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Elena
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Makeup is key to getting the best shots in camera to require minimal retouching in terms of a facial look. In fact if you are shooting in flat light, makeup is mandatory to create recession and extension in facial features. Kevyn Aucoin was an amazing MUA with a good series of books on the subject. Making Faces is one example of a book where he shows many, many examples of great makeup. Well worth getting. Also Christy Schuler has some cool retouching videos on the subject. http://www.christyschuler.com/retouching.html
The final one on contouring actually shows Kevyn’s makeup mask which actually gives a great idea on how to approach makeup visually (even though it’s actually a retouching video, it does contain valuable makeup hints).stasber wrote:
Thorsten wrote:
I wanted to demonstrate to my “student” that you didn’t need a whole ton of gear to get good shots
So does your “student” also have a 135mm f2 L lens? “See, you don’t need a whole ton of gear, it just needs to cost a whole ton” :lol: :lol:
Made me chuckle Thorsten. Sorry – nothing more constructive to add besides! Overall I like all three and have learned much from people’s responses to them. Will be digging into a model shoot myself in a couple of weeks time so currently foraging for ideas & info.
:D :D Said “student” just saw a camera and a lens and isn’t really clued into the significance of the red ring around the front of the lens.
Looking forward to seeing your model shoot results. Given the experience you’ve gained shooting people live on stage there’s no reason for you to feel in the least bit worried about this when it comes to ideas and info.
seanmcfoto wrote:
Makeup is key to getting the best shots in camera to require minimal retouching in terms of a facial look.
It’s definitely an area I’d like to learn more about although I don’t intend to go so far as becoming a makeup artist – the photography on it’s own can be challenging enough without throwing makeup into the mix and being given out to for poor makeup :wink: Personally, I’d rather no makeup than poorly applied makeup. If push comes to shove, it’s relatively easy to add makeup in post-production work after the shoot but removing poor makeup is an altogether different kettle of fish.
Thorsten wrote:
stasber wrote:
Thorsten wrote:
I wanted to demonstrate to my “student” that you didn’t need a whole ton of gear to get good shots
So does your “student” also have a 135mm f2 L lens? “See, you don’t need a whole ton of gear, it just needs to cost a whole ton” :lol: :lol:
I’d guess that the camera/lens combination is probably the least important aspect of doing good portrait shots. The expression, lighting, location etc are the things that really matter. Most basic point-and-shoot cameras are capable of taking great pictures if these aspects are right, just as the most expensive dslrs can take (perhaps slightly sharper) crap pictures if the other factors are lacking.
Earlier today I had to pop into a newsagents to pick up some items and noticed the shop had a large rack of greeting cards on display. Among them was a series of cards with pictures of movie actors, mostly from the 1940s and 50s. They included shots of Audrey Hepburn, Marlon Brando, Kim Novak, Frank Sinatra, James Dean, Grace Kelly and even Mick Jagger and Elvis Presley (from the 1960s). While they were all special in their own way, one shot in particular immediately caught my eye. It was a portrait of Marilyn Monroe taken by Cecil Beaton.
It wasn’t especially sharp, in fact maybe even slightly out of focus, but there was something about the tilt of her head, the expression and overall look that had come together to make a really great image. The lighting wasn’t anything special, yet the shot seemed to capture something of her essence and personality. Holding it in my hand for a closer look, in my mind I could almost hear her singing that ‘sweet and wholesome’ rendition of Happy Birthday Mr President song. I don’t know what makes some pictures special – but it’s certainly not the camera used to take them. Likewise, it has little to do with fancy processing techniques, funky framing or the resolution of the film used. Perhaps the photographer just snaps away and every now and then something magic happens. However, I doubt if this is the case. Photographers like Cecil Beaton managed to capture these lasting, iconic images on too many occasions for luck alone to be the answer.
Think of it like this. Almost anyone can point a camera, hold it steady and allow the sophisticated algothrims on the chips inside to do their work and produce a sharp well-exposed image. But more than this is required to take a ‘great’ picture. Just what that ‘more’ is I don’t know. I wish I did. Meanwhile, I’ll just snap away and hope for the best!
Oh, Thorsten, you can add me to the list of those who like the second picture in your original post!
ellude wrote:
But more than this is required to take a ‘great’ picture. Just what that ‘more’ is I don’t know. I wish I did. Meanwhile, I’ll just snap away and hope for the best!
Well, as far as I’m concerned you’ve got more ‘more’ than I have :wink: So you just keep snapping away as you are :D
ellude wrote:
I’d guess that the camera/lens combination is probably the least important aspect of doing good portrait shots….Almost anyone can point a camera, hold it steady…and produce a sharp well-exposed image.
Absolutely! That’s why my pics are slowly improving with experience despite using the same kit. I envy a friend of mine who takes cracking shots with her Canon 300D (Rebel) and kit lens (“only a kit lens”) and another friend is giving up on his Nikon D40 as his shots are just “the same old crap”. Met up with someone over the weekend and she showed me some pics from a family wedding she went to recently, the pics were taken on a 35mm point and shoot – all of them were of people at the top table and were composed very well, were straight & correctly focused (sharp faces), the subjects engaged the viewer – I’d have been chuffed if they were mine – but they were taken by her NINE YEAR OLD nephew! Now there’s some talent!
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