How to Prep for Your Portrait

MAKE UP

Consider hiring the services of a professional makeup artist. Your portrait session is an investment and professional makeup can make a world of difference to your final photograph. In some cases, such as artistic portrait shoots make up will be an integral part of the session. KDG Photography can recommend some excellent local up artists to assist.

All genders can benefit from a little to a lot of makeup – whether it is simply translucent powder to reduce skin shine, a touch of mascara to help make your eyes pop, or the creation of a particular look for the portrait, keep your goals for the final photograph in mind. 

Eye make up – the old adage “eyes are the window to your soul” is never more true than in a photograph. Studies show that when a human looks at a photograph, the first thing they seek is the eyes. Connection through the eyes can send a world of messages and make up will help portray the message better than words.

Foundation and Cheek colour – ensure foundation matches your skin tone and is blended perfectly at the jaw line. Avoid oily foundations which reflect light and make your skin look shiny. Unless sparkles are part of the image, avoid blushes with sparkly elements as they can create distracting bright spots in the photograph. Talk to your photographer about contouring makeup. They may prefer to create contouring using lighting and therefore makeup contouring can be counter-productive.

Lip Colour – Ensure the colour matches your look or creative message and blends well with the rest of your ensemble. Even if you don’t wear lipstick, add a clear lip balm with a touch of shine to help smooth the lips and hide dry flakes.