The Makeup Insider

Mastering the Art of Makeup Test Shoots for Your Portfolio with Industry Expert Maxi.

• Vanessa Barney • Season 2 • Episode 67

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In this insightful episode, Vanessa Barney sits down with makeup industry expert Maxi to explore the essential strategies for building a standout makeup portfolio. Maxi shares invaluable tips and practical advice on creating a portfolio that not only showcases your skills.

Key Topics Discussed:

1. The Essence of a Makeup Portfolio:

  •   A portfolio is more than just a collection of images; it embodies an artist's vision, skill, and creativity.

2. Importance of Test Shoots:

  •   Test shoots fill gaps in portfolios and display a wide range of abilities.
  •   They provide a platform for networking with other creatives and industry professionals.

3. Collaboration and Coordination:

  •  Effective collaboration with modeling agencies is crucial for successful test shoots.
  •  Maxi provides a step-by-step guide on approaching agencies, creating compelling mood boards, and maintaining clear communication.

4. Social Media and Ethical Considerations:

  • The importance of compensating models and ethical content creation.
  •  Clear agreements on promotional content and the careful selection process for images that represent the makeup artist's brand.

5. Logistics of Organizing Test Shoots:

  •  Financial considerations, timing, and location logistics.
  •  Emphasis on keeping shoots concise and focused, prioritizing quality over quantity.

6. Selecting Images for Your Portfolio:

  • Tips on choosing the right images and understanding the importance of quick turnaround times for portfolio updates.

Key Takeaways:

Dual Benefits of Test Shoots: Demonstrate capabilities beyond client demands and network with industry professionals.

  • Best Practices for Collaboration: Create a compelling mood board, maintain clear communication, and approach agencies professionally.
  • Social Media Etiquette: Understand the ethics of content creation and the importance of compensating models.
  • Efficient Test Shoot Organization: Focus on quality, manage logistics effectively, and select the best images for your portfolio.

Who Should Listen:

  • Budding Makeup Artists: Gain foundational knowledge on portfolio building and networking.
  • Seasoned Professionals: Enhance your existing portfolio with advanced strategies and insights.
  • Industry Enthusiasts: Learn about the behind-the-scenes processes of makeup artistry and test shoots.

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Speaker 1:

Hi and welcome to the Makeup Insider. I'm your host, vanessa Barney, makeup artist, hairdresser, educator and all-round beauty junkie. If you've ever felt lost or lonely in your makeup career, this podcast is for you. I'm here to interview makeup artists and other industry professionals, to give guidance and be the mentor I needed early in my career. With a new episode every Tuesday, don't forget to hit subscribe so you don't miss a trick, and if you like what you hear, please rate and leave a comment. I hope you enjoy. Welcome back, Maxie. Hey Vanessa, all about testing. Woo, maxi, hey, vanessa, all about testing. So thanks for joining me again today.

Speaker 2:

We had a great chat, maybe like a year ago, I think, or two years ago.

Speaker 1:

It could almost be two, I reckon. Yeah, yeah. So do you just want to give the audience just a quick rundown about who you are, what you do?

Speaker 2:

Sure, my name is Maxi. I have always worked in the modelling and fashion industry as an agent. A couple of years ago, I started my own creative agency, which looks after photographers, makeup artists, stylists, videographers, as well as working part-time at a modelling agency still so I'm an agent for both models and for creative talent.

Speaker 1:

Fab, so so qualified to talk about something like this? Yes, I do, I do. All right, so what is testing?

Speaker 2:

So testing is basically a group of creatives and usually a model, who are all coming together to shoot something. Nobody gets paid, but it's to create images that will fill certain holes in your book, both creatively and for the talent, so that you guys can secure more work. So it's basically an opportunity to create stuff that you want to show clients you can do, which you may not have been able to do on paid jobs. I know quite often paid jobs are not necessarily the kinds of work that show what you can do. It's what the client wants you to do. So it's an opportunity for creatives to add stuff to their book, have a play, try out some new things maybe that they wouldn't feel comfortable doing on a paid shoot yet, and with the ideal goal that everybody involved gets images that help them secure more work in the future and we mentioned um just a moment ago, before we started recording.

Speaker 1:

That testing was also known as tfp tfp, which stands for time for print.

Speaker 2:

that is a very 80s 90s term and sometimes it is still used, but basically it's saying the same concept everyone's time for images. Obviously, very little gets printed these days and mostly people would call it testing, but if you use the word TFP in an email to anybody in the industry, we would know what that means.

Speaker 1:

What that means Excellent. So how can testing help a makeup artist with their career?

Speaker 2:

Well, I think the number one thing as a creative person on the testing shoots is to look at what you've got in your book. What have you got to show clients and are there potentially some holes, like maybe you're missing some strong makeup looks, or maybe you're missing some very natural makeup looks, or, if you are a hair artist as well, what you can do in that sense. So finding a team, basically, that can help you fill those holes and also, at the same time, an opportunity to experiment a little bit, have a little bit of a play and a bit of fun, where the outcome isn't the client's going to be angry if they're not happy with the work. It's sort of a light creative experience. Also a really great way to connect with other working creatives in the industry. So testing with photographers that you can see are working is a great way to get your foot in the door so that when they're in the future suggesting teams to their clients, they can go.

Speaker 2:

Oh well, I worked with Vanessa on this test. Look what she did. It was so beautiful, highly recommend. So combo, basically, of filling your folio with new, interesting work and connecting with other people in the industry.

Speaker 1:

And does the makeup artist generally approach the agency about this, or is this something that the photographer or the stylist tends to do?

Speaker 2:

To be honest with you, from the model desk we get inquiries from all three, so sometimes it'll be the photographer, sometimes it's the stylist, sometimes it's the makeup artist. It'll be usually somebody that's quite good at the admin part of it that will take on the responsibility of reaching out to agencies or reaching out to other creatives. You know, let's say you and a photographer have teamed up. One of you will take on control of finding the stylist, in collaboration obviously, but it wouldn't matter at all who is the one contacting. That doesn't matter, yeah.

Speaker 1:

And when it comes to sending the email, is there a good way to do this, like, what do you include in the email.

Speaker 2:

Yes, so if you are reaching out blind and you've never spoken or connected with the agency or the people that you're emailing, my first recommendation is look, agents, especially model agents, think they're really busy and this is not considered paid work. So what really really important is that the comms with the agency is clear, really concise, so that you don't annoy them with 75 emails that important. I mean, it's important to them, but it's not to the same interest. You know we would book lots of free kinds of tests over the course of the week. So making sure that what you're saying is clear and as much information is delivered as clearly as possible will get you in the good books to start the kinds of things that you want to sort of put in that initial email and it can be a couple of things.

Speaker 2:

Usually I would recommend saying this is the date, the time, this is the team we have booked and this is the mood board who do you have? This will absolutely cut through back and forth. You could say like we are ideally looking for a girl with curly hair or a guy with a shaved head, or we're looking for a brand new face or whatever you might want ideally, but getting all of that info in there. It's just what the agency will do is go great love that mood board. Check your fol, check the photographer's folio. Go, yeah, that looks good. I know these 10 girls would be perfect for this and could really do with that. That'll save the clients getting bored of communicating back and forth, so you've got to come to them with it on a silver platter, basically.

Speaker 1:

The mood board. It doesn't have to be a 75-page document. It certainly doesn't.

Speaker 2:

And, to be honest with you, if it's again sort of the first few times that you're reaching out to particular agencies, my recommendation is always to go for something extremely simple.

Speaker 2:

Agents aren't so interested in big blue ball gowns and wind machines and you know extreme make-up looks when you're first starting out to make that contact, going for a go-see vibe where it's very clean, it's very simple, that will help Look. Basically, the agents only want to see the models looking gorgeous, flattering, beautiful. But it doesn't need to be a massive production and you usually will gain trust of an agency if you start simple and then do a few shoots of them and they get to know that your style or what you guys do as a team is what they would want in their folio. That's the best way to start off. It definitely always make sure you include some kind of really clean makeup look and then, as it goes on, sure build and do something more fun. But as long as the agents know that they're going to get a good three or four clean, simple images of the model from each shoot, that will help you build that relationship with them.

Speaker 1:

Okay, so would you say the agency is more interested in seeing that clean the model looking gorgeous?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, 100%. They are not interested in the quality of anything else for the most part. Generally that's their main consideration. But that doesn't mean that, you know, that's the only reason You're not there just to service the model's folios either. So as long as you can provide something that suits like that and then go on to do whatever you guys want, that's a really fair compromise as well. If you want to do something a little bit more stronger looks or a little bit more experimental, just make sure that the agencies get three or four shots where the girls look hot.

Speaker 1:

Is it required that you have a stylist on board?

Speaker 2:

No, it's not, and you would probably know this, vanessa. The stylists are the hardest part of the creative team to find. There's not so many of them. The ones that are really working and really good are usually not too available and quite often if you are available, it means you're starting out. So we don't require that, certainly anywhere that I've worked, and our preference is it doesn't need to be super, super styled and you know six different looks and anything like that. It can be very, very simple, um, where the girls bring their own clothes. So that's not yeah, that's not a requirement, that's not uncommon what would you say?

Speaker 1:

uh, I think you've probably covered this, actually, but some of the best practices for testing.

Speaker 2:

Well, yes, keeping it simple. Um, there is a look and there's also the consideration to are you going to shoot on the location or are you going to shoot in a studio? Studio is more, um, environmentally controlled, so you can probably have a little bit of a better play and usually a little bit of a better outcome. But then that also ends up costing some money, and that's something. If there are costs to a test agent, model agencies won't pay for them. It'll be something that whoever's on the team, the creative team, has to absorb, so that's worth considering.

Speaker 2:

Um, best practice in that is yet, keep it simple. Try and find something that you can replicate again. So, being in a studio getting and also working with different teams and the same teams I know that sounds counterintuitive, but developing relationships with. If you find that you really get on well with a photographer and you've worked together extremely well, creatives sort of usually come together and find, oh, I love working with this person, they'd really like working with me, and you end up getting to know each other too. So, if you find a team that you like, that was a great shoot, that was a great shoot. That was a great stylist.

Speaker 2:

We really liked whatever that was, do it again with them, because you also don't, you know, not all tests are going to work out. Some of them are just, sometimes the shots just. It's just not right. You know, not every shoot is a success, um, so if you do find people that you have had great shoots with, working together with them, more makes you guys stronger, and the more that you work together you you can sort of present to the agencies well, look, this is the shoots that we've done in the past to show you know that you're not going to go rogue or do anything weird, and this is that they're certain that the model will get something from it.

Speaker 1:

If I work with a model on a shoot and we get along well and I'm like we should test together, is it best that I reach out to the model or best that I reach out to the agency?

Speaker 2:

A good question. If you look, reach out to the agency. Sometimes models look, there's a couple of things. Asking a model on set, they might say yes, even if they don't mean yes because they don't want to be rude. I'm sure that that's not usually the case, but sometimes, when you do ask them directly, they go yeah, and we as agencies may have very different plans about what we think you should be testing or what they should do. So running it past us is always the easiest. If we're comfortable and we know you, then it's quite often someone will say oh, vanessa mentioned she wants to do a test with so-and-so. I'd be happy to do that and I'll go yeah, great, I'll give Vanessa the A-OK and we'll take it from there. So, just so you don't upset anyone, ask the agencies first. It's just yeah, best way, just via email. Yeah, via email, that's the easiest yeah.

Speaker 2:

And you can even say happy to organise with the model direct if it saves you. Some agencies are really happy to go. Yep, you're cool, we know you guys, we all know you. You're fine, there's nothing, you talk to the model directly and organize it for saturday fine. Some of them, though, you know, might have peculiarities, like there might be girls that don't want to do this or that and we would prefer to manage. So ask the agencies and they can decide. But better that than standing on anyone's toes.

Speaker 1:

So toes yes um any, what not? What not to do when it comes to testing?

Speaker 2:

um, going, yeah, we're going to berserk with too much creative vibes. That don't, don't do that. I would be my suggestion. Um, some, some other thing, I mean these are pretty basic. But ensuring that the talent you don't ask the talent to do anything like take their top off on set, you know, and do hand bra or something that you haven't cleared with the agency first. If there's going to be any knickers, any implied nudity, any of that kind of stuff, it's important to advise the agency or talk to the model about it first, just to make sure that they're comfortable with that concept again and not feeling like they have to say yes, just because they're there, that does happen. Yeah, don't overdo it with the communication with the agency. If you can avoid that, that will set you in good stead with them. Keeping tests, but no more than six hours, and even that's pushing it. Four hours is usually enough. But there's nothing worse than when you organize the tests with a creative and they come back and they're like right, it's an 11 hour shoot day on a saturday. It's too much. So try it. Try and keep them to sort of four, five, six hours at absolute max.

Speaker 2:

Um, the number one thing is try and stick to that mood board. I can go on on Pinterest and I, too, can collect a whole bunch of gorgeous images that look really nice. It doesn't mean I can shoot them, do that kind of make-up, anything like that. Less is more, and being more really thinking, considered, and less and getting that right as opposed to putting on. You know, we want three models in the day. We'll move here and we'll go there and we'll do this and all of it ending up a little bit, you know, okay, but not 100%. Starting off less and getting it beautiful would be the way that you continue to be able to work with modelling agencies as well.

Speaker 1:

So getting three incredible images rather than 20.

Speaker 2:

Subpar ones. Yep, 100%, because in the end, realistically, folio everyone has different opinions on what a folio and how long it should be, but you will never, you should never, be using more than three or four images from a shoot in your main folio. If you don't have individual stories up there and you've just sort of got, you know maybe 25 of your top images, you don't need to see eight of them from the same sheet. Only you are. Everybody only needs three or four.

Speaker 1:

So better that, yeah yeah, touched on paid tests before we so, yeah, sure, so there's.

Speaker 2:

There's testing, which is like we've spoken about more, about the tfp, where everybody gets something out of it and nobody gets paid.

Speaker 2:

But there is also opportunities.

Speaker 2:

All agencies will have a small roster and I've got to say usually it's the photographer that dictates whether they're the paid testing photographer, and we would have maybe two to four on rotation who are top-notch photographers that we have done all of what we've just spoken about multiple free tests in the past, know the quality of their work, know that if we say we need this, we'll get that, and then we feel confident enough to ask the talent to invest in their own shoot because they really need body shots or they really need some swimwear or whatever it might be. We know that that's missing or whatever it might be. We know that that's missing, and if that model spends a couple hundred bucks on a team to get that updated in their folio, then that would be a worthy investment, similar to not always being able to use paid jobs in your folio because they're not necessarily cool. The models have the same problem. So there is also an opportunity, once you've started to really work tightly with photographers that do get paid by agencies, to then be part of those teams.

Speaker 1:

I did have a question actually on images how long is the sort of turnaround that you not that makeup artists need to worry about this, but just so that they know what's sort of the turnaround on images the never-ending?

Speaker 2:

question, isn't it? Yes, how long is it going to take to get the images? Look, if you are working together as a team, often it depends who the photographer is. With my photographers, if they're doing a creative test like we've spoken about, you know a free one with models I would always suggest that not the models but the whole creative team get to see the low res images a couple of days after the shoot. Everyone's seeing something different in a shot, so the photographer is probably going to look at composition and lighting. You're going to see hairs that nobody else is going to see, or you know something there. The stylist is going to see some crease in the fabric. Everyone's going to pick up different stuff.

Speaker 2:

So, a couple of days after the shoot, low res images sent to everybody Everyone. Couple of days after the shoot, low res images sent to everybody. Everyone has a little squeeze, makes their little short list of whatever you think, your top 10, 15,. Jump on a Zoom or have a phone call together and talk through what are your favourite shots all together as a team. That will help make sure that everybody gets something that they want from it. Once the selects are made two weeks at absolute max. Sometimes it can take longer, and if they are a busy photographer, they're either the kind of person that's going to get it done extremely quickly hence why they're really busy, because they edit at night and get it done or they're the kind of person that's really busy and it takes them a lot longer. So usually, after selects are made, two weeks is fair-ish, but you know that can change, of course, if everyone gets really busy or whatever.

Speaker 1:

So yeah, yeah, and then the other thing I wanted to touch on was content creation.

Speaker 2:

Yes, yes certainly Is it just content creation to show what you can do on your social media. It's not connected to advertising a certain foundation or brand or anything like that. Look, some agencies will make you pay. It doesn't necessarily have to be something expensive, though for what it's worth. So if you wanted a model to come to sit down in a chair while you film some content and it's just for you, it's no brand you'd probably find some really cute models for about $100. Now, which probably you know they'll be development talent. They won't be, you know, linda Evangelista, but they'll be gorgeous enough kids. That means that you know that you're covering their time. Also, look, some of the models will just say to you yeah, that's fine, I don't mind to do it, but again, just making sure you don't step on anyone's toes. A small budget like that will just show that you understand you're asking a model for their time, but not going to be the standard $250, $300 an hour model booking that you would usually pay if you're a client. It's when it gets into advertising, brands, clients, boosted social posts, that kind of stuff. That's when it becomes a little bit more complex. But I know more than a few different makeup artists that have great deals. That book always through certain different agencies. They've got a really good rate. You know, maybe it's even $350 for four hours and worth it that you guys can have.

Speaker 2:

Look, we all know there's a reason models exist. It's because they help sell stuff, because they are so pretty. So no point doing makeup on me, better spend $350 and get a hot girl. Do you know what I mean? That would just be better all around. So, look, I think paying a little bit of money is a good idea. If you've got close relationships with a model, though, you can always ask them to just run it past the agency. Do you mind if I just go and spend the afternoon at Finesse's? She's going to do my makeup three one night when I want to go out, swap it for that. You know that's a good option too. Um, just always, if they're signed, just get them to run it past their agency. Never know what. You know, every agent is different and you never know what they might think. But you can say I'm happy to do, yeah, offer a makeup for an event coming up if I can have it for four hours this afternoon that's yeah.

Speaker 1:

I think that's a great swap. If, like, you don't have any relationships with any models or whatever, can a makeup artist reach out to the agency and say this is my budget, and then you can give them a solution 100%, absolutely.

Speaker 2:

I've recently done that for a young makeup artist at the agency that I'm at. She emailed saying I want to do this. I think she only had about 300 followers on her Instagram, had a couple of hundred bucks, no dramas at all. Yeah, easy, that's. That's totally fine and completely reasonable kind of email that you would get at an agency these days. That's yeah.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I actually think it's important that the model's paid or there's some kind of I don't know swapsy deal, because, yeah, you're getting something out of it.

Speaker 2:

that's just it's good, it's good karma to do that and also to consider that they too are you're a professional. They are also becoming professionals at their craft. It's not so much about what the figure is, it's more that you aren't. A lot of creatives do expect that models should be so excited to work with them, and that's fine they might be. But offering that, even if it's a little cash you know a bit of contra product here, you know whatever it might be just offering that, I think that's I would if I was a makeup artist.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, I think it's definitely beneficial, and if a like let's say that you're doing paid content creation for a brand, then that's something that needs to be disclosed in the email to the agent and a figure well, it depends it.

Speaker 2:

Look at this. Either way, usually when I'm quoting for social content for my credits, I've got a couple of talent that do have a really nice following and brands do reach out. Usually what I will do is find out. It's not only how look, if you're just doing a reel or something for a brand, two, two and a half hour booking, that's usually what you would probably need. Um, it's important to find out the usage of where the brand will use the content. So will it just be hosted on Vanessa Barney's Instagram or will it be in collaboration with Mecca, or will Mecca just post it themselves? Will Mecca boost it? Will it be up there for three years?

Speaker 2:

You know, finding out that stuff, which they would usually tell you anyway, when you're talking to a client like that, but I would usually quote, for that's how much it's going to cost you for this particular talent, plus a budget of $500, $600 for a model, and then I'll email out to the agencies and say, hi, we're looking for somebody like this, maybe with this kind of features. We have $500 for two and a half hours. This is the usage. Send us who you have.

Speaker 2:

So that's usually and if you're ever contacting agencies, whether it's about booking the models for social media or for even for a client. Going to them with the fee that you've got is easier than asking them to quote you, because if you ask an agent to quote, we will always give you the standard rate, which is well more than probably what you'd like to pay. So going to them with I have got this is much easier than going how much'd like to pay? So going to them with I have got this is much easier than going how much would it cost? Because they're going to come back with you know, double the amount.

Speaker 1:

Okay, that's a great tip. Good, now I think we've covered everything. Can you think of anything?

Speaker 2:

I think that's pretty spot on. Yeah, I reckon that's it Absolutely.

Speaker 1:

That was great, okay, well, spot on. Yeah, I reckon that's it absolutely. That was great, okay. Well, thanks, so nice to chat with you, vanessa, I'll speak to you in a couple of years, hey thanks for joining me today on the makeup insider. I hope you've enjoyed the show. Please don't forget to rate and subscribe and I'll see you soon. Bye for now.