by Sarah Wills
A Journey to Camera Confidence Part 3
Makeup can be a great way to boost our confidence and, much like our wardrobe, it’s an expression of our personal style. It’s a great way for you to look and feel your best for your brand shoot. But you also want to look and feel like yourself.
As well as planning out your outfits in advance of your shoot, it’s also beneficial to plan your makeup look too. This doesn’t mean you need to pile on the makeup if you prefer a more natural style, or go for a makeup look outside of your comfort zone just because you’re stepping in front of the camera. The most important thing is that it suits your style, your personality and what you do.
So what should you think about when planning your makeup look for your brand shoot? I caught up with makeup artist and hairstylist Melinda Hollis to get her advice. Melinda has been in the business for 23 years and as well as offering makeup and hair styling for weddings, photo shoots and special occasions, she also offers lessons to help women discover what suits them and how to do their own makeup with confidence. Melinda is a big believer that getting the right makeup style will make you feel confident inside and out.
Here is Melinda’s advice on what to consider when it comes to makeup for your shoot:
What is your usual makeup style?
Think about the makeup you usually wear. Do you prefer a more natural look? Is a bold lipstick your signature? Do you prefer a dramatic eye? This is a good place to start as you want to look and feel like you!
Personally, I (Sarah) love a red lip. I always go shopping with the intention of finding an everyday nude colour. But I inevitably come back with a new shade of red! So in all of my brand photos you will find me with a red lip.
If you prefer a no makeup look, think more at bringing out your features by accentuating your eyes with mascara and tidy your eyebrows. Some translucent powder to avoid excess shine and a little blusher will bring some colour to your cheeks plus a neutral lip gloss will add some extra colour to your lips, this may be all you need for a ‘no makeup look’
If you like a natural look then Melinda recommend still applying full makeup to give you flawless skin but applied in a way that fully enhances your features in an natural way with neutral colours that blend with your colouring so it doesn’t look over the top and unlike you.
It is OK to wear more makeup than usual for a photoshoot because it won’t come across as strong in the photos.
What works well on camera?
When applying makeup for a photoshoot it is important to know a few things that will help you get the best result for you. Having skin that isn’t too shiny is ideal but if you like a dewy look for your foundation just be careful that it doesn’t look too shiny all over your face, so use some translucent powder to take down extra shine but leaves a radiant look and use highlighter where you would like more of a glow.
Think about the features of your face that you would like to enhance so they stand out in your photos. If you want your eyes to stand out more then concentrate on them. But you don’t want the rest of your face to just blend into one colour so you will still need some blusher and / or contouring and highlighting to give colour and definition to your cheeks.
If you prefer a neutral or nude lip colour you will need to make sure it doesn’t just blend in with your foundation so use a lipliner to define your lip shape and use a lipstick or lip gloss with a shine or shimmer to give your lips a different texture to your face and the shine will give them more of a 3D look too.
If you aren’t sure how your makeup is looking for shine then ask the photographer to take a test shot so you can check.
What are your outfits for the shoot?
Your makeup look should complement and work with your outfits. (for tips on planning your outfit check out how to choose the right outfit for your photoshoot) Look at what colours and styles you are wearing and plan your makeup to compliment them.
If you’re doing a few different outfit looks you could also adjust your makeup slightly for each one. The best way to do this is to change your lipstick to suit the outfit you are wearing or use an accent colour eyeshadow which can be applied on the outer corner of your lower eyelid in a wedge shape to give more colour or depth. And you could use an eyeshadow that tones in with your outfit to help complement your overall look.
What do you do and who are your ideal clients?
The most important thing is that your makeup makes you feel amazing and is true to you and your style. However, it is worth taking in to consideration your brand, what kind of work you do, and who your ideal client is. For example if your business involves working outdoors a lot then a full face of makeup might not work for the photos that show you at work. If you’re a landscape gardener then the outfit and makeup look you choose will likely be different from someone who perhaps works in an art studio or someone who works as coach or a copy writer.
That said, if you show up every day with a bold red lip then absolutely do this for your shoot. This means it’s part of your style and who you are. It’s also who your client is going to meet when they work with you.
The makeup and hair look you choose for a branding shoot also needs to be aligned with your ideal client – Melinda says ‘if I were to have photos of me looking super glam and really made up then I wouldn’t attract the type of ladies that I do – those who want a natural look.’
Consider booking a makeup artist or a makeup lesson
If you don’t feel confident doing your makeup on the day, or if you just want to pamper yourself,
think about booking a makeup artist for your shoot. It’s a great way to treat yourself and it takes the pressure off on the day. It also means that they are there to refresh your makeup as needed and can make changes when you swap outfits. Make sure you book a chat with them in advance to discuss your ideas so that you can plan out your look(s) in advance.
Alternatively a lot of makeup artists, like Melinda, offer make up lessons. So if you want to refresh your skills and get some advice on how to achieve the look you want and the best products to use for your skin then booking a lesson is a great idea. Personally I have found that now that I am…ahem… over 40…the make up I wear and the way that I apply it has needed to change.
Practice your makeup look in advance
It’s a great idea to have a practice run before your shoot. You can try your make up look with your outfits. Do they work well together? How do you feel? Does the final look suit your personality and your brand? If you look and feel good about yourself on the day then this will shine through in your final photos!
And finally lets not forget about hair
The ideal situation is to have a makeup artist who is also a hairstylist, like Melinda, because she will be able to assist you in making sure you are happy with your overall look.
Melinda suggests thinking about the following when it comes to styling your hair for your shoot:
- Like with makeup it depends on the style of the shoot, and your unique style. Don’t have your hair styled for you with lots of curls or a fancy updo if that doesn’t suit the style of photography or clothes you will be wearing or even you as a person.
- If you are having very natural photos of you and are going to have your hair styled, make sure the styling is relaxed and not over styled. A more polished version of what you do is all you need.
- Don’t have an up do if you never wear your hair that way.
- Finishing touches are sometimes all you need to give your hair a bit of body and movement to complement your overall look with your makeup and clothes.
- It can be nice to just change your hair slightly in some of the photos, if it is longer, maybe try pushing it round to one side or pulling more forward so it can be seen in the photographs or even wearing a bun or ponytail in some shots if that is what you might wear when working.
- Some waves often look nice rather than full on curls or defined natural curls can look more enhanced and polished too.
- Take a brush or comb with you and some hairspray and a mirror so you can check your hair if you change outfits.
- Be guided by your photographer as well because they will see everything as a whole and be able to advise you on whether your hair would look best up or down in some of the shots.
Whatever makeup look you decide to go for the most important thing is that it should make you feel good about yourself. You should never feel pressured into a look that doesn’t feel right and doesn’t showcase the reel you! So whether you prefer a ‘no makeup’ makeup look or something more bold be true to yourself and your style. That way you will feel more comfortable on the shoot and with the final images.
About Melinda
Melinda is a makeup artist and hairstylist for weddings, special occasions and photoshoots and has been running her business for 23 years, she also teaches makeup lessons to women of all ages who are new to makeup or want to learn how to do makeup to suit them and her speciality is a natural or naturally glam look.
Melinda also has a wellbeing side to her business where she teaches ladies how to care for themselves and their family by using natural solutions for their mental, emotional and physical
wellbeing.
Melinda loves helping ladies to feel more confident in how they look and how they care for themselves so they can feel beautiful and well on a special day and everyday.
Other blogs in the ‘A Journey to Camera Confidence’ series:
Part 1: The science behind why we hate having our photo taken
Part 2: 5 steps to feeling more camera confident
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