As a fitness model it is very important to fully prepare for a photo shoot. Proper preparation is just as important as all the exercise and diet steps you did to get in photo shape. Remember the photos will live forever and represent you. So you want them to be the best possible in every way.
A good EVEN tan is a key part of having great photos. There is nothing more frustrating for a photographer or client than to have a great model with a bad tan. For the purpose of photography a tan should not be as dark as a stage tan for competition. That is a stronger different type of lighting source. The comment that always make me nervous is when a model says “don’t worry I tan even naturally”. Unless you are like a chicken on a rotisserie it’s pretty tough to end up with a truly even tan.
Therefore the best two solutions are either a Mystique (brand name) type spray tan or something similar or some brand of an applied tan. Spray tans sometimes need two applications to get to the right tone, so you ideally should start a couple of days prior with a spray tan. The beauty is they will last a while and won’t drip when wet. Some of the popular paint on style brands are:
Jan Tana - www.jantana.com
ProTan - www.protanusa.com
Dream Tan - www.dreamtan.com
Sexy Tan (in a can) - www.sexyhair.com
O2 Cosmetics (in a can) - www.o2cosmetics.com
Sally Hansens (in a can) - www.sallyhansen.com
ERA (Spray)good for face- www.classifiedcosmetics.com
It is best to experiment before hand so you know what works best for your skin type. You might even have an allergic reaction to a certain brand. Some tans are water resistant and some are not. That could be critical as the other huge problems with tans are if they are not water resistant it may start dripping from sweat or water during the shoot. Then it looks like dripping blood and you end up with a streaked tan. If you are applying the tan yourself, be sure and where protective gloves. The other big problems with paint on tans are they will stain your hands. You want to also be sure as part of your grooming that your hands and nails are in reasonably good shape as they may become prominent in photos. Ideally if you can get a friend to apply your tan they can get your back more evenly and it avoids the hand stain issue, but have them where gloves or use an application sponge brush. Also bring your tanning product with you in case you need touch ups or need to apply another coat.
Another big problem with tans are models frequently do not match the tome of their face to the body. This is key to have the photo look good. Otherwise you will have a ghost white face possibly and a dark body and hard to fix in Photoshop. People think everything can and will be fixed in Photoshop. That’s not the case and don’t rely on that.
If you follow these simple steps and learn what works for you, your photos will be that much better and the client will be much happier with you as a model. I have literally had to send models for tans after arriving, even experienced models. This wastes a lot of time and is key to have great physique or workout photos. So the bottom line is, be prepared and look your best in every respect.
If you would like to contact me for potential photo assignments or portfolio work please In addition to an photos be sure to include any competitions coming up, what city you live in, if you are willing to travel to Los Angeles at your own expense, contact phone and e-mail, height, weight, hair color etc.
If you don’t already have professional pictures that represent you, in your best light, you can contact someone like myself to discuss a paid portfolio. If that’s of interest please write to [email protected] and put portfolio shoot in the subject line. You can check out some of my work at:
www.magiclight.com or www.facebook.com/magiclight.productions or www.oxygenfit.com for great home/travel/contest pump-up fitness products.
Remember stay fit, as you never know when that next shoot call or email may come!
In Health,
Robert Reiff
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