel where your cheekbone is. This is where your highlights go, the shadows should fall just below this line.

I try to keep the cheek and lip colour in sync as much as possible. When applying a lip colour, I always base the lips with a concealer as this acts as a great base for the lip colour to grip onto. It also allows you to alter the shape of the lips should you need to do so.

I line the lips with the liner, then fill the lips with the pencil all over. I then apply the lip colour and finish with a gloss, if required.

Do go easy with glosses as they can reflect the light badly. I know of one case where the photographer could see his own reflection in the model's lips, as the gloss was so shiny.

Black and white photography

Not all colours transfer well into black and white. It is worth remembering to use a deeper colour on the lips and apply a little more definition on the eyes.

The body

Remember that it is not just the face that needs making-up. If you are going to use fake-tan, be sure to use the same colour all over, from head to toe. I know this sounds rather obvious but I have worked with many models who needed touch ups here and there.

Thanks to technology, photographers can touch this up if need be but I feel it is better to get it right from the start.

Be careful of strap marks - you may need to touch these up.

Also ensure that your hands and toes are in nice shape. No chipped nails or polish, and keep them matching.

And finally ...

These are all basic tips and by no means go into the depths of make-up.

It is very important to experiment to get to know your face better. The more you experiment, the more confident you will become.

The one thing to remember is that it is only make-up. Have fun with it. If you make mistakes, it's no biggy - just wash it off and start all over.

^ top of page