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Wednesday, September 11, 2013

The Difference of Design: Makeup for Color Photography vs. Black & White Photography

You've heard the old adage:  you have to do the makeup heavier for pictures!  It's a cliche because it's true.  When doing makeup for live events vs. photography vs. black & white photography, there is much to consider.



In general, the camera has a tendency to flatten 3-D forms (like the face) just a bit and it will also show a makeup palette and finish as being lighter and sheerer than it is in person.  As a makeup artist, that means needing to work with an overall contour on the face to make it slightly more spherical.  In studio art terms, a circle becomes a sphere when you add a light source to have light and shadow, thus contour.  Well, we need to do that to the face in a delicate way with bronzer to assist in keeping the face's form on camera.

Additionally, you have to decide as an artist how heavy to go on foundation and how saturated to go with colors to make sure they photograph well, but still look good in person.  When it comes to makeup that works well for clients attending live events at which they will be photographed, you have to pick a happy medium of coverage and color.  This will be true for bridal and event clients.

Here is a picture of a makeup and hair design done for a client prior to a black tie event.  She wanted to look vintage, but not theatrical.  So, we did a medium coverage base/foundation and gave structure to the brows, eyes, cheeks, and lips without over-doing it.  The main details of the look were the slightly winged liner and red lips (to get that vintage look, darling).  



When you see this design photographed between color, black & white, and sepia, you can see that the most striking picture is the one in color.  This design approach to color and coverage gets lost when you move the image to grayscale.  To successfully design makeup for black & white photography, you have to change the way you look at color and form.  




The piece that you have to consider is tint and shade.  Tint and shade refer to the lightness or darkness of a color, or hue.  When you are designing a look that is specifically going to be photographed in black & white, you need to adjust your coverage and color palette accordingly.  If it's only going to be in a shoot, then it can be heavier in coverage.  If it's going to be in grayscale, then I need to worry about tints and shades (lightness and darkness) of the colors used.

It's very difficult to see beyond the hue.  It's easier to work in either cool tones or warm tones in order to do so.  But, when you do some research on the history of makeup, you'll find that the old black & white movies were styled with cooler-toned makeup.  The face was built with shades of blush, essentially.  So, break out your pinks, purples, and blues!



Here is the same client, still styled with a vintage look, but more appropriate for the period and more appropriate for the purpose of the design:  to be photographed in black & white photography.  





You can see that in color photography, this look is much more over-the-top.  In person, it's downright garish.  But, in black & white photography, it shines.  The base work was much heavier, with deliberate contours built up in creams before moving to powders.  The lips, cheeks, and eyes were colored in and contoured further with a cool-toned palette.  Note that the lip is not red for this design.  A true red lip will photograph closer to black than to gray in black & white photography (as you can see above).  Also, the lines in the brows and eyes had to be exaggerated to not get lost.  


 Photo by:  Serendipity Photography

  Photo by:  Serendipity Photography
 
As you can see, the difference of the two designs directly impacts the success of the look.  Tint, shade, form, line, and color are just a few of the tools an artist will use to wield their art in the world of makeup and hair design.  No design is left to chance.  Every choice the artist makes is deliberate.

Cheers!

Makeup and hair by:  Brett Dorrian www.brettdorrian.com

Getting a Custom Airbrush Spray Tan for Your Wedding

Many brides debate getting an airbrush spray tan before their wedding.  Who are the right clients for airbrush spray tanning?  Brides, grooms, and bridal parties who want to look like they've gotten some sun, but want to skip the harmful rays and the time to do so.  Who are they not for?  Folks who need to embrace their fair skin if, in their heart, they don't really want to look tan.  It's certainly a service that has become trendy and popular, but it's got to be the right fit for you to be the right look for you.    

I have a couple of examples below of brides from this season who did their trial-run appointment for hair and makeup design, and then after the fact decided to have a spray tan done.  So, on the day of the wedding, you can see what they're like a few shades darker.  

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Here is a picture from a bridal trial-run design of makeup and hair:  


Here is a picture of the same bride on her wedding day after having a custom airbrush spray tan a couple of days prior to the wedding day (the lighting is a little darker and more yellow since it's indoors):


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Here is another example of a summer bride at her trial-run makeup and hair design appointment:

And here she is with a spray tan done a couple of days prior to her wedding, on her wedding day (a little flush in the face from all of the excitement, but you can see the tan more true to color on her arms and chest):

{Here is the link to her full wedding by Ray + Kelly Photography}
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If you're wondering if a spray tan is for you, consider these criteria in your decision making process:

1.  Hire an airbrush tan specialist - skip the tanning chambers at the bigger tanning salons.  By hiring an airbrush tanning artist, you will get a more custom color and more precise coverage wherever you do (or don't) need it.

2.  Have a trial-run tanning appointment before the week of the wedding.  The wedding week is no time to experiment with new services.  You will want to try out an airbrush spray tan 1-2 months prior to your wedding to ensure that it's the look you want for your big day.  If you like it, then book an appointment 2-3 days prior to your event.  

3.  Be sure to ask about the prep and aftercare instructions from your artist.  For example, if you exfoliate too much prior to an airbrush spray tan, the product has nothing to stick to and it won't look great; and if you exfoliate too much after the tan, you'll make it go away faster.  

4.  Plan for anywhere from 2-8 hours of no sweating, no showering, and looking a little funny while the product has time to set in for the tan to develop.  You probably want to do this on a day off from work.

5.  Be sure to get your manicure or pedicure before your spray tan- otherwise their process of soaking and scrubbing could remove your tan from your hands and feet.

6.  Plan to invest $50-85 per airbrush spray tan session with your artist.  These are approximate rates for Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, and they will range depending on the level of experience and the convenience of your appointment (i.e. in home vs. at a studio or salon).  Some providers offer a group rate for tanning parties.

At the end of the day, it's a great service to try out.  It's just like coloring your hair a few shades lighter or darker- you'll know if you love it and can't live without it or if you're good going au naturale.  

Happy tanning!

Cheers!