Hi everybody, it’s Rachael here! Today I’m guest posting on the blog to bring you my top five secrets to a great makeover shoot! After working on many shoots with my fabulous team, I see just how much hard work and dedication goes into just one single, winning shot. From sourcing a great team to planning out the finer details, there’s so much going on behind the scenes that you may not even realise. With that in mind, I’ve created a little list of my top five secrets to a great makeover shoot from a client and photographers point of view. Read and enjoy!

1. A great photographer
In a sea full of wannabes who don’t have the first idea about ISO, but can sell the sizzle with clever advertising and a dash of spot colouring on their artsy images, a great photographer can be hard to find. And how can you, as a client, tell the difference? The difference between an amateur photographer and a professional is that the professional has fine-tuned their craft and has much more experience. They are masters of light (not in a Jedi way…) and know exactly how to choreograph a makeover shoot so that their client wouldn’t look out of place on the cover of vogue. They are sticklers for detail and will have a kit full of professional equipment. They’ll also have a lot of testimonials from happy clients and a professional website with full contact details. They will also be part of a regulating body such as the Master Photographers Association. Our advice? If you see a selfie stick, make a run for it.

Behind the scenes at Divers Photography shooting a Boudoir makeover shoot

2. A good concept and plan
Say you want to be photographed sitting on a rock in amongst the waves at the local beach looking like Ariel from the Little Mermaid. Careful planning will ensure you don’t end up washed up and washed out when the tide rolls in and sweeps you away screaming into the ocean. It sounds silly, but planning a beach shoot can actually be quite complicated and your photographer needs to seriously plan the fine details, he/she should be asking; “what time does the tide roll in and out? How many hours of daylight will I get? What time will the shoot be at? Will the beach be heaving with tourists that might unknowingly (or knowingly…we see you photobombers) get in on my winning shot? Do I need a permit? Where will my client get ready beforehand? Can I hire a beach hut nearby for my client to change? Where can we get refreshments for our client?” If you opt for a regular studio shoot, your photographer will still need to consider your concept – would you like to look like you’re fresh off the runway or would you prefer to look like you’re posing for a Tom Ford beauty campaign? Also, something that is often forgotten about is the refreshments! Make sure you have enough milk, tea, coffee and biscuits in. Is there a child coming along? Buy in some juice or ask your client beforehand what the child likes to drink. Provide a winning service and make sure to cater to your clients properly. It’s all about the experience. The devil is in the details!

Vintage Grunge Boudoir photography

3. The right clothing
Clothing is so, so important on a makeover shoot. If your concept is red carpet glamour, you don’t want to be sat there in your best trackies – even if they are Ellesse (have you noticed the comeback lately, because I sure have!) The clothing needs to reflect the type of shoot so discuss your options carefully with your photographer and realise that if you don’t have the correct clothing, your concept may need to change.

A great makeup and hair stylist will transform your look for your makeover shoot!

4. A talented makeup artist and hair stylist
Anybody can claim that they’re a makeup artist these days, but if you don’t want to look like a pantomime dame or like you’ve been dragged through the 70’s backwards (unless that’s your jam, then get that stack perm cookin’ honey pie) you need to make sure that your photographer has a team of talented makeup artists and hair stylists. A great makeup artist will assess your skin along with your hair and eye colour, listen to how you like your makeup to look then transform you into a goddess using professional products and practices. If your chosen makeup artist rocks up with a small makeup bag full of high street or budget brands, then it’s time to walk away. Not that there’s anything wrong with high street makeup, but if you’re paying out for a professional shoot and service, I’ll bet you’d prefer to see the big beauty names rather than the bargain bucket brands. The same goes for your hair stylist – hair and makeup is of paramount importance on a makeover shoot and can really make or break the entire look. If you’re sourcing your own makeup and hair stylist rather than using the photographers, you also need to check on insurance papers – if your hair stylist or makeup artist isn’t fully insured, you need to be questioning why and moving on to a more seasoned professional whose client and professional safety is at the forefront of their business.

5. The right attitude
To the client: So, it’s the day of your shoot and you’re feeling a little nervous. Hold it right there…today is all about celebrating and empowering YOU! You will be the centre of attention and spend your shoot looking and feeling like an absolute superstar. So, sit back, take a deep breath and enjoy every minute. Got an idea you’d like to discuss with your photographer? Tell them! They love to have a little guidance on what you do and don’t like and it’ll help them to understand your personality a little better so they can tailor your shoot especially for you. Being difficult or even rude on a shoot can make the atmosphere plummet quicker than Jennifer Lawrence on a red carpet, so if you’re that nervous it’s affecting you, tell the photographer and the team and they can help you to feel at ease and calm you down.

To the photographer: It’s the day of the shoot and you’re raring to go and create some amazing shots! If your client is a little difficult, perhaps even stand offish, consider this…they’re probably scared to death of you and that horrible torture contraption most commonly called a camera. Careful coaxing, friendly chitchat and a few warm up shots will help them get into the swing of things. Gentle encouragement during shots is great and can be really helpful to the client but make sure you don’t turn into a lewd stereotype screaming “OH YES! GIVE IT TO ME BABY!” every few shots. Nobody wants that. Think more of “that looks beautiful, gorgeous pose.” Much better.

I hope that you enjoyed taking a read of my top five secrets to a great makeover shoot! Here at our studio, we find that the ladies we photograph may start off feeling a little nervous, but within ten minutes of shooting, they’re completely at ease and thoroughly enjoy their experience. See our video below of some of our gorgeous boudoir makeover shoot ladies below. Just look how amazing and confident they all look! Fancy booking your own Boudoir or Makeover shoot? Send us an email to info@johndivers.co.uk and we’ll be more than happy to help you.

Look out for more posts from me coming soon! Have a fab week and I’ll catch up with you all again soon!

Rachael xoxo