In high school I discovered one of my passions and that was photography and developing my own black and white photos. So much so, my awesome dad built me a dark room in our house so I could continue to develop photos after graduating school. To this day I find black and white photos charming and beautiful.
As a makeup artist i’ve had to learn proper makeup techniques, making sure my client looks beautiful in color photography as well as black and white photography. Here are some things to keep in mind.
*Unlike full color photos, you don’t have to worry about choosing the perfect color blush or even foundation.The trick to looking great is wearing high contrast makeup!
Define the features: It is important to have a precise application of any makeup used. Especially lip liner and eyeliner. The camera will pick up all details.
Makeup should be well blended, symmetrical, features should be defined and skin should be well powdered in areas where you don’t want extra shine.
* Lighting will dictate how much makeup you need.
Foundation: Smooth out skin with foundation (using a cream makeup allows for easier blending). Conceal under the eyes with a bright concealer that blends perfectly. Powder the skin for an even look and to get rid of any shine. The goal is to create high contrast between your skin and your features (you could potentially wear a foundation lighter than your natural skin tone) The colours are registered in tones of white, grey to black.
*Foundations with spf can reflect too much light and make the face look shiny in all the wrong places.
Eyes: Use matte shadows rather than frost as they will photograph as a highlight. Contour the crease line and keep the lid light.. Blend and avoid harsh lines.
Cheeks: Red tends to photograph dark and should not be used in B&W photos as a cheek colour. Contour under the cheek bone and on temples to create a more sculpted face. Blush can be used as contour colour for cheeks when applied just under the cheek bones.
Lips: Use a lip liner to define and correct the lip shape. Using a red a darker colour will add contrast and make your lips stand out more.
* Tones and textures, highlight and contour are key things to remember in makeup for black and white photography.