Photography - Second Lesson

In this lesson we used the software Capture One and learnt how to look at photographing closely, for example eyes and lips and learnt how to shoot tethered using the orange lead which is the tethered cable. Tethered is really good for close up work as close up work is all about the detail. Using a tripod for this is really helpful as you can make minute changes and tweak the photographs. It is much easier for the model to be sitting down. It is also good to experiment with lots of different lenses to see what looks best. The 100ml macro lense is meant to be the best lense for close ups such as eyes, nose and lips.

Equipment

• Camera
• Tripod
• Sync lead
• Orange cable
• Light meter
• Light stand
• Beauty dish
• SD card
• Hot shoe adapter
• Computer with Capture One software

Set up

• Attach light to the beauty dish and the light stand
• Put up the tripod and attach the camera to it using the correct lense
• Set the computer up and make sure you are on the Capture One software
• Attach the orange cable from the back of the computer to the camera
• Set up the ISO and the aptitude (e.g. ISO - 100, aptitude - f.8)
• Use the light meter to measure the aptitude

In my group we had a few struggles when shooting, however once we overcame this then it was great as we felt like we had really learnt a lot from this lesson. We had a little trouble with the exposure as we couldn't get the correct light for the image, however Simon then informed us that on the Capture One software on the computer it shows a grid and all the coloured lines on the grid have to be spread right across to have the correct exposure. If the lines are all squashed together to one side then it is either under or over exposed. We also had a slight trouble with focusing so to save the struggle we ended up putting it onto auto focus to get a better result.

My chosen brand - Max Factor

After in-depth research on many different make up brands I have finally decided to choose Max Factor as my chosen brand. So therefore I will be researching further into this brand and will develop on my ideas over the next few weeks. I will be creating six looks relating to the Max Factor brand and spring/summer 2016 which will include Catwalk, Editorial and Advertising images.

I have chosen Max Factor because I have always liked their make up products and after researching about the history of it really intrigued me and caught my interest right away. I just wanted to gain more and more knowledge about the brand.

When shooting for my catwalk images I will research the make up and hair looks used in many of the max factor catwalk shoots to give me ideas on how I would like my model to look. I will also be relating it to spring/summer 2016 so will research the different colours and trends so it will help me to think about how I am going to link it together to give me my desired looks.

For editorial images it illuminates a story and shows what words cannot communicate. So therefore I will be thinking about locations of where I would like to shoot my images. I will also think about using props as I feel this will definitely help to tell a story. I will also be thinking about the latest colours and trends and looking at previous editorial images from Max Factor to be able to relate to my brand and spring/summer 2016.

For my advertising images I will be researching the make up products by Max Factor, for example, I will be looking for their latest products and their best sellers to help me choose what I would like to advertise. As I will be creating one daytime advertising image and one night time image I will be looking into which product will suit each look. Also when shooting the images I will make sure I highlight the area I am advertising, for example, eyes.

Contouring & Highlighting - Technical File

Equipment required:-

• Cotton wool pads
• Cotton buds
• Make-up brushes
• Spatulas
• Towel
• Clip to hold back the models hair

Products required:-

• Cleanser
• Toner
• Moisturiser
• Illuminator
• Tinted moisturiser
• Kryolan foundation palette
• Kryolan concealer
• Illamasqua loose powder
• Contouring powder
• Highlighting powder from Kryolan glamour glow palette
• Blusher
• Bronzer

Preparing the models skin:-

• Deeply cleanse the whole face with cotton pads to remove all the make-up, do this a few times until you feel the face is clean
• Apply toner to the face to remove any excess product left on the face
• Moisturise the whole face massaging it in properly so it absorbs into the skin 

Step by step:-

• Apply Illuminator on to the face
• Apply a small amount of tinted moisturiser on the face using a foundation brush
• Apply a small amount of the correct colour foundation the the models face using a foundation brush
• Blend it all in gently using a stippling brush
• Apply a slightly darker concealer under the cheek bones and blend it. Do the same around the hair and jaw line using a flat brush
• Apply a small amount of loose translucent powder across the t-section of the face using a kabuki brush
• Apply a small amount of coloured powder across the face, again using a kabuki brush
• Using a blusher brush apply shadows to the face on the cheek bones, around the hairline and across the jaw line with a contouring powder and then blend
• Use a highlighting powder at the top of the cheek bones, in the cupid bow, on the chin, across the inner brow and slightly down the nose
• Apply a small amount of shimmer to give shine around the highlighted areas
• Using a blusher brush apply a bit of blush to the round part of the cheeks and blend it in
• Apply bronzer across the cheek bones to define them

I was very happy with  my overall look for contouring and highlighting. I feel the contour really gave shape and enhanced the facial structure and the highlighting gave it a shimmery glow and really made certain features stand out.

1950's, 1960's & 1970's Hair - Using heated rollers - Technical File

Equipment required:-

• Heated rollers
• Pin tail comb
• Paddle brush
• Bobby pins
• Sectioning clips
• Big hair clips to place over rollers to keep them in place

Step by step:-

• Turn on the heated rollers and wait for them to heat up. They have to be at a reasonable heat in order for them to work so it may take a while to heat them
• Section the hair using sectioning clips
• Keep each section neat using a pin tail comb
• Comb through all the sections
• Start from the front of the hair and place the rollers in the direction you want the hair to fall
• Choose the correct sized roller and roll the roller down the hair and make sure it sits on the section, not the next section
• Clip the rollers in place using hair clips
• Use the brick work technique down the rest of the hair using larger sized rollers to create a lift
• Once all the rollers are set in the hair hair, wait for them to cool down and then release them
• Finally, to finish style the hair to the look you have chosen using a paddle brush

When creating my hair style using heated rollers I found it very useful as I have previously used heated rollers before and by using them again it helped to improve my experience and confidence. It also helped me to improve on my brick work skills which I now also feel  much more confident with. 

One thing I feel I struggled with slightly was securing the rollers tightly in place so it sat on its section. They seemed to flop slightly as they weren't secured tightly enough and this made it look a bit untidy. However I feel this could  be due to me using the incorrect size roller, not rolling the roller down the hair tightly enough or the hair just simply being too soft. 

Apart from this I feel the outcome was very successful, and feel I managed to style the hair well to match the desired look. I feel with more practice, the more and more I will improve and also the faster I will be able to complete this hair style as I found it took me quite some time to complete.

Dewy and Matte Make-Up Bases - Technical File

Equipment/Products required:-

• Cleanser
• Toner
• Moisturiser
• Tinted moisturiser (create your own by mixing foundation and moisturiser together)
• Make-up wipes
• Cotton pads
• Cotton buds
• Make-up brushes
• Kryolan Foundation palette
• Kryolan Concealer palette
• Illamasqua Loose powder
• Illamasqua Primer
• Eye primer
• Illuminator
• Mac lip mix shine OR Vaseline/Gloss
• Benefit creme highlighter
• Kryolan shimmery bronzer from glamour glow palette
• Light, pale eye-shadow
• Benefit Mascara
• Avon ruby pink lipstick

Preparing the models skin

• Deeply cleanse the whole face with cotton pads to remove all the make-up, do this a few times until you feel the face is clean
• Apply toner to the face to remove any excess product left on the face
• Moisturise the whole face massaging it in properly so it absorbs into the skin

Matte skin

Step by step:-

• Apply primer to the whole face as this is the underpinning of any successful matte look
• Apply the correct colour foundation to the models face and neck to match their skin tone using a foundation brush
• Using a stippling brush buff over the face and neck to smooth out the foundation so it all blends into the models skin nicely
• Apply concealer to the models face to cover any blemishes or dark areas with a small flat brush making sure it all blends in
• Apply a small amount of loose powder over the models face using a kabuki brush to set the base and keep it in place

I was very pleased with my overall look as the desired outcome was to create a natural matte look so it looks like the model isn't even wearing any make-up which I feel I managed to achieve. My model had dark circles under her eyes and a few blemishes across her cheeks and chin which I covered with concealer. She also had quite oily skin so I feel this matte look really suited my models skin type as it helped to minimise the oil.

Dewy skin

Step by step:-

• Apply a fair amount of moisturiser to the face and massage it in properly so it absorbs into the skin
• Apply primer to the face
• Apply eye primer around the eyes using your ring finger
• Apply the correct colour tinted moisturiser to the face and neck using a foundation brush
• Apply concealer to the face covering any blemishes or dark areas using a flat brush
• Using a creme highlighter, highlight certain areas of the face, e.g. eyes, nose, chin
• Lightly contour the cheeks to enhance the cheek bones with a light shimmery bronzed colour using a blusher brush
• Apply a light matte eye-shadow over the eyes to avoid any creases in the eyes
• Apply a thin layer of mascara
• Apply a pink/red lipstick to finish using a lip brush

I was very happy with the overall look for my dewy skin. It gave my model a young, fresh and vibrant look and you could really see the highlighted areas, it gave a glow and caught the light beautifully. I finished the look by adding a light matte eye-shadow and a ruby pink matte lip as I wanted to make sure the rest of the make-up wasn't too glossy or wet looking as it can look a bit much if it's everywhere on the face.

Blow Drying the Hair - Technical File

Equipment:-

• Paddle brush
• Pin tail comb
• Different sized ceramic round brushes
• Sectioning clips
• Hair dryer
• Heat protection
• Sea salt spray
• Styling mousse

Preparing the hair for a Blow-Dry

• Wash the hair or wet it down with a water spray (if you wash it, then make sure it is 80% dry)
• Comb through the whole hair properly (always use a comb as it is a lot kinder to the hair)
• Dry the hair before putting any products in and use fingers to help give the hair volume and a lift
• Add heat protector to mid-length through to the ends of the hair
• Add mousse to mid-length through to the ends of the hair (be sure that the mousse you are using isn't too sticky)
• Place a very small amount of mousse to the roots so it doesn't become greasy
• Add sea salt spray on mid-length of hair through to the ends
• Keep a towel near by to wipe products off of hands

Blow-Dry

Lift and Volume:-

• Section the hair (always make sure the section is the same width as the rounded brush your using)
• Take hair from the back and part it on an angle in the same direction you want the hair to fall
• Take a piece of hair making sure it's not too thick
• Take a round brush and a hair dryer
• Make sure you always use a nozzle on the hair dryer and make sure that it is pointing in the right direction and that it is secure
• Secure the brush to the root and move the hairdryer under the brush and over
• Turn the heat on the hair dryer to high
• Place brush under the hair, placing your thumb on the bottom to keep it in place
• Blow dry the hair upwards to give it volume and a lift
• Begin to blow dry down the hair and when you get to the end, gently bring it under
• Release the hair like a tong and then twist it
• When all the hair is complete, back comb slightly to the top section of the hair
• Use a spray shine to give it a glow and a healthy look (always use shine spray before using hairspray)
• Hairspray to secure all the hair in place

Sleek:-

• Section the hair, starting with the bottom layer (always make sure thee section is the same width as the brush)
• Using a paddle brush place the brush to the root with the bristles facing upwards
• Gently move the paddle brush down the hair with the hair dryer facing down on to the brush
• Keep repeating these steps until the hair becomes straight
• Use a spray shine at the end to give it a glow and a healthy look

My models hair type was afro so this was a bit more challenging for myself, however I always like a challenge and it was great experience as I had never blow dried afro hair before. I felt I just needed to put in slightly more work than I normally would when blow drying the hair as I just had to repeat the steps more often. I made sure I prepared my models hair, de-tangled each layer properly and applied heat protector on the hair before beginning the blow dry. When blow drying my models hair I used a downward motion to reduce frizz and make the cuticle to lay flat. Below are some photos of the outcome of my blow dry, I was very happy with the results.

Photography - First Lesson

This lesson we looked at three different types of lighting set up which were bounce, beauty dish and soft box.

• Bounce - is the softer lighting
• Beauty dish - is the hardest lighting and;
• Soft Box - is in the middle of the bounce and the beauty dish. Soft Box is secured to the front of the light

In this lesson we also learnt how to use a light meter properly. Firstly you switch the light meter by the power button, then you hold down the ISO button and change it to match the camera by using the arrow keys on the side. Next you will click on the mode button four times until you find the flash which is a lightning bolt icon. Then make sure the sync lead is plugged in to the light meter and then hold the meter up to the side of the models face and press the button to enable you to find out what the aptitude is. It is important that the exposure of the camera is the same as the light meter and the lighting. The larger the number the brighter the image will be and the lower the number the darker the image will be. Always make sure the shutter speed is 1.25.

I feel I learnt a lot from this lesson as it was very in-depth and gave me great confidence in using different lighting properly, for example from being able to get softer light and to being able to get a much harder lighting. I was also able to feel comfortable on changing the aptitude and the ISO. I feel this will become very useful and will definitely help me when shooting my own images.

Researching different Make-Up Brands

In 2016 there are so many excellent Make-Up Brands out there that I found it extremely difficult to narrow it down and pick out just one brand to talk about. I firstly started by choosing a few Make-Up brands that I like but don't have that much background knowledge about, so therefore, I can research these brands further and find out the information I need. These brands will be Charlotte Tilbury, Nars, Max Factor and Ellis Faas. This way I will be able to find out which brand interests me the most and then I can expand my knowledge on this and research my chosen brand in greater depth.

Charlotte Tilbury



"Through the power of make-up every woman can feel and look beautiful".

"Give a woman the right make-up and she can conquer the world".

Charlotte Tilbury grew up between fashionable London and Bohemian Ibiza and has over 20 years of experience as a professional make-up artist. She has worked alongside some of the world's top models and film stars and has created an amazing range of make-up in which people have been screaming for! Her collection includes many useful tops and tricks from herself on how to create the desired look and how to get the most out of products.

Charlotte Tilbury's four Best Sellers in 2016 are:-

1) Matte Revolution (Between the sheets) Lipstick - £23.00


2) Lip Cheat (Pink Venus) Lip Liner - £16.00


3) K.I.S.S.I.N.G (Kiss Chase) Lipstick - £23.00 


4) Lip Cheat (Crazy In Love) Lip Liner - £16.00



Nars



"Don't be so serious; it's only make-up".

"I don't believe in blank beauty. I need character and personality".

"Play and try to be a little bit daring - break the rules".

"Express yourself. Make-up should fit who you are".

Francois Nars' launched NARS cosmetics with 12 iconic lipsticks in 1994 which inspires self expression and imaginative artistry through an unexpected, no rules philosophy of beauty.
He is one of the most influential image makers in the world and continues to bring high-fashion, high-style and forward thinking to beauty.

"With every product, endless opportunities for self expression".

Francois Nars has many award winning best sellers, some of the latest best sellers in 2016 are:-


1) Velvet Matte Lip Pencil - Dolce Vita - £20.00


2) Semi Matte Lipstick - Schiap (Cult Classic) - £21.00


3) Dual-Intensity Blush - Panic (NEW) - £30.00


4) Larger than life Lip gloss - Annees Folles - £19.50


5) Bronzing powder - Laguna (Cult Classic) - £27.50


6) Illuminator - Hot Sand (Limited) - £23.00


Max Factor - The father of make-up



"You are not born glamorous, GLAMOUR IS CREATED".

Mr Max Factor was born in Russia on 5th August and emigrated to America in 1914 and settled in LA where he was closer to the budding film industry.
He then started working with Hollywood's leading film stars and making his own cosmetic products for a glamorous but realistic look on screen.
In 1916 he began selling eye shadow and eyebrow pencils which was the first time these products became available outside the movie industry. Then in 1920 he launched a full range of cosmetics, calling it 'make-up' - a phrase in which he coined.
Mr Max Factor coined the phrase 'make-up' and created the first commercially available foundation.

Max Factor have a wide range of best sellers, however the top product which beats the rest in recent years is the 'false lash effect mascara'. It was an award winning product for the 'best beauty buys 2014'.

False Lash Effect Mascara - £10.99



Some of the other most popular products from Max Factor are:

1) Face finity all day flawless 3 in 1 foundation - £9.99

2) Lipfinity -  £10.99

3) Creme puff powder compact - £6.99

4) Pan stik foundation - £7.99

5) Lasting colour collections lipstick - £6.99

6) Whipped creme foundation - £9.99


Ellis Faas



Ellis Faas was born in the Netherlands and always had a good eye for fashion from when she was young. She had a passion for photography which she decided to pursue a career in when she left school which then led to her career in make-up. This was due to Ellis continuously using herself as a model whilst doing her photography and each time she transformed herself with make-up which she then realised she had a great love and passion for.
Vogue Paris quoted Ellis Faas as "one of the most influential make-up artists of her time".
Ellis has worked with the worlds most excellent fashion designers, photographers, stylists, hairdressers and models.

Ellis Faas has many top best sellers in her wide range of make-up, some of which are:-

1) Skin veil foundation - £55.00


2) Concealer - £22.00

3) Lights - £26.00


4) Eyeliner - £21.00


5) Compact powder - £17.00


6) Hot lips - £23.00