AKA, How NOT TO MAKE your photographer CRY
That first line is a little misleading, because photographers are not crybabies. If you're in front of my lens, I'm thrilled you're there, and I think I can safely speak for most photographers in saying they probably feel the same way.
However, I wrote this blog post to help you make the most of your photo session and to ensure your photos look as terrific as possible. As both a photographer and a model, I have stumbled across a number of things that work well in photoshoots, and a number of things that don't, and I'm here to share this knowledge with you, mostly because my marketing mentors told me I need to write a blog for SEO-boosting purposes. Here we go!
1) METALLIC LIPSTICK.
It barely looks good on the model being paid to wear it in the ad. It doesn't look good in your photos. Trust me.
Metallic lipsticks are the little black dress of your lips (other than black lipstick, that is, which I'll address in a minute). They make your lips look thinner than they actually are. Furthermore, underneath the studio lights, they tend to turn a different color than you intended. I have seen blue lips turn brown and some lips disappear altogether underneath metallic lipstick. Finally, metallic lipsticks settle easily into the lines of your lips, making your lips look dry.
Unless you and your photographer are going for a very specific look that cannot be achieved with any other type of lipstick, leave it at home.
Black lipsticks also thin out your lips, but it's very hard to convince the hot goths not to wear it, so I've given up. If you wear black lipstick to your hot goth shoot, bring the tube with you and plan to reapply regularly, as it tends to wear out really easily on your top lip. Actually, you should always bring your make-up with you for touch-ups if you're not paying for an MUA.
If you want your lips look juicy juicy in your photoshoot, select a lip color that looks very close to your natural lip color, and add a very thick layer of lip gloss on top. Even just Vaseline will look good in a pinch.
2) CLOTHING THAT IS TOO TIGHT.
You're not going to like how you look, and your photographer definitely isn't going to like how much editing it will take to make you look good in the final photo.
This one is especially important if you're planning to shed some layers and do a partially or fully nude shoot: too-tight clothing will create red marks and creases in your skin. Your photographer can edit that out later, but it will take awhile, possibly delaying how quickly you will receive your photos. Don't make your photographer do that; it's a pain, trust me. Your photographer would prefer to focus on making your eyes pop or your hair shiny, and you will want that for them (and thus, yourself). For a boudoir shoot, this is the time to show up in sweats, honey.
Even if you're not going partially or fully nude, clothing that is too tight will create unflattering bulges in your otherwise banging silhouette - bulges that, again, your photographer will have to edit out for you. Again, a pain. You may not be wearing comfortable clothing for your shoot (that's par for the course with costumes sometimes) but at least don't wear anything that doesn't fit you properly.
3) CLOTHING THAT DOESN'T PAIR WELL WITH YOUR THEME.
I once had a client ask for an airy, ethereal shoot and then show up looking like she was going on a job interview. Now, bless her heart, I didn't judge her (yes, I did) because that might have been the best she could do on that day. And we did get her some darn good airy and ethereal photos in the end, but all I could think about was the photos we COULD have gotten if she had worn layers of tulle or chiffon.
As a photographer having learned the hard way, I now offer clients both an initial wardrobe consultation for FREE and access to my costume closet for a small rental fee to ensure what my model wears is appropriate for the look they're trying to achieve. However, if your photographer doesn't do that, then put some sweat and blood into researching your inspiration photos and your available wardrobe options. Just as you wouldn't show up in lingerie for a professional head shot session, reconsider wearing Coco Chanel to a faerie shoot or Victoria's Secret to your wedding ceremony. You get my drift here.
I will add to this list as I think of things, but in the meantime, what are some things you don't like, as a photographer, to see on models - or models, what are some things you wore to a shoot in the past that you now regret? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
