Makeup for Professional Headshots and Photo Shoots in Maine

A headshot is about as close as a camera gets to your face. Shine and redness show up first, and so does heavy makeup, which is why headshot makeup has to stay quiet.

Clients have left me 60 five star reviews across Google, The Knot, WeddingWire and Facebook, and Google sits at 5.0 from 33 of them. You can read them on Google before you book a session.

Should I get professional makeup for my headshots?

It helps if the photo matters. A headshot gets used for years, on websites, profiles and press, and the camera is less forgiving than a mirror. Professional makeup keeps your face looking like yours while taking out what the lens exaggerates.

I start with skin prep, then even out redness and shaving irritation. I control shine so foreheads and scalps do not catch the light, and build a thin, even complexion that holds under studio lights and LEDs. Brows are tidied and eyes defined just enough to read on camera. Then I check the face in the light the photographer is actually using, not only in my mirror, and adjust before the first frame.

What is the best natural makeup for headshots?

The best headshot makeup is the kind nobody notices. A close face needs a gentler hand than a wider scene, so I keep the base thin and let your skin show through. The goal is to look like yourself, not a different person.

For men it is grooming. Shine control on the forehead and scalp, a matte finish that holds under lights, redness evened out and brows tidied, with nothing that looks made up. Women usually get a little more definition at the lash line and a lip close to their own color, so the face still reads when the photo shrinks to a small profile picture.

Can you do makeup for a whole company headshot day?

Yes. For company headshot days I set up close to where the photographer is shooting and work through people in the order the schedule needs. Between shots I step in for blotting and small fixes, so everyone looks consistent from the first frame to the last.

Send me the number of people, the location and the schedule, and I will quote the day. If people are arriving in waves, tell me who sits first, not only the headcount. A table, a chair, a power outlet and some even light near the shooting area make setup quick.

I can stay as long as the day needs. My most recent on set job was a full 10 hour day, and I stayed through wrap. For a company day, that means the last person in front of the camera gets the same attention as the first. My post on what an on set makeup artist does covers longer video days.

How is photo shoot makeup different from everyday makeup?

Everyday makeup is built for life in motion. Photo shoot makeup is built for the frame, so I pay more attention to under eye texture, lip edges and areas that catch light. The finish still needs to look like skin up close, because many shoots mix tight beauty frames with wider lifestyle frames.

I work portrait and branding sessions, commercial stills, editorial style beauty and lifestyle shoots. I adjust for natural light, studio strobes or mixed indoor light based on what you tell me before call time. Color is chosen so it reads clean in stills without looking heavy in person.

Tell me the brief, how many people are in front of the camera and whether looks change during the day. You can see the range on my editorial page and in my makeup portfolio.

Can I learn to do my own headshot makeup?

Yes. A makeup tutorial is a one hour, one on one lesson at my studio inside Tucci & Co Salon in Lewiston. I work with your own products and your own features, so you leave able to repeat the look for the next photo. Bring the makeup you already own, and I show you what works on camera and what to leave at home.

It suits anyone who has headshots every year and would rather not book an artist each time. Ask about it when you send your shoot details.

What should I do before my headshot session?

Come with clean, moisturized skin, and skip any new skincare product the week before so your skin is predictable on the day. Tell me about allergies, skin sensitivities and your wardrobe colors ahead of time, because a shirt color changes what reads well near the face.

If the photographer has a shot list, mood board or schedule, send it to me before the day. For outdoor sessions, let me know the location and time, since bright open light and studio strobes need different finishes. I plan the kit and the timing of the day around what you send me.

I reply within one business day with availability and a quote, so as soon as you have a date and a location, send me your shoot details and I will plan the session around them.