The lovely Moonhoar from 2015's Belly Dance Masters
The eyes are the focal point in most portraits, so you need to make sure the makeup really exaggerates the eyes, so they stand out very well. The bolder the color, the more defined the eyes will be. Even if you normally wear brown or gray mascara and eyeliner, bold black will look much better when photographed. You want to use two or three coats of mascara to make sure that the eye lashes will be visible in a photo. Additionally, use an eyebrow pencil to fill in the eyebrows. Fuller brows look much better in a photo than very thin ones. Particularly for subjects with blond and light colored hair, the eyebrows will not show up very well at all in a photo unless you define them with the eyebrow pencil.
For eye shadow, use three shades, even if the color you choose is neutral. Sweep the middle shade all over the lid and lower brow bone, dab the lighter color at the inner corner of the eye and apply the darker color just in the crease between the lid and the brow bone. This method creates depth and will make the eyes really stand out in your images.
Blending is key to a great look in photographs. You know those small foam applicators that come in the case with eye shadow? Throw them out! Use a brush to apply each color and then another brush to blend the edges of each color, so that there’s no abrupt lines of any shadow color. Note: you can buy specific eye shadow primer. I highly recommend using it (you would just lightly apply it all over the lid and brow bone before you start applying eye shadow). It not only extends the wearing time of eye shadow, but it actually makes the shadow color look much more vibrant and intense, which is what we want in order for it to show up well in photographs. In some cases, primer can actually make an eye shadow color look two or three times brighter than if it was applied on a bare eyelid. Do NOT use regular primer on the eyelid; make sure you buy a primer that is specifically made to be used on eyelids to avoid skin reactions!
When choosing eye shadow colors, you want to complement your eye color, since we want to emphasize the subject’s eyes in a portrait. For blue eyes, choose a warm tone to balance the cool blue. Champagne, golden brown and peach are good choices. For brown eyes, most colors will look nice, since brown is neutral and will not clash with the shadow color. In particular, purple, bronze and navy work well. For green eyes, plum, pink and reddish browns are good options. For hazel eyes, gray, pink and dark purples will bring out the eye color.
False eyelashes are PERFECT for great eye definition. Choose a full set if you want true drama in your image; choose individual lashes if you want a more natural look in your image. Always apply the eye lash glue to the back of your hand, and then run the lashes through the glue before placing on your lid. Do not squeeze the glue directly onto the lashes, because if you have too much glue, you’ll have trouble getting the lashes to lay properly.
For eye shadow, use three shades, even if the color you choose is neutral. Sweep the middle shade all over the lid and lower brow bone, dab the lighter color at the inner corner of the eye and apply the darker color just in the crease between the lid and the brow bone. This method creates depth and will make the eyes really stand out in your images.
Blending is key to a great look in photographs. You know those small foam applicators that come in the case with eye shadow? Throw them out! Use a brush to apply each color and then another brush to blend the edges of each color, so that there’s no abrupt lines of any shadow color. Note: you can buy specific eye shadow primer. I highly recommend using it (you would just lightly apply it all over the lid and brow bone before you start applying eye shadow). It not only extends the wearing time of eye shadow, but it actually makes the shadow color look much more vibrant and intense, which is what we want in order for it to show up well in photographs. In some cases, primer can actually make an eye shadow color look two or three times brighter than if it was applied on a bare eyelid. Do NOT use regular primer on the eyelid; make sure you buy a primer that is specifically made to be used on eyelids to avoid skin reactions!
When choosing eye shadow colors, you want to complement your eye color, since we want to emphasize the subject’s eyes in a portrait. For blue eyes, choose a warm tone to balance the cool blue. Champagne, golden brown and peach are good choices. For brown eyes, most colors will look nice, since brown is neutral and will not clash with the shadow color. In particular, purple, bronze and navy work well. For green eyes, plum, pink and reddish browns are good options. For hazel eyes, gray, pink and dark purples will bring out the eye color.
False eyelashes are PERFECT for great eye definition. Choose a full set if you want true drama in your image; choose individual lashes if you want a more natural look in your image. Always apply the eye lash glue to the back of your hand, and then run the lashes through the glue before placing on your lid. Do not squeeze the glue directly onto the lashes, because if you have too much glue, you’ll have trouble getting the lashes to lay properly.
RSS Feed