Models and Talent – How To Prepare For Your Photo Shoot

Morton Visuals Commercial Photography Tips, TrainingModels and Talent – How To Prepare For Your Photo Shoot
0 Comments

Preparing yourself for an important photo shoot can be a daunting task. Many models or actors try to crash diet before the shoot, spray tan, or try any number of other “quickie” fixes at the last minute. Below are some great suggestions from renowned Makeup Artist Mary Erickson.

Most professional model knows by experience about what needs to be done before a photo shoot. If you do not have a lot of modeling experience, I suggest you look over the following list of things that will help you for this shoot and in the future. The more of these guidelines you follow the better your shots will turn out.

  1. 72 hours before your photo shoot, avoid the following items (these items can give you oily skin and swelling):
    • Red meat
    • Alcohol
    • Caffeine
    • Spicy foods
    • Retin A and Alpha Hydroxy creams (causes skin peeling that will show with photo makeup)
  2. Drink lots of water, carry it with you everywhere you go, and keep sipping.
  3. Exfoliate your skin at least once a week and also the morning of the shoot.
  4. Have your brows professionally shaped and then keep them up by plucking the strays every few days. I will Pluck strays the day of the shoot but may not have time to shape your brows.
  5. It is a good idea to carry your own mascara to the shoot with you. Some make-up artists use mascara with the same wand on several people. This can spread infection very quickly. Unless you know the artist and know that she only uses disposable wands, it’s best not to take your chances. I do use disposable wands!
  6. Dark roots will look even worse in photos. Refresh your hair color a few days before your shoot. If you do not color your hair, try “shades” or a toner just a shade lighter than your hair to make it shine. If you need a trim, do it before the shoot.
  7. Fingernails and toenails should be one length, well-manicured, and the polish should be colorless or French, unless this shoot calls for color.
  8. All traces of makeup should be gone from your skin. All eyeliner and mascara should be gone. Your face should be clean and product free when you arrive.
  9. Do not over condition your hair before a shoot. Do use your regular styling products to make your hair behave, as chances are the hair stylist will not be wetting your hair and not be able to use gels, etc. Your hair must be dry before you arrive at the shoot.
  10. Avoid dry lips by putting Vaseline on your lips before bed and the morning of your shoot.
  11. For body (lots of skin showing) shots, be sure you get rid of tan lines by visiting a tanning booth a few times. Also get rid of unsightly body hair.

If you are paying the artist, feel free to give advice on how you want to look. The photos are yours and you will have to live with them. If it is a commercial shoot or a shoot that someone else is paying for its best to keep quiet on makeup and hair. Chances are the artist knows what the photographer and art director want. It may not be what you prefer but normally the person paying for the shoot likes to make ALL the decisions. If you are new at modeling is a good idea to go ahead and let the artist make the decisions, even if you are paying her or him. In most cases they will know what will look better in the photos – they are dealing with lights, backgrounds and lens filters that you probably are not familiar with.

Mary’s website is full of useful information, especially for the aspiring or “up & coming” makeup artists – check out her Q&A page! And if you want to gauge whether or not she knows what she’s talking about, check out her resumé!

Professional makeup artist Mary Erickson
Makeup Artist Mary Erickson

What are your thoughts?

pro makeup artist at work on a model to prepare for headshots 10 Tips To Prepare For Headshots Like a Pro
Everyone wants to look their best in their headshot. This article describes how to prepare
Jesse Castaneda - FAQ videos are short form videos to engage customers Why Less Is More: The Benefits of Using Short Form Videos to Engage Your Audience and Drive Sales
In today’s fast-paced world, capturing attention and keeping it is more challenging than ever before.
video interview in the studio 5 Benefits of Adding Business Video to Your Website in 2023
By adding business video to your website, you can quickly and easily engage customers in
Dallas Executive Headshots : Save Time and Money in 2023
One thing we've learned over the years is that executives are busy people, and their
Jesse Castaneda answers from Frequently Asked Questions from his State Farm Insurance customers FAQ Videos Benefit Your Business
FAQ videos, a short video version of a frequently-asked question and answer, are growing in
real estate photography - interior - master bathroom vanity Real Estate Photography in North Idaho
Although I'm not a real estate photographer, I did try my hand at some architectural
The Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina at twilight at Christmas Merry Christmas from Morton Visuals!
Coming from San Diego CA this year, we would like to wish all a very
conference headshots by Morton Visuals Conference Headshots – A Popular Event Trend in 2023
Conference headshots are an increasingly popular benefit for event attendees. Morton Visuals can provide a
Corporate lifestyle portrait 4 Signs That Your Website Images Are Stale
In the age of social media, when new images are posted on Instagram and Facebook
customer testimonial video by Morton Visuals Incorporate New Video in Your Marketing Plan – 3 Reasons It Will Benefit Your Business
In an article published by Business 2 Community, they explored why businesses don’t embrace new
corporate training class 3 Benefits of Video for New Hires into Your Onboarding Processes
Video has become a vital part of every company’s marketing strategy. However, corporate video doesn’t
%d bloggers like this: