The Importance Of Makeup & Hair

Do you really know the importance of good hair and makeup for photo shoots?

It really can make or break an image. 

Lets start with makeup...

We all know that good makeup can make you look flawless...

So bad makeup can bring out EVERY flaw you have on your face.

From the images above you can tell which is which.

Every model needs to learn how to do their makeup. 

www.youtube.com is an amazing source of professional tutorials.

You need to look at your face and see what are your best features and then learn how to bring them out.

Learn to do natural makeup 1st. Because if you can learn to bring out your natural beauty 1st a lot of the other stuff is cake.

If you don't feel comfortable doing your own makeup find a good makeup artist and pay her to do your face, or create a partnership and you both get images for your portfolios.

Remember well done natural makeup is better than really bad unnatural makeup.

Now on to hair.

Right is bad hair.. Left is good hair.

Even if they want a messy do there are ways to do this.

You can see the difference in both..

Good hair is just as important as makeup.

It can also make or break a photo.

 You can have the most amazing wardrobe

The most amazing makeup.

But if that hair is off the whole image is off.

So again learn to do your own. Learn natural looks 1st.

Then branch out. Am I saying you need to be a hair stylist. No I am not.

But you do need to have a good working knowledge of how your hair works and moves.

You need to know how to do the following:

For Long or Medium length 

down look both straight and messy.

A nice up do 

Nice braid

Curly look both neat and messy

Teased look

For Short Hair 

slicked back

spiked

curly if u can

Again YouTube is an amazing place for tutorials.

Another thing to keep in mind when thinking about hair and makeup 

is the theme of the shoot your going to be working on.

Is it fashion,glamour, alternative, pin-up?

This will help you design the hair and makeup for these set's.

If you feel unsure if you can pull it off hire a makeup artist or hair stylist.

A lot of them are both makeup and hair artists.

This would eliminate the need for both of them.

Basically long story short..

Learn basic hair and makeup skills.. 

This will keep you from looking horrible in your shoots.

You want your images to be the best they can be.

This starts with good makeup and hair.

Check local model networking sites to find great makeup and hair artist..

www.modelmayhem.com

www.onemodelplace.com

Also you can search Facebook

Also last tip!

Keep your eye brow's shaped and if you dye your hair keep it maintained!

There is nothing worse than crazy eyebrow's and some serious roots.

This goes for you alt girls with the crazy hair colors and you dolls who 

like to bleach your hair!

Get your pose on girls!!

Do you know what needs to be in YOUR portfolio?

So do you really know what you need in your portfolio?

Really think about it.

What do you think is required for a great portfolio?

Do you know the 3 must have shots for your portfolio?

I bet most of you don't!

Well below I will explain all this to you. In hopes that it will help you build the strongest book you can!

Ok 1st thing's 1st!
You already know you need a portfolio when modeling. That's a no brainer.
But here is what you need in it.
The 3 main photos you have to have in your portfolio are
1 good head shot

1 good 3/4 shot

 1 good full length shot

After you have these shots. Then you can start adding the creative images. 

When you are 1st starting out.. I suggest shooting anything that interest you.

Remember at this point you are considered a "Freelance" model.
So you can shoot any genre your little heart desires.
But also remember to keep your own attributes in mind.
If you are 5'2 you wont shoot much fashion.
Where as if you are 5'10 with few curves you wont shoot much glamour.
Alright for those who want to approach agencies.
You will need a physical book as well as an online portfolio.
The size portfolio you will need is a 9x12
http://models-mart.com/portfolios/
Is a great place to get said books.
I personally think leather books look way more professional than the clear plastic ones.
These come in 10 or 20pgs.
You don't need a whole ton of work to showcase.
Only your 10 or 20 strongest images will do.
No one wants to sift through hundreds of photos.
Which brings me to my next point.
BE VERY VERY PICK WHAT YOU PUT IN YOUR PORTFOLIOS!!
Be that an online portfolio or your physical books.
Your portfolio is what gets you job's. So it needs to be the best it can be.
Alright,
Online portfolio's are a different monster.
The places that are the most popular for this are
www.modelmayhem.com
www.onemodelplace.com
www.models.com

These places allow you to upload images to a digital portfolio.
Depending on which portfolio plan you choose depends on how many images you can upload.
I know on One Model Place you can have like 300 or more if you pay for it.
But honestly NO ONE will look at that many images.
Most people will look at 15 or 20 max.
They will open your gallery and look at your thumbnails.
Then only look at the images that really jump at them.
So honestly more than 50 is too many.
So be very very picky with what you showcase!
Make sure its a variety of images.. but that you have the most important 3 main images.
Head shot, 3/4 shot and full length shot.
Good luck my dear's!
I hope this blog helped!

July's Model Of The Month Samantha Sam Sam!

Name: Samantha Samsam

Age: 27

Height: 5' 7''

Measurements: 39'', 28'', 35''

1. When did you start your career? Summer of 2009

2. What kind of model are you (glamour,fashion,alternative,everything)? 

Pin-up is my favorite, I do that for fun, but I give some commercial and glamour a shot when opportunity comes about. 

3. What are you hobbies,favorite movie,favorite music,etc?

I just love hanging out with friends, nothing compares to a night out with buddies that are such giggle fits that you have tears in your eyes.   

My favorite music is very varied.. from Tom Petty, Nora Jones, Coldplay, even Britney Spears. My go to music has a bit of a moody, mellow feel, something you can relax in a bubble bath with. 

I am not a big movie buff, but I have a few TV shows I am hooked on, such as The Big Bang Theory, Mad Men, and the Walking Dead. 

4. Is modeling your full time job? 

No, 

I wish I could model full time, but in my part of the country, there is not enough work out there to keep the mortgage paid. It is more of a hobby that pays for shoes. I have realized that the paycheck have gotten bigger since I started, but I am still not at a point where I could quit my full time job. 

5. What do you know now that you wish you did when you 1st started modeling? 

I wish I allowed myself to "let go" a bit more.  It was hard at first to pull out expressions, and be a little silly.  More often than not, those odd faces make the best photos. 

6. Where do you want to take your modeling in the future?

I would love to have the chance to be in more publications, try my hand at some more commercial work... or even model for a few of the pin-up clothing companies out there. Really, I would just love to "get out there" more.  Find awesome opportunities, and go with it. 

7. Who is your favorite photographer,model?

My favorite photographer, that I have worked with is Celeste Guiliano.   She continues to amaze me with her work, and she has a way of building on ideas to make them better than you planned on.  The list of those who's work I adore, but have not gotten the chance to work with is long, but at the top of my list, I wish I would sit for Annie Leibovitz, just to see what she would do with it, and Robert Alvarado.  I adore his pin-ups. 

My favorite model is a girl named Jessamyn Rose.  I adore her work, and I have to admit I have a little girl crush on her.  I've never met her, I just see her photos pop up from time to time. 

8. What was your best & worst experiance as a model?

I do not have a best experience.   I have countless good experiences, from the photographer I shot with over the summer who forced me to sit down on the beach and take in the scenery after our shoot, it was beautiful.  We shot in the early fall, when the beaches were empty, and allowing time to just relax, and stop thinking for a bit was beyond relaxing.

Then there was the shoot for a special edition of Retro Lovely, it was one of the longest shoots that I had been on, but when I arrived, the way everything was laid out was impressive.  From the story board, the lineup of wardrobe to try on, the set.  I worked with an amazing group of people, and we all worked to get every last detail just so, but we laughed the entire time. 

I can say that my best experiences are with people that keep laughing the whole way through. 

As for my worst, it was with meet-up group.   After this experience, I decided I will no longer waste my time with those.  I drove over 2 hours with a friend to get there.  The makeup artist did not use anything that would hold up in hot weather, so half way through the shoot I had eyeliner literally running down my cheeks.  We were told wardrobe would be provided to mix and match with, but there was none in sight.   The makeup artist and wardrobe girl also put us in the back of the line, behind people who had already

been there for hours and already on our second shoot.  By the time we were ready to shoot we had wasted half the day waiting around.  The actual shoot was a let down too.  The location was a good one, but the photographers decided to shoot paparazzi style.  When they shoot like that you tend to get hundreds of photos back, but none that would be worth using.  Most of the photographers were obviously not experienced, and never touched a setting on their camera, and they do not seem to know when to stop.  Some of them literally did not take their finger off the shutter for a full 15 minutes in the same spot, no adjustments, no new angles, nothing.  In the end, I really did not get many usable photos.Some photographers never even delivered any photos at all.  The few I got back from photographer that were good ended up showing my makeup mishaps.  The day was an unorganized mess.  In the end it was not so bad, the friend I drove up with found a great spot to eat on the way home where we laughed about the day. 

Luckily, that is my only horrible experience.   I do check references, and other girls talk and share stories, so I have a list of people I would never work with.   But beyond that, nothing awful.

9. Whats your dream modeling gig? 

I dream of being in a Gap advertisement.  It was a little thought I had before I ever considered being a model at all.  Something about a toned down classic tee shirt and jeans.. and just personality behind the photos. 

10. What advice would you give a new model entering the industry? 

To keep dealing with them,

Just know that nothing happens overnight.  You have to take on the small boring jobs, before you can gain the experience to take on the more exciting ones.  

What are YOUR top 10 must have's for your model bag?

1. Double sided tape

2. Commandos (a pair of nude, seamless undies)

3. Eyelash glue

4. Safety pins.

5. A backup mini makeup kit.  Trial sizes, in case the MUA is a flake.  (it has happened!) I also always have mascara.. many times I have been asked to have my own.  

6. Body lotion (always use lotion before showing off the walking sticks!)

7. Cashews.  

It is a simple snack, just in case the shoot goes forever, and I need a bite of something. 

8. Deodorant... just in case the location is over the top hot.

9. This little bra clip I have, it is designed to keep your straps from falling, but it also creates the best cleavage.

10. Business cards.   

It is always a good idea to have one on hand, you never know who you will meet, and you do not want to regret not getting your info in their hands.