Catch up!

Melanie — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:16:12 +0000

Whoa. It’s been awhile since I’ve posted! Besides shooting a lot of headshots in the past couple months, I went on holidays to Florida. While there we took a boat ride into a swamp to look for alligators. We found alligators (big ones!) and had a blast but now I’m back at work! Here’s the rest of what has been keeping me swamped (hahaha…get it? swamped???)…

9 easy steps to achieve the elusive Windsor knot…

Melanie — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 23:48:20 +0000

This is as much for me as it is my male clients. I don’t want to spend another minute fixing a tie in post.

Follow this how-to website… http://www.tie-a-tie.net/windsor.html

It explains step by step instructions with easy to follow diagrams. I <3 the internet.

The talented Patrick Gallagher!

Melanie — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 01:20:57 +0000

I shot with super busy actor Patrick Gallagher some time ago. Thought I would post my faves on the blog. You’ll recognize him from playing Gary the Bartender in ‘Sideways’ with Paul Giamatti. He’s on the poster of ‘Night at the Museum’ as Attila the Hun with Ben Stiller. And Gleeks with love him because he was Coach Ken Tanaka on ‘Glee’!

Check him out here… http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0302466/

Send him some love here… https://twitter.com/#!/PatrickGman

Need a real estate agent?

Melanie — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 22:24:37 +0000

This past week, I shot new headshots for Josh Bligh, a Vancouver real estate agent. Here’s a link to his website… http://joshbligh.com/

Korean beauty secret hits Canada!

Melanie — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 23:08:17 +0000

Korean actresses use it and now you can too! For years this beauty secret was only available in South East Asia and New York City. Now, it finds it’s way on to Canadian drugstores’ shelves.

What is it? It’s called BB cream. It’s similar to a tinted moisturizer. It is purported to have the functions of primer, foundation, moisturizer, sun block, pore minimization and skin refiner all in one cream.

I heard about in January from one of our makeup artists, Robyn Ross. (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Painted-Pink-Productions/) She swears by it. I tested out some of the Dr. Jart brand she had in her kit. We were in the middle of a long shoot and my makeup-less face was very red and blotchy. The BB cream, while feeling moisturizing and light on my skin, covered everything! While joyfully dancing in front of the mirror, Robyn informed me that it wasn’t available in Canada. Sigh…

Fortunately for me, I didn’t have to wait long for it to become available to Canadian shoppers. Today while shopping at London Drugs, I saw that Garnier was now selling a version. I paid the $17.99 and went home to try it out. Gotta say… while it doesn’t feel as light on my face as the Dr. Jart brand did, it still covers very well. I wish it had sunscreen in it but for $17.99, I’m happy!

***Update 3/20 – I’ve been using the Garnier BB cream for a week now. My happiness with it has diminished! I hate the way it feels on my face. It stays tacky and just like gooey lip gloss my hair sticks to it. As well, the color (light/medium) is too dark and yellow for my skin. Grrrr… I’m taking it back and trying the Marcelle brand instead. I’ll keep you updated!

For more opinions from other beauty fanatics…check out these great blogs…

http://beautyeditor.ca/2012/01/18/bb-creams-are-the-next-big-thing-in-beauty-but-are-they-right-for-you-heres-how-to-decide/

http://imabeautygeek.com/2012/01/25/bb-cream-in-canada-how-to-choose/

How about you? Have you tried it? What do you think? Leave your comments below!

Fabtabulous Tyler Labine!

Melanie — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:09:41 +0000

Had the opportunity to shoot a quick session with Tyler Labine last week. His lengthy list of credits include ‘Tucker and Dale vs Evil”, “Reaper” and “Planet of the Apes” to name a few.

Check him out on IMDb. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0479527/

and follow his tweets! https://twitter.com/#!/tylabine

What to wear? (Men’s edition)

Melanie — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 02:37:07 +0000

Guys, you’ve got it fairly easy. You’ve got 4 options. T shirt, sweater, oxford shirt or suit. Let’s take a look at the ‘dos and don’ts’ in that perimeter.

Before we start, remember that you can never bring too many options to the shoot. Despite following the guidelines below, an outfit might not work once photographed. You don’t want to be left with a ‘blah’ outfit. Bring lots!!!

First step, talk to your agent/acting coach/best buddy and come to some decision regarding the looks that you would like to achieve. Walking into a mall with a clear idea of what looks you want will narrow your search down.

Second step, go through your closet. Do you have what you need? Try it on. Does it fit? Is it stained? Is it torn or missing buttons?

Step three, visit the dollar store and buy a plastic garmet bag. No matter how neatly you fold your outfits and stuff them in your bag, they will be creased upon arriving at the studio. A garmet bag will keep them crisp. (And take the time to introduce your clothes to your iron!)

Step four, hit the mall and try on clothes! Since it is rare that I will shoot your entire body in a headshot, focus on finding shirts.

Okay, you’re at the mall. Now what? Keep the following in mind…

T shirts

faded T shirts with retro design on the front are okay if they are fairly monochromatic and subtle.
no obvious Logos or print. Casting will end up reading your shirt instead of looking at your face.
Any color except red works great (red will again pull focus off your face)
no ‘humor’ shirts. They maybe funny in person but they are too distracting in a headshot.
no bejeweled shirts, no skulls.

Here are some examples of great T shirts…

Examples of unflattering T shirts…

Sweaters

V neck is ideal (can be worn with or without a T shirt underneath)
Solid color (no pattern & no red) is best

Oxford Shirts

Solids, plaid and Pin stripes are great
No wide stripes
Any color except red works great

Ties

Keep them “Mad Men-esque” (slim 1960s style) or modern (no floral/graphic prints from the 1990s)
No bright colors

Suits

How can you go wrong? Wait….leave the green or purple 1990s suits at home. Neutral, Blue or Black colors only.

Some more examples of GREAT clothes (all available at Zara.com)…

If you question whether an outfit will work or not…BRING IT! We can always do a test shot to see if it works on camera.

Be prepared and a great shoot will ensue!

For the gals…how to prepare for your headshot session

Melanie — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 16:36:45 +0000

So, you’ve booked your headshot session with me…now what?

Start practising these good habits!

A week before the shoot…

Drink lots of water daily.
Take good care of your skin. Wash that makeup off every night. Use a good moisturizer. (Personally, I love Complex 15. It was recommended to me by Robyn, one of the makeup artists I work with. It is hydrating but not greasy. And it costs $9.99 at London Drugs when it’s on sale.) Get a facial.
Get a manicure. I don’t like shooting hands in headshots but you never know when they might creep into the shot.
Go to your hairdresser. Get a trim and touch up your roots.
Get your eyebrows shaped. ( Robyn is amazing! email her for an appointment at paintedpinkproductions@gmail.com )
Talk with your agent/acting coach/best friend and decide on the looks you want to achieve.
For clothing guidelines, read this… http://www.melaniekelly.ca/blog/?p=506
Go shopping or raid your friend’s closet.
If you have the clothes you need in your closet, try them on. Check to see if they still fit and are in good condition (clean, no rips, missing buttons).
If you don’t want to iron your clothes, take them to the dry cleaner and keep them wrinkle-free until the shoot.

The night before the shoot…

Get 8 hours sleep. You’ll make my time in Photoshop easier
If you didn’t visit the dry cleaner, iron your clothes!
Pack your clothes in a garment bag, not a yoga bag. Trust me. After spending all that time ironing, you’ll want to keep those shirts crisp.

The day of the shoot…

Style your hair how you would normally style it. DON’T flat iron it. Once hair is flat ironed, it can not be curled!
Moisturize your face but don’t put on any makeup.
Bring your iPod full of your favorite music.

Now you’re ready! Let’s have fun and create some amazing shots!

Ack!!! What to wear??? (Women’s edition)

Melanie — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 16:09:07 +0000

The big question! What do I wear in my headshots??? I remember scouring the malls for the perfect outfit when I was an actor preparing for my own headshots. It was a confusing mess. Not everything that I bought ended up looking good in the images. So to make this less confusing for you, I’m going to attempt to give you some guidelines to use when searching for your outfits.

Second step, go to La Senza (or equivalent). You’ll need a nude and a black T shirt bra (NO LACE!). Light pink does not substitute for nude…unless your skin is pink! Nothing wrecks an image like the color or texture of a bra showing through a shirt.

Step three, hit up the dollar store and buy a plastic garmet bag. No matter how neatly you fold your outfits and stuff them in your bag, they will be creased upon arriving at the studio. A garmet bag will keep them hanging pretty. (And take the time to introduce your clothes to your iron!)

Next up, try on clothes! It’s impossible to tell what a top will look like on you unless you try it on. What may look great on the hanger, may sit weird on your shoulders. And what you’d pass up on the hanger may be perfect on you! Since it is rare that I will shoot your entire body in a headshot, focus on finding tops.

For the Sexy/Glamour shot, give Casting an idea of your size and sex appeal with feminine, skin showing basics. Choose plunging necklines, lacy tank tops, capped sleeves, tight cardigans and/or bustiers. Bring heels. They may not be in the shot but they will make you feel sexy.

For the Professional look, choose crisp oxford shirts and/or blazers. Add a bit of femininity to that power suit by pairing it with a lacy camisole or clavicle baring blouse. If you wear glasses, bring them!

Now, what NOT to wear…

satin (it’s too shiny and distracting with the studio lights and it shows every bump)
baggy, scoop neck tops (they make you look larger than you are)
Red (it will all pull focus from your face)
Loudly patterned tops or shirts with logos on them (same result as wearing red)
tops with ‘bling’ on them (very distracting)
ruffles (simple is best)

If you are a curvy gal, keep the following in mind…

V necks or wrap tops draw attention away from wide shoulders and flatter the bust line
Likewise, layering a lacy camisole under a fitted blazer or oxford shirt achieves the same result
Capped, short or fitted long sleeves camouflage bulky arms better than a sleeveless design
Thin fabrics are more desirable than a bulky sweaters or thick fabrics
Empire waist and A line tops disguise round tummies

Hope this helps! These are just guidelines and once in awhile they can be broken. If you question whether an outfit will work or not…BRING IT! We can always do a test shot to see if it works on camera.

Have fun shopping/borrowing from friends/digging through your closets!

For the men…how to prepare for your session

Melanie — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 08:26:35 +0000

So, you’ve booked your headshot session with me…now what?

Start practising these good habits!

A week before the shoot…

Drink lots of water daily.
Moisturize your skin nightly. Borrow your girlfriend’s cream, go to a department store and ask for a sample or buy your own at a drug store. Personally, I love Complex 15. It was recommended to me by Robyn, one of the makeup artists I work with. It is hydrating but not greasy. And it costs $9.99 at London Drugs when it’s on sale.
Talk with your agent/acting coach/best friend and decide on the looks you want to achieve.
Go shopping.
If you have the clothes you need in your closet, try them on. Check to see if they still fit and are in good condition (no rips, missing buttons).
If you don’t want to iron your clothes, take them to the dry cleaner and keep them wrinkle-free until the shoot.
Get a haircut.

The night before the shoot…

Get 8 hours sleep. You’ll make my time in Photoshop easier
If you didn’t visit the dry cleaner, iron your clothes!
Pack your clothes in a garment bag, not a duffel bag. Trust me. After spending all that time ironing, you’ll want to keep those shirts crisp.

The day of the shoot…

Bring ChapStick. Dry lips are tricky to fix in post.
If you are shaving between shots, bring your kit, styptic pencil and a towel.

Now you’re ready! Let’s shoot this!