Release your inner zombie...

One of the real benefits of this business (and there are many) is working with young and talented individuals over a number of years.  Meghan Sitek is a terrific example.

Meghan began coming to the shop when she was still in high school.  She was partial to creative and experimental photography and over time she became involved in the film industry, especially with theatrical and prosthetic make-up.

Now Meghan is a professional freelance makeup artist and photographer and her creative nature is obvious.

Given that this time of year is Halloween and the in-vogue nature of all things zombies, Meghan has generously offered to share some make-up tips to look your undead best.

And when you are finished reading this, visit Meghan's facebook page and her web site at Megan Lee Artistry.

Shadows and silhouttes

Contre-jour is a photography technique in which the camera is pointed towards a light source.  This creates a backlit effect and hides details, causes a stronger contrast between light and dark.  It emphasizes forms and shapes and minimizes details.

Shooting in shadows is similar, but it considered more of a low-key effect as opposed to a true silhouette. 

In any case, it forces the viewer to draw their own conclusions about the details that cannot be seen.  And any photograph that forces the viewer to think just a bit longer is an effective photograph.

Vignetting and portion control

Pretty pictures are just that; pictures of a slice of time.  Fine-art photography has additional elements and one of these elements can be vignetting.

Vignetting takes place when the outer edges are darker than the center, which creates "hot spots" and the eye is pulled towards the center.  Many years ago vignetting was considered an image flaw and an artifact of cheap lenses and cheap filters.  

Today, for many situations it can be a desired effect, but like anything else, it can also be abused.