As an experienced studio photographer who periodically expands the team, I want to share the important principles of building a proper makeup artist portfolio. Having looked through a lot of pages of local artists, I can note with regret that almost no one has a decent portfolio! That’s why I decided to write an article and give some useful recommendations.
Use photos without retouching or filters, only they show your real work!
I strongly believe, there should be at least half of such shots in a makeup artist’s portfolio, preferably more. Studio photos with high-end retouch will only emphasize your status (showing that you are hired for photo shoots), but your actual work on them overlaps with the retoucher’s work. If a photo has been edited, the level and quality of retouching doesn’t even matter — it is noticeable in any case. If it’s high quality — everything is too perfect, unrealistic. If mediocre — the result is even worse, the interference is obvious.
So, when the entire portfolio consists only of such “polished” shots, does it show the real makeup artist’s work? Definitely not. Why should a potential client guess whose skill level is higher, yours or the retoucher’s? It’s just easier to close your page and move on to check your competitors.
Take photos by yourself in the dressing room or near the window with any modern smartphone, there is nothing complicated about it. The main thing is that your work should be clearly visible. Here’s an example of a perfect portfolio made by a makeup artist on her own, I really like it.
Molly Bee (@beautsoup)
The shots before and after makeup also look very impressive. In addition, you can record short videos that won’t be ruined by retouching and won’t make potential clients doubt the quality of your work.
Remove everything irrelevant from the portfolio
Show only close-up portraits and details (eyes, lips). Unfortunately, many artists add images from literally every shoot and event where they have worked, including amateur photos from shows, discos, graduations, even group shots. Why are you trashing your portfolio?! The faces are barely visible in these shots, not to mention the makeup. Besides, usually it’s a complete mess in terms of light and composition.
A potential client browses through the pages in search of an experienced professional, choosing from dozens and hundreds of others. No one will look for quality photos in this bunch of garbage, but will simply close your page and move on. Therefore, in order to successfully present your portfolio, you need to divide it into several albums: “main”, “before-after”, “photo shoots”, “backstage”, “selfies with clients”.
This division is easy to do on Facebook and on your own website. What about Instagram? In fact, this is one album, so just be more careful about its content. Post at least half of your photos without retouching, showing your actual work, and don’t go overboard with the number of selfies.
Delete outdated and weak works
The portfolio should be up-to-date and reflect your current skill level. It is better to delete old and poor works so as not to cause unnecessary doubt among potential clients.
Be creative and versatile
If you do and publish the same stuff all the time, you are unlikely to succeed — no one is interested in repetitive content, it’s just boring. For example, you make smokey eyes for everyone, without even considering the type of face and the age. It makes the girls look older, but you don’t care. As a result, the portfolio becomes dull and boring, the range of potential clients dramatically decreases. If someone needs a different kind of makeup, they won’t choose an artist who isn’t versatile at all.
By the way, many hairstylists and photographers have the same problem. The latter shoot everyone with the same light, in the same angles and poses — the models and faces seem to be different, but in fact such photographers could leave just one single photo and admit: “I can’t do anything else”.
Try to diversify your portfolio as much as possible, be creative, show all your skills. Then you can easily stand out from the crowd, expand the audience and get a lot of clients.
Molly Bee (@beautsoup)
Make your social media pages sell
A very common mistake in social media is the lack of a contact phone number. How many urgent jobs do you lose if a potential client can’t contact you right now while looking through your page?
Another strange thing I often notice — some makeup artists don’t clearly mention who they are! The page indicates their university and specialty (psychologist, linguist, accountant, etc.). So makeup is just a hobby? It means that you do it only in your free time and not at full strength, nowhere near the level of a pro.
That’s why you need to create your professional makeup group/public page. Write a brief resume (experience, education, completed courses and master classes, working on large projects, winning competitions, etc.), add reviews and your price. Don’t go overboard with personal content.
Photographers are your personal sales managers
Take into account that your clients are not only the ladies you are preparing for weddings and parties. High income is also brought by partnership with photographers. You can work with several and have a busy schedule months ahead. However, many makeup artists seem to deliberately refuse this, not wanting to build a proper portfolio. Are you still among them? How much money do you lose every year?
Periodically I expand and update the team, so I look through a lot of pages of makeup artists, some contact me themselves. But very few of them have a decent portfolio! Remember: a smart and experienced photographer will not hire you for a commercial shoot in this case, afraid of wasting a lot of time/money to fix all the possible makeup artist’s flaws in Photoshop. So, portfolio is key.
Indeed, very few artists follow these simple (yet fundamental) rules. Therefore, if you do, you will be able to confidently outrun your competitors, easily attract new clients and earn much more money! Good luck!
Author: Ivan Zajats ©
