Professional Make-up and Photography by www.eveashby.co.uk

Hi my name is Eve and I am a professionally trained make-up artist. I started my career 6 years ago after I completed a one-year full time course in media and theatrical make-up. I then spent several years assisting more established make-up artists to hone my skills before feeling confident enough to set up my own business as a freelance make-up artist.

Over my time in the industry I have worked within many different areas of make-up; catwalk shows, photographic shoots, films, TV advertising and theatre and each requires different make-up skills. This is why it takes many years to really master the skill of being a good make-up artist and why training is only the start. Professional make-up is very different to the type of make-up you would wear everyday but a lot of people don’t realise this and that is why so many people choose to do their own make-up for their photography session or why there are so many beauty therapists claiming to be make-up artist.

A professional will contour the face to soften a strong jaw creating a more desirable oval shape or create chiselled cheeks and narrow / shorten the nose to dramatically alter the face shape. A professional will also understand the effect that lighting can have on colour and therefore what make-up colours to use for B&W images or pictures taken in the studio / natural light.

Often what people find most surprising about photographic make-up is how much is applied and yet how natural it ends up looking in the photographs. This is because most of the depth of colour in the make-up is lost due to the strong light in the studio and camera flash. For this reason a bright coloured lipstick will appear more muted in the photograph and nude lipsticks can disguise the lip shape, almost as if the lip-line is blending into the surrounding skin.

The camera is not always kind to the model and can actually exaggerate blemishes and uneven skin texture. Of course these things can be improved by re-touching the images but you’d have to be real wiz in Photoshop to achieve the chiselled cheekbones and polished finish that make-up creates and you’d need to ask yourself: do I have the skill, time or money for this?

But the other main benefit to make-up is how it can make people feel. When people are looking their best it can have an effect that goes far beyond mere physical appearance. It can boost their confidence and allow them to act in a way that they may normally be too shy to do so. This enables the photographer to get the best shots of people, as they will find it easier to relax in front of the camera. 

For those people just getting started in make-up or for photographers that want to understand the basics these are my top tips:

Firstly I would recommend you buy ‘Make-up The Ultimate Guide by Rae Morris as it will give you the basics you’ll need.

Over the years I have collected a vast kit but have not yet found one company that is good at everything. I would recommend that you shop around to find the products you like to work with, but to get you started here are a few of my favourite products:

1. Good make-up needs a good base so prepare the skin with Bio-Performance Advanced super Revitaliser by Shiseido, a gel textured moisturiser that works really well under make-up.

2. For more mature skins also apply a little Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch by Clarins.

3. To keep the skin looking matt and shine free regularly top up with Studio Fix powder by MAC.

4. My favourite eye shadow is called Taupe No4 by Bobbi Brown. Not only is it a lovely colour on the eyes but it can also be used for contouring.

5. Great blushers are; Gilda by NARS and Candy Pink by No7. Both look scarily bright in the pot but a light hand can get the perfect colour.

6. My favourite highlighter for the face is Mineralize Skin finish by MAC but for the eyes I use Masterpiece eye shadow in Pearl Beige my Maxfactor.

7. Vintage make-up is so popular right now and I love the bright red Trans Siberian lipstick by NARS. Apparently also worn by Dita Von Teese!

8. A cult classic and still a favourite of mine is Hoola bronzer by Benefit.

9. No kit should be without disposable mascara wands – good hygiene is always a must.

10. Once it’s all done spray on All Nighter long-lasting make-up setting spray by Urban Decay to help your make-up last under the hot lighting.

Finally here are my top tips for photographic make-up:

1. Don’t use anything shiny or light reflective on the skin as this can make the model look greasy or sweaty. (This rule doesn’t apply to highlighter, which is used carefully to draw attention to certain areas.)

2. Always apply lots of powder to achieve the perfect matt look.

3. Go much darker on the eyes than you would expect. Not only will it define the shape but also light colours around the eyes can make people look tired.

4. Never use nude or frosty lipsticks, as they will not show the shape of the lips. Instead go at least one shade darker than the natural lip colour.

5. I cannot say enough good things about fake eyelashes. There are so many different varieties and even just a few individual lashes on the outer corners of the eyes can transform a look.

6. Always shape the eyebrows – it’s amazing what a difference the shape to the eyebrows can have on the face.

To see further examples of my work please visit my website www.eveashby.co.uk.

Or to get in touch email me: eve.ashby@hotmail.com. Or follow me on twitter: @southwestmakeup. I look forward to hearing from you.