5 Reasons you Should be Hiring a Makeup Artist for Your Personal Branding
Hands up how many of you have had a personal branding shoot for your business? If you’re a business owner, chances are you’ll have more than a few but many people, men and women are missing a trick. I wonder how many of you would have also booked a makeup artist for that shoot…probably not so many! Booking a makeup artist will make all the difference to the overall look of your shoot and it needn’t cost you the earth to do so! Here are 5 reasons you absolutely should be using a makeup artist for your professional headshots…
1. A Makeup Artist is there to make you look good, not like Coco the Clown!
I know, I know, the first thought running through your head is ‘what if I don’t look like me?’ And that’s totally understandable, after all you’re putting your trust in somebody else to get it right! There is absolutely no need to feel panicked – even if you wear little to no makeup usually. A good makeup artist will take the time to find out about you (and your business) so that they can make sure the makeup style reflects that and it’s something you’re comfortable with. I always have a chat with my clients about what they usually wear, so that I can gauge what sort of makeup makes them feel their best. Makeup artists are trained to look at your face as a whole and carefully select products and application techniques to enhance what you already have – they’re not there to mask you and make you look unrecognisable! And for you guys out there wondering what on earth you would use a makeup artist for – the aim is to make you look as ‘un-made up’ as possible, all whilst making you look like you’ve had 8 hours sleep. I’m guessing you haven’t, right?
2. First Impressions REALLY matter
In a world where whatever we want is sat right at our fingertips on the world, wide, web, it’s more important than ever to make a good first impression. You want your client to have such a positive view of you that they can’t wait to book you and get working with you! By hiring a makeup artist for your professional headshot you’re ensuring you do just that. For men, it might be something as simple as concealing under eye bags and taking a little shine away from that bald spot (I didn’t want to mention it, but it really does make all the difference!) For ladies it might be opening up your eye area with some cleverly placed eyeshadows, so that you look alert and fresh faced. The overall aim though, is to make you look healthy, relaxed and energised – you get one shot at creating the perfect first impression so let’s make it a good one, that attracts your ideal clients!
3. The makeup used for photography is totally different to ‘every day’ makeup
Makeup Artists are trained in the art of makeup in all scenarios, and know exactly what products to use where. Just because your every day makeup is serving you OK for the moment doesn’t mean it will translate well to camera. Actually quite the opposite! Makeup literally vanishes in flash photography so it’s important you use products correctly so that they show up (or don’t show up, depending on what we’re trying to do) on camera. The last thing you want is to complete your photo shoot and find out you look like you’ve got no lips because your lipstick colour was too pale and the gorgeous eyeshadow you created this morning has all but disappeared. It wastes time and ultimately means you don’t get the most out of your time with your photographer. Eliminate any stresses by getting a professional in!
4. It goes a long way to showing your staff (or yourself!) how important they are to you
One of the main bits of feedback I get when I work on professional head shots is how relaxing the experience is – and it might surprise you to know that the majority of those comments come from men (they also ALWAYS want to know where they can get my concealer from – but that’s another story!) That time spent with a makeup artist goes a long way to showing how valued your staff are. Part of being a good makeup artist also means we have a good chat with clients to make them feel relaxed and loosen up before the camera works it’s magic!
5. It helps you create images you’re proud of
Ultimately, you want to be proud of these photos and happy to put them everywhere and anywhere your ideal client is – so let’s make you proud of them! Looking like you, but your best version means you can feel confident that your headshot speaks volumes – you care about yourself and you care about your business! Getting yourself prepped properly before hand means you’re more likely to give it your all when you stand in front of the camera!
“When I chose to invest in personal branding shots for my business I knew I had to invest in a professional make-up artist too. Even if you’re confident doing your own make-up (which I’m not!), knowing what works photographically is a different skill altogether. You’ve got a short window to get what you need on the shoot – it’s important each photo is the best version of you.
Jo was such a pleasure to work with and has a real eye for detail; The photos simply wouldn’t have been the same without her. I now have a brilliant set of professional images that I’ll be using for years to come.” Amanda Overend – Books and Pieces
I hope you’ve found this helpful – if you have any questions at all about makeup for personal branding I’d love to have a chat!
Photo Credits : Ursula Kelly | Header Photo : John Cleary
Clients : Books and Pieces | Liberty Singer