How can you collaborate with a makeup artist to enhance their work through retouching?

The balanced roles of a retouch artist and a makeup artist in corporate photography are specific. Business portraits tell a client's story through pose, clothing, surroundings. Headshots focus on memorability, ensuring in-person face recognition and a great first impression. Business portraits allocate < 8% to the face, allowing a makeup artist to erase flaws and enhance attributes authentic appearance. Headshots, close-ups, feature the face in > 1/4 of the image. Choosing a makeup artist familiar with headshot demands is crucial. In headshots, retouching minimizes facial flaws, erasing temporary issues; makeup only subtly enhances. Excessive makeup requires rephotographing the client or extreme retouching to accomplish the client's goals.

Collaborating with a makeup artist as a graphic designer involves enhancing their work through thoughtful retouching. Communicate closely with the makeup artist to understand their vision and objectives. Focus on refining skin tones, highlighting makeup details, and ensuring color accuracy. Pay attention to texture preservation for a natural look. Use retouching techniques judiciously to maintain authenticity. Collaborate iteratively, sharing drafts and gathering feedback to achieve a final result that complements the makeup artist's skills and highlights their work effectively.

Approaching this from a different angle - the makeup artist should understand makeup application used for photography. The photographer must work with the makeup artist to achieve the looks desired that minimize the amount of retouching needed. For example, if the makeup artist doesn't match the skin undertones(cool vs warm) and applied the wrong foundation - it is extremely hard to then match the face to the neck. Correcting this before the first image is taken is a must. Think of it this way - the photographer is the director, the makeup artist helps create the image the director sees. I coach my makeup artist to not use highlighters on the cheeks or nose because it create specular highlights that have to be removed in post.

In all these years I can't remember any time I had a concern with the retoucher. Hair and makeup is part of a total look. Shouldn't stand out or look less then the total over all pic. I have my regular accounts I work with. I never question anything that is done on my work for an image. Years ago I was given great advice when I was shooting for Playboy. Never have anyone correct your work, especially if you don't know them. And make sure every picture is worthy of a cover. One time I was hanging with the photographer going over some images. I asked casually, is there any way you could photoshop some highlights in her hair? She mentioned she hadn't had the time to get her color done. A few clicks and her roots looked perfect.

Ich arbeite seit 15 Jahren mit verschiedenen Make-up-Artisten zusammen und habe viel ausprobiert. Im Moment arbeite ich mit einer Dame auf 75% meiner Jobs zusammen und habe eine weitere als Backup und für größere Aufträge, wo ich zwei benötige. Wichtig ist, dass ich weiß, dass mein Anspruch an Qualität, Einfühlungsvermögen für die Kunden, Verlässlichkeit, Umsetzung von Absprechen und Wünschen, sowie Tempo und Hygiene stimmen. Dann brauche ich nur selten digital nacharbeiten. Dies ist dann nötig, wenn z.B. eine die Farbe angepasst werden soll, kleine Korrekturen an Lippen oder Augen nötig sind oder die Kundin spezielle Wünsche hat. Mir erspart meine Visagistin jedenfalls sehr viel Arbeit und meine Kundinnen lieben das Ergebnis.

Collaborate with makeup artists by discussing mutual goals and retouching limits, focusing on enhancing rather than altering their work. Use techniques that accurately represent makeup colors and emphasize key features. Regularly review and adjust the process together, ensuring the integrity of their artistry in the final image.