February 21, 2012

10 Make Up Tips for Your Next Session

Like every other girl in this world, I was browsing through pinterest during my down time. One of my friends pinned this link full of wonderful make up tips to make you look great in pictures! I had to share!
1.       Use Mattes
2.       Apply in Natural Light
3.       Use Yellow Tinted Powder
4.       Blend in Under Eye Concealer
5.       Black Eye Liner and Mascara
6.       Blush
7.       Don’t Skip the Lipstick!
8.       Avoid Shadows
9.       Contour with Highlight
10.   Whiten Eyes
Just listing the tips is not enough. View the full article with detailed tips here.

February 14, 2012

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine’s Day to all! Don’t forget that we offer gift certificates. They are great gifts for ones who are hard to buy for.
I have just booked two weddings for the upcoming year! I am looking forward to working with both brides. I have been researching for new ideas to prepare myself to capture some creative, unique wedding shots. I cannot wait to try them out!
Speaking of weddings, I have been extremely busy planning my own. I will be marrying my fiancĂ©, Ty, on May 19th in Judsonia. We have chosen to marry at Sunset Ridge. It is a beautiful location for outdoor weddings, I would recommend this location to anyone in the area. The sweetest couple own the conference center and are wonderful to work with. Being the crafty person I am, I have taken on almost too many crafts for my wedding. Hopefully it will all pay off. Some days it feels like nothing will work out – you know, the wedding day nightmares where the pastor is missing, the photographer forgot about your wedding, and there is not enough time to put up the decorations. I’m sure other brides can vouch for me. I’m just waiting for the day to arrive and everything to fall in place – hopefully. Wedding planning is A LOT of work, but it will all be worth it when I am on the flight to the Bahamas with my husband by my side. I absolutely cannot wait!
How about you? Do you have any wedding stories to share?

February 02, 2012

What Should I Wear?

One of the big questions that follows the booking of a session is “What should I wear?” You’ll go shopping or tear through your closet on the search to find the perfect outfit. I thought it would be helpful to share a list of basic guidelines. The goal is to be comfortable and achieve the natural look.
WHAT "NOT" TO DO:
Patterns and bold accessories are fun if you’re at a costume party but at a photography session it’s best to avoid the cluttered looks, bright stripes, or strong patterns. It doesn’t mean that patterns don’t work for a photography shoot, but for the most part, patterns are generally distracters.
Funky hair-dos, large accessories (i.e. hats, ornate earrings, pink fluffy scarves), and overly heavy make-up should be avoided.
Avoid outfits that show your tan lines or underclothing (i.e. bra straps).
Do not plan a new haircut, using new make-up or testing new styles before your session to avoid potential problems (i.e. skin breaking out, hair cut that’s not flattering)
WHAT TO DO:
I prefer the casual look when shooting outdoors. Jeans work really well with a simple one pattern top. In my opinion, photographs that stand the test of time are the ones that keep to simple, classic, and casual themes. 
The typical recommendation is that you should wear long sleeve tops (for adults) and long pants/jeans/skirts etc. This draws attention to your face and eliminates potential distractions from your arms or legs. The rules are certainly not set in stone so if you prefer wearing short-sleeves tops, skirts/dresses/shorts; just be aware of the cut of the fabric and make sure it complements your skin-tone and body-type.
Good color choices would be neutral and earth tones like green, brown tones, black, darker blue, and black/gray. Those colors go well with light/dark colored jeans or pants. Darker colored shoes are also usually better under these combinations of colors.
Darker colors are slimming but if you prefer white (or lighter colored) tops; then combine it with darker pants or dark blue jeans for contrast.
Layering is also a good idea! For example: A tailored or well-cut jacket is a great combination with a light top and jean bottom
Solid colors are more appropriate for outdoor sessions. Some pattern is acceptable but if it clashes with everyone else in the shoot (i.e. fiancée, children, husband), it may be a distraction.
For photo shoots with two or more people, similar solid colors are preferred to create uniformity. For example, if blue is the choice of color, then a combination of people wearing “light” blue and “navy” blue would be fine. Pay attention to shoe colors and accessories as “clash in color” can create additional distractions.
Be conscious of your body! Wear what realistically flatters your body and fits you the best; not what fashion dictates. The worse things to see are photographs of a person in a too-tight top or bottom that don’t flatter them or their body-type.
Make-up is difficult to explain but it’s a good idea to find a balance between natural and slightly glamour (heavier) coverage! Wear make-up that complements your skin-tone. Don’t be afraid to apply a little bit heavier coverage (powder, concealer etc.) to cover any blemishes or skin discoloring. For the purpose of photography, heavier coverage (than the natural look) does look better but you don’t have to go “heavy” on everything that you end up using on your face
 It may be tempting to wear heavy (and dark) eye liner and eye color, but I find that natural coloring (or neutral/earth colors) around the eyes show up much better on camera. It avoids the “raccoon” type look (for the lack of a better description) or dark circles around the eyes.
 You may select to retain your individual style in this process and that is certainly your prerogative, but these are some helpful suggestions based on what’s recommended for a typical outdoor photography session. At the very least, hopefully this guide has helped you get started! 

Retrieved from A Touch of Eden Photography