How a Professional Makeup Artist Can Impact Your Wedding Pictures and Video

By Vicki Morgenstern

Similar to other professions, makeup artists specialize within their discipline. The various specialties within professional makeup include fashion, theatrical, film and special effects, and paramedical. Brides should look for a makeup artist who is licensed and trained in the art and craft of photography makeup.

To understand why makeup requires different skills, it is important to consider how lasting images are created on different media. The image, seen by the naked eye, impacts on the retina and is transmitted to the brain. To develop a photograph, the image is transferred to film where it is created chemically, whereas digital photography record images electronically on magnetic media, digital flash chips and optical DVDs. The trained makeup artist understands these differences and uses the tools of their trade accordingly to compensate for these differences.

The Camera’s Distortions
Because the camera only records a two-dimensional, flat image whereas the naked eye sees a three-dimensional image, it exaggerates facial flaws: a wide, full face appears wider, close-set or deep-set eyes photograph closer-set or deeper-set, and sometimes these types of eyes can photography very small when a person smiles.

The Solution: Very few people, except professional models, are blessed with bone structure, which creates national planes on the face. As the camera flattens the face even more, the professional makeup artist, through the skillful use of highlighting, contouring and placement of color, creates the illusion of definitive bone structure. The makeup artist strives to create large, upturned eyes, high cheekbones, a strong jaw line and a symmetrical mouth.

The Effects of Lighting and Makeup Solutions:
This is an important element that makeup artists consider when applying wedding day makeup. Wedding photography takes place in three types of lighting: (1) Natural light – outdoor light produced by the sun, which is the harshest, purest light. Makeup must be very soft and in neutral shades to look natural. Dark or bright colors will look harsh and aging; (2) florescent lights – these lights are found in department stores and homes. To counter the green tones this cool white light casts, warmth must be added to the face through the shades of makeup chosen; (3) Incandescent light – lighting found in some restaurants and hotel ballrooms. This lighting casts red undertones. Because this light is dimmer, softer, and rosier, makeup must be applied stronger and in more intense, richer hues to show up.

Color Photography Makeup
Color film translates color differently. The camera is most sensitive to red and blues (the opposite ends of the color spectrum). Any feature or discoloration containing red will appear darker on film than to the naked eye. The camera emphasizes red blotches in an uneven skin tone or makes ruddy complexions even redder. Dark under eye circles photograph even more pronounced.

The Solution: Makeup artists and photographers advise that brides wear concealer and foundation to tone down irregularities in skin pigmentation. An opaque, lightweight base uniformly blended creates flawless looking skin in photographs and videos. Powder is also an important cosmetic on the wedding day as it sets the foundation. Sweat and perspiration will catch the flash and translate into a blank, white spot.

Black & White Photography Makeup
In black and white photography, the camera records color only within the extremes of white to black and a spectrum of various shades of gray.

The Solution: It is especially important in this type of photography to consider the intensity and shades of colors, when emphasizing a feature or downplaying it; for example, a deep blue-red lipstick will photograph nearly black while a brown-pink lipstick will photograph neutral or medium gray. The techniques of contouring and highlighting also vary from color photography. In black and white photography makeup, the professional makeup artists use darker shades to contour to create more defined contrasts in the face.

The Final Result: Camera-Ready Wedding Parties
Brides should consider engaging a professional makeup artist trained in the specialized craft of photography and video makeup to insure they will be camera-ready; that is the makeup artist has used the appropriate techniques for their unique features and wedding setting. Being camera-ready will produce infinitely more flattering and much more natural (similar to the way the eye sees the face!) photographic results.
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