what to wear/makeup

This page will hopefully help you better understand what you should wear on your shoot and makeup tips. Clothing choices are so important, It can make or break your photograph. You need to think about several things when deciding what to wear. First, The look you are going for, examples would be Urban, earthy, formal, glamourous, etc. Next, you need to think about what you intend to do with that photograph, If it is going up in your home as a canvas or print, keep in mind the color scheme of your home and stick with that.

How to get ideas/ choosing colors

Take your favorite photographs you have seen and try and get close to that style. Pinterest has a ton of ideas. I found all of the below within 5 minutes.

Match your home! These beautiful prints will most likely be displayed in your home So choose a color palette that is similar.

take a picture of an area in your home and make your own color palette at www.coolor.com

My go to rules

1. Decide your color scheme- Coordinate more than match. Choose colors that compliment each other.

2. Try and choose 3 colors in your palette and stick with those. If you get too many colors then the focus is taken away from the subjects-YOU!

3. Do not Have too many different patterns. I always suggest one pattern with solids. So boys in plaid, girls in solids would be an example.

4. If you want to have a timeless photograph that does not date you, stick with basics and solids. Trends change so much every year. Avoid logos and characters on clothing.

5. Be comfortable! Choose things you will wear again. Do not put children in scratchy uncomfortable clothing or they will not cooperate well for the session.

6. keep in mind your body shape and size. larger people tend to want to wear really baggy clothing. Believe it or not, in a photograph this makes you look larger. Try not to do this, choose more fitted items. It is easier for the photographer to smooth lines out for you when editing to make you look your best.

7. layer clothing and accessorize. Use texture in your clothing. Keep in mind the season you are working with as well. Plan accordingly for cooler weather. try not to show too much skin, people usually regret it afterward.

8. for kids keep in mind their age. If your two-year-old does not like headbands, do not try to put one on for pictures, not only will they take it off every two seconds, they will mess up what hair they have in the process.

makeup

Have you ever done your makeup really good then take a selfie and it looks like you are wearing nothing? Yep, that is what film does. You need to put your makeup on slightly heavier than you want to, so it can show up the way you would like. Do the selfie test till you are happy with how it looks in the selfie.

Prep
Great skin is the foundation of any look. The night before your big event, exfoliate with either a gently abrasive scrub or a non-abrasive liquid and apply your favorite moisturizer generously. This will leave your skin looking plump and refreshed. only apply moisturizer if your skin is dry to very dry. If your skin is a bit more oily, skip to the next step.

Prime
Be sure to begin with a primer to create a smooth starting point for the rest of your look. Two of the best ones on the market are Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer and Nars Pro-Prime Oil-Free Pore Refining Primer.

Refine Your Complexion
Choose a foundation that’s right for your skin type and made to be photographed. It’s best to avoid any varieties with built-in sunscreen, as they don’t play nice with flash photography and can look mask-like in photos. Two of the best camera-friendly foundations are the Make Up For Ever HD Invisible Coverage Foundation and Revlon PhotoReady Foundation (liquid, mousse, or powder).

Set Your Foundation
Secure your foundation by setting it with a light powder. Choose one with a translucent finish
Flash photography can wash away a lot of the structural definition from your face, so a little bit of shading with bronzer or contouring powder will help keep you looking well-defined and less like a moon in the night sky. It’s really important that you use something with a matte finish, since matte recedes and will add depth. Using a medium-sized brush (such as M.A.C 168 Large Angled Contour Brush) dust some of the bronzer under your cheekbones, along your temples, and under the jawline.

Highlight
Once you’ve finished contouring, add some lightness by applying a highlighting cream on the top of your cheekbones and onto your cupid’s bow. Cover Girl Intense Shadowblast (in “Beige Bling” or “Brown Bling” for fair and dark skin, respectively) works really well as an affordable highlighter.

Add A Blush
The final touch for your skin is a flush of colour on the cheeks. Apply it just on the apples of your cheeks so that it looks like a healthy glow and not like, well, blush on camera. For the most natural look, try to find the colour that you would flush naturally. Smashbox O-Glow Intuitive Cheek Color goes on as a clear gel and then adjusts to the shade of pink that suits you.

Choose A Lipstick That Lasts
When it comes to big events, choose your lipstick wisely. Nudes and pinks work well at weddings because they’ll match whatever you wear and won’t noticeably smudge throughout all the talking, drinking, and kissing you’ll (hopefully) be doing. A matte or creamy finish will give you the best-staying power and will require fewer touch-ups. Three go-to shades I like are Nars Pure Matte Lipstick in “Montego Bay,” Revlon Matte Lipstick in “Smoked Peach” and Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick in “Rosy Nude.”

Lock It Down
This final step is perhaps the most important. After you’ve perfected your look, make it stay put with a makeup setting spray. Urban Decay All-Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray will keep you looking perfect throughout the revelry.

Most of these tips provided by the Fashion blog.