Photomedia: First Deadline

For my shoot, I used black boards either side of the model to cast shadows on the face. I used a black background and had a softbox directly in front of the model, slightly above n tilted down. The set up is pictured in a previous post.

These are my final photos that have been slightly edited.

Evaluation

I am really happy with how both my makeup and the photos came out. I had a lot of support from the technicians at college with the lighting- setting up and using the equipment. I used a canon D7000 with a black backdrop, black boards and a softbox. I think the black background worked especially well on the last shoot because of the contrast between the colourful hair and makeup and the darkness behind. Looking at the images now, I wonder if some of the other shoots would look better with a lighter background, maybe white or grey.  It's a shame I could only get the models so late in the option or I would have liked to try other lighting set ups and backgrounds.

My second model, Lucy, did turn up late. This meant I had no time to take off and redo her makeup myself so I had to just leave her own makeup on. This did not fit in well as I wanted the blue eye shoot to be very natural. Had I not already done Jael's makeup, I would have just switched the brown and blue eye plans around a bit but it was too late to change that, too. 

It's a shame I don't have more photoshop knowledge. I'd have liked to touch up some of the makeup that didn't translate so well in the pictures like the green under my first model's eye. I'm going to try and spend some time over the christmas holidays watching photoshop tutorials and learn a bit to help next time. 

Photomedia: Makeup Designs

Blue Eye Shoot

Skin: little/no coverage depending on model's skin.
Contour: very soft.
Highlight: quite strong- dewey, bright looking skin.
Blush: natural peachy.
Eyebrows: soft and natural looking but with a defined shape.
Eyeshadow: soft brown in the crease only a few shades darker than the model's skin with a lighter lid.
Eyelashes: Natural with black mascara; dark brown eyeshadow/eyeliner to be used close to lash line to make them look thicker if needed.
Lips: pinky nude, not matte.

Brown Eye Shoot

Skin: Heavy coverage; flawless looking.
Contour: Strong.
Highlight: Strong but more matte than dewey.
Blush: Light pinky, not too extreme.
Eyebrows: Strong and dark with well defined shape.
Eyeshadow: Light, shimmery lid with dark cut crease. Well pigmented blue/turquoise on lower lash line.
Eyelashes: Dark, potentially falsies.
Lips: Bold, dark plum.

Green Eye Shoot

Blocks of yellow, orange and pink with visible brush strokes and bold black lines. Water activated makeup. Yellow eyelashes: greasepaint.

Developing Film

There's not really much to say about this, we spent yesterday afternoon developing film from last week.

Contact sheet made by exposing photo paper to light with all film laid in rows on top.

Testing exposure times by covering sections with black card.

Photomedia: Makeup Research

Nikki Wolf- http://nikkimakeup.com/

I absolutely love this crazy, colourful style of makeup. I think I'd me more inclined to go for the warmer colour scheme of the bottom pictures but in the harsh shapes of the top one. I think the coloured eyelashes really make this look seem so much more extreme and it's such a simple technique. The more pop art-y eyebrows also just take this look to the next level and steer it away from conventional makeup.

For the more glamorous looks, I really want strong brows to frame the eye with some contour around the bridge of the nose to give more depth. I like the subtle shadow with dramatic lashes, though I'd like to add a bit more excitement to the look by adding a colourful shadow in or under the lower waterline.

Photomedia: Lighting and High Speed

Black and white fashion shot

This type of lighting set up is used a lot in fashion and makeup photography, so I think I will try and replicate it for my shoots. We used a Nikon to shoot with flashguns. One was used with an umbrella, reflecting towards the background to the side of the shoot. The other used a large rectangular softbox on a high stand, tilted down. In the centre we have 2 black screens (flags)  facing in towards the model. We added a big black screen just for extra effect but that isn't necessary. 

These were the results of our photos. I think for my high fashion makeup look, I would need harsher highlights and shadows but I could always edit these after.



Warm/cool highlights

I'm not as sure I've got all the information right on this as my group didn't set this up but here we go anyway. We used a black board for the background with the model stood at an angle instead of straight on. Diagonally behind her, there was a flashgun with blue gel and translucent plastic to soften the light and make the tone cooler. Diagonally in front, a softbox with orange gel on is used to warm up the light.


High Speed
Unfortunately, I can't upload any photos from this shoot for some reason but the photos were of me blowing and messing around with flour and powder paint.
These were the settings we used:
ISO 100
shutter speed 125
f22

Photomedia: Photographer Research

Instagram was a very useful place for me to find photographers. I already follow a lot of makeup artists so through them I can find various photographers.

Tina Einsen- www.t-two-photo.com/

The black background really emphasises the colour in the makeup. The lighting aids the contour of the face and adds to what the makeup already started. 

Jayesh Pankhania- http://www.jayeshpankhania.com/

The lighter background works well on more natural makeup where highlight and strobing is more of the emphasis than contour. I also like having one eye as the focal point with the other either hidden by hair, shadow, or just cut out of the shot.

Margaret Kimura- www.margaretkimura.com/

What I like about these photos is that even though the eyes are mostly the focal point, there are other things going on in the pictures. I'm extremely drawn to the photo on the bottom right, where the hair is covering her face. I would me more inclined to make the eye stand out just a little bit more though, maybe with makeup or just using a model with a more striking eye.

Paul Ward- http://www.paulward.net/

Ward's style is very dark and not usually what I'd like, but I think it captures eyes in a really different way than the others. Maybe this is something to do with the masculine models.

Photomedia: Makeup Ideas

This is a brilliant piece of art by Lara Hawker. The use of the human features painted as an animal mixed with her original features is really strikings and it's something I'd love to bring into my work.

I couldn't find the original artist for this, but I love how striking and creepy this is. I think a full face photo of this where the painted eye resembles the natural eye would look amazing.

Blue Eyes:

This was on a BuzzMakeup post. I like the simplicity of this makeup and also the photo itself. The way it's taken really focuses on the eye because it's the only part of the face that is fully shown. I think to create more emphasis on the eyes I would use a darker brow and more of a neutral lip colour.

Brown Eyes:

This Desi Perkins makeup look is one of the most beautiful I've seen for brown eyes. The lashes, warm colours and strong brows makes the eyes appear so bright and gives quite a liquidity to them. 

Green Eyes:

Again, ridiculous college internet restrictions means I can't find the original artist for this makeup. For the green eyes, I'd love to do a bit more of a wacky, avant garde makeup. This one is particularly effective because the skin, though it would have makeup on, looks very bare and natural. This completely contrasts with the bright, extravagant makeup around the eyes. I also like that there is no hair in the picture, no lip colour and the neck is bare too.