James Blunt= "You're beautiful" Most women know how to apply makeup for everyday use but there are a few differences in applying makeup for photos, especially glamour. If you follow the tips below, you will be on your way to better pictures. Make-up should be as you usually wear it in the evening when going out for a formal occasion. This means more than during the day, more contrast and especially more powder. A matte look is very important for fine skin tone and appearance in a portrait. Lip color should be a solid color at least one shade deeper than usual. Frosted lip colors should be avoided because they photograph very light on film. Bring a clear lip gloss with your make-up, this will be applied just before your photo session. Blush and eye makeup should be applied heavier then normal with emphasis on precision and neatness. The key is to blend from one area of your face to another so that makeup lines, except for eyeliner, do not appear. Eye shadow should be a lighter shade rather than darker so that the eyes are brought forward in the photograph rather than appearing recessed. Eye shadow should be applied to the upper lid with a lighter color applied under the eyebrow from the center of the eye outward - start with a thin line a the center just under the eyebrow, allowing a wider application towards the outer area below the eyebrow. Smoothly blend in the darker lower eye shadow with the lighter upper eye shadow. Makeup, properly applied will greatly enhance your appearance, but too much makeup, the wrong makeup, or makeup that has not been applied properly can have the opposite effect A heavy eyeliner or heavy false eyelashes will cast unwanted shadows over your eyes and cheeks. No make-up may result in a washed out appearance. Your make-up should be applied to enhance your features without its presence being apparent. Some brides have a professional make-up artist not only to do her makeup but also that of the bridal party. If you decide to do your own make-up, the best advice is to practice, until you achieve the look you want. Use your regular make-up or consult a professional beautician to find what products best suit your skin and features, and how to apply them. Choose a make-up that is close to your skin tone. If you have an olive complexion avoid shades of gray. If you have a pale complexion, stay away from bright, colors. If the foundation is too dark, it will create a mask-like effect. Use a soft brown pencil for liner on the eyes. Apply brown powder using a sponge tipped applicator on top of the pencil to set the liner and avoid smearing. Pencil in the shape of your eyebrows lightly with a soft, gentle touch. Use a lip liner pencil and draw the natural lip line, which will help prevent lipstick from running. Blend with a cotton swab and cover with a pastel lipstick. Add a touch of lip gloss to the center of your lower lip. Apply foundation smoothly to the hairline. Cover your face and neck with a fine powder and blend it well with a brush. Apply a touch of blusher high on your cheekbones and blend in carefully. Apply concealer with a sponge to cover any blemishes and to hide circles under your eyes. OK...here is how to achieve a nice look. To achieve that natural look in your portrait apply a little more make-up than you would in your daily activities and even more than you would if you were going out for the evening. You will probably think you that you are wearing too much but remember that natural light and fill flash take away from whatever amount of makeup you have on, so do not worry. How do you achieve this look? Follow the simple steps listed here and with a little practice you should be able to get the results you are after. The first step is to moisturize your face thoroughly and then begin with concealer. The concealer you use for photos should be 2 or 3 shades lighter than your skin tone. Concealer is used to hide blemishes, lighten your eyes and used if there is any discoloration around the lip area. Next, use a solid foundation evenly applied over the face. This part is very simple but is misunderstood by even some makeup artists. Match the foundation to your chin and neckline. You do not want a sudden change of color from your face to the neck or upper chest. After your foundation is finished just apply the rest of your make-up as you normally do but in heavier amounts for the camera. Powder! Powder! Powder! Be sure not to forget the powder. If you have ever seen make-up applied for TV or the movies, the makeup artist is almost always patting the face with the powder applicator. Ever wonder why? Because powder, and lots of it is absolutely essential to gaining that beautiful matte finish which is always present in a great portrait. Even if you have never used powder in your life use it for your portrait or location session. Powder makes the difference between a beautiful portrait and just a portrait. Apply make-up below your cheekbone and under chin to create an oval look to the face. Be sure to blend in and not create distinct lines. Apply this make-up a little darker but not too heavy. Choosing your lip color and application: Make sure that your lip gloss is a solid color and about one shade deeper than you normally wear it. Use more lip gloss on the bottom lip than the top to further accentuate fullness. Also, you can use two to three different shades of lip color working your way from the outer circle of your lips to the inner circle. This will create more dimension, depth and interest. Use a lip liner that is the same color as your lipstick or one shade darker. Apply your blush and eye make-up a little heavier than normal but neatly and precisely. For best results eye liner should be applied starting from the outside of the lower part of the eye and extending about 3/4 length toward the inner part. This will create the illusion of making your eyes look larger. Really work on the eyes and lips. These are the two key features in glamour photography. Use eye shadow which is a lighter shade rather than darker so that the eyes appear more alive. Apply eye shadow to the upper eye lid and above the eye just below the eyebrow. When a darker shade is used in this area it will create a darkening of the eyes and give the appearance of a sleepless night which is not very appealing. Using a light shadow will produce the best results. Learn as much as you can about make-up. Make-up can take a good portrait and turn it into an excellent one when applied properly. Make-up is a fascinating addition and art and through heightened awareness of expressive makeup techniques, you can set your spirit free. By just applying blush... this alone will help color your eyes and make them sparkle. An important part of creating and enhancing photographic work is through the careful use of make-up. Basic techniques are to use eye shadows and shading to make the eyes look larger and set further apart. Eyebrows can be colored and shaped for greater emphasis and lips made fuller. By highlighting cheekbones the shape of the face can be made to look more angular and dramatic or fuller and have a more rounded effect. Lips and eyebrows tend to fade away in photography. Without make-up most models are undeniably photogenic but for the portrait or fashion photographer there is little shape or tonal contrast- the elements which a photographer can develop by using lighting, pose and viewpoint. When the model is made up her bone structure is emphasized and attention is automatically drawn toward her eyes, the rest of her face seeming smaller in comparison. The face now has a well-defined shape, a dramatic area of emphasis and a high degree of tonal contrast. Lips can be outlined making them appear to be fuller and luscious. Nothing beats a few well-placed highlights in your hair if you want a youthful glow and hair with added depth and shine. The secret is streaking to suit your face shape. If you have a long face create the illusion of width at the sides of the face by intensifying your highlights from mid-forehead to cheekbones. If you have a round face concentrate your highlights at the crown and alongside forehead to draw attention up, "slimming" wide cheeks. If you have a square face minimize the appearance of your strong jaw by intensifying highlights from midway down the hair shaft through the ends. If you have a heart shaped face to make your narrow chin appear wider, concentrate face-framing highlights from earlobes to ends. Home