You booked your Newborn Photography Session! Now what?
Yay! You're already one step ahead of the game! You have your newborn or maternity photographer booked, now how do you prepare?
What about your makeup? Whether you wear it every day or don't have anything at all, your photographer should be a great guide in how to prepare you for your session, because no matter what your makeup style - your session kinda needs it!
Makeup makes a huge difference when it comes to photography. Less is NOT more because the camera doesn't pick up as much color and texture as in real life. I highly recommend hiring a professional photographer for all of your maternity, newborn, family, or high school senior sessions. It may not be a look you would wear daily, but it makes a huge difference and you will be happier with your end result-in my humble opinion.
If you're going to DIY, here are some of my top tips, keep in mind these tips are specifically speaking as a photographer, not an everyday makeup guru:
- Use faux eyelashes, even if you are blessed like Minnie Mouse. Faux or eyelash extensions are my #1 tip. If you're not going to wear any makeup, put on some fake lashes. It will make your eyes pop and make a lovely contrast in your images. They don't need to be super long or fancy (I recommend the cheap ones from the drugstore), but they will open up your eyes and bring a lovely soft look to your face in a photograph. You may feel a little funny if you're not used to them, but you won't look like you're wearing fake lashes in the images.
- Neutral lips, no hot pink, red or purple. Nuf said? For real though, editing can be tricky if your lips have too much saturation. Soft neutral tones are the way to go, or a light clear gloss is great too. Easy peasy!
- Easy on the contour and bronzer. I LOVE some bronzer! But it can look a little splotchy or dirty in an image. If you like to add some dimension, I recommend using SEINT makeup and going very light on the contour or bronzer. Seint's makeup system also adds some dimension so you will avoid having your face be all one color, which leads me to my next tip:
- Dimension is good, one color is bad. Gone are the days of buying one foundation, slapping it all over, and powering your entire face. This takes away your skin's beautiful natural texture. Instead, focus on areas of distraction with the right colors, and go easy on the amount you use. I would rather see your skin and edit a little in photoshop than have you covered up too heavily. Your face should not be all one color, this can look dull and overdone. Use BLUSH! It's your best friend to add some life to your look.
- And finally, matte is best, gloss is okay, and the shimmer is bad. Sorry frosty fans, shimmery eyeshadows, and highlighters don't work well in front of the camera. If you would like to highlight some areas on your face where you usually use shimmer, I have a silly tip - use a clear gloss. I swear by it. I actually put a little gloss on the tip of my nose and the high point of my cheeks to add a little glow. I swear it works!
