I hope that nobody tells me this is posted in the wrong place. It is realy about critiquing a photo in which any success to be found in it is due to my use of an excellent MUA. It took me longer to figure out what MUA meant than LOL.

I was commissioned to photograph this modern dancer for a weekly arts tabloid. I decided that a very good (a really slow one that I knew) MUA would make this shot. I told her to do Crystal's lips. The background is a movie gobo called clouds (there are many version of these) . They are metal stams that I slip into a Leeco zoom spotlight. I have removed the hot light part of the Leeco and replaced it with a Dynalite head. I project this onto a light gray wall to get the fake clouds effect. On Crystal I used a home made optical spotlight (also with a  dynalite head) and a third light was a grid spot hair light.

I believe that a MUA gives my subjects confidence to pose. A MUA also prepares the subject to the ordeal of photography (particularly those who are not models). But best of all I observe during the makeup process and I get to know my subject's face well. I love good MUAs and particularly those who are not so much MUAs (they can do hair and nimimal makeup) as stylists and can get the clothes, know the looks and stand behind me to tell me some hair is out of place.

Agreed  praise them but more important...pay them.

All praises to the MUA's


Lovely image

She did a beautiful job

It is my policy to tell my clients that the model and the photographer are not all that important. One must first find a good MUA and then plan the shoot around the MUA's schedule and not the photographer's. When I use MUAs I either pay them or my clients do. In Vancouver is is tough to find a good one as most of the good ones are busy in the huge (in Vancouver) movie industry. I can sometimes get to convince one of them if my subject is interesting enough.

Your examples are always lovely.



Later tonight I might post something you inspired.

Makeup artists are great.

I agree , we are more than just a make up artist, we are fashion styist, assistants to photographers, hair stylists, encouragers, etc.


Faythe

And best of all about MUAs is that they usually get recalcitrant or reluctant models to take all their clothes off.

Alex

Glad to hear this. I usually am too shy and send the MUA off before I get the model to take her clothes off.

You have done a great series of garden blooms by the way. It makes me miss Vancouver, and makes me think you should do a series of cards ala Deborah Schenck's "roses" Absolutely beautiful.

Oh, and I have this model who appreciates the MUA so much, she shamed me into paying the MUA an extra $50 ($USD) for gasoline.

Gary

orinxpress

Picture books, calendars and post cards in a small market like Canada (30 million) is sort of like throwing all the shirts in one's closet into the garbage. You lose money and it is all vanity. So I do well as a commercial photographer and garden for fun (even though we get bus tours from garden clubs to see the garden). I have a very special relationship with a pair of Argentine painters. Read this:
http://www.artsandopinion.com/2003_v2_n1/sanchez.htm

I thought I was really good at getting women to take their clothes off in short order but Juan Manuel Sanchez (at 74) is a champ. And of course in the three and a half weeks I have been in MM I have had no photo action so I come to the conclusion there is little action in BC or a lot of what I read here is unudulterated......

Hey the US is just across the border, so don't set your sights so low. Enjoy your bare naked ladies, but don't disappoint me. Keep those flowers blooming. I'll make you a deal, eh? It's not just about vanity.

Retouching images in Photoshop is very tedious work. It used to be fun years ago, and it still can be, but the day to day retouching of photos is something I'd like to make as painless and quick as possible.

A good MUA saves so much time and work by dealing with blemishes and imperfections. If I produce 8, 12, 24, or more images from a session, I appreciate not having to retouch the same flaw over and over again. With an MUA, you correct it once.

Also, I really like the drama and variety possible through contouring.

Here is an example of before and during contouring from Kevyn Aucion's book, Making Faces. You'll have to buy the book to see the after...

I'm nothing without my mua.

What I appreciate about good makeup artist is not just there makeup work.

But making the models more confident and comfortable.  An extra pair of eyes for almost anything.   Often giving a hand when needed and even stepping into the shoot if needed.
Keep the models busy while I play with my gadgets.