Sticky situations!

So, had quite an experience lately with a photographer and a model.

I was booked to go and do makeup for a model who was doing a shoot just for fun, I have worked with the photographer on the odd occassion before and had very good experiences with her. Before the shoot, I was under the impression only one look would be done but when I got there I was told there will be a total of four different looks and I'd only quoted for one face.

It was a fun shoot so I didn't even bother asking for more money... but waited a couple of weeks to get paid, and I generally work on a strict cash on delivery system or an EFT before the time of the shoot - just to make sure I'm not messed around, but I hardly ever enforce this when I worked with either of the parties involved as I probably trust people too easily.

Anyway, after two weeks I was getting a little frustrated as all my calls, emails, and sms's were going unanswered, and suddenly my blackberry beeped to say that I had a message on facebook. It was from the model from the shoot asking if the photographer had paid me, and I told no because I hadn't heard from the photographer since the shoot. The model replied and told me the same, and that she had been promised images a week ago and all the sms's, calls, and emails were going unanswered.

Long story short, I finally got paid and it was just a complicated situation as to why I had not been paid, but I got paid a little bit extra by the photographer as I did 3 more looks than I had quoted, but once the model received the images from the photographer she had said that she is not going to pay for them as she doesn't believe they have been edited extensively enough, nor did the photographer do the promised editing that was spoken about while she was shooting, such as enhancing colours, removing pimples, etc etc.

Now the model had paid the deposit for the shoot, which was my money for the first look - minus the extra bit of money the photographer gave me. I don't know if I'd be compelled to give this money back to the photographer to make sure that the photographer is not totally out of pocket, but I feel like the fact that I was not told I was going to be there for 3 + hours, I should have in all honesty been paid a little bit more, if not triple what I had quoted...

Aye, the party never stops and the drama never ends in this industry. If only everyone would communicate correctly before and after a shoot there would be no drama whatsoever and everyone could build a bridge and get over it... If anything monumental happens in the mean time, I will keep this here blog posted, but I don't know anymore... It's a lot of fuss over an extra R50... What can you buy for R50 nowadays anyway... Not even a new MAC lipgloss! The tradgedy! :)

Until then,

Peace, love & Cupcakes

Flea

FHM Top 100 Models Who I love :-)

I have had the privledge being able to work with some awesome ladies this year, sometimes for photography, sometimes for makeup for shoots with other photographers and I'd love it if you'd take time to vote for them, as they are all in the FHM Top 100 Homegrown Honey's Competition and need your help to get into the top 10. They all deserve to be there!

The first fabulous lady I've worked with many many many times is Kirsten Maarschalk. She proves that 65 is most definately the new 69! :)

Photo by Paul Duffy "the one and only...".

Makeup by MissFitz :)

Miss "Model 65" (if you are in South Africa, sms that to 34973) and I first starting talking about doing a shoot together at the beginning of the year, and suprise suprise, we still haven't done it, but we've done lots of other things in between. I first met her at her first shoot with another photographer as all her other shoots had been done with the legendary Graphic Art and naturally she was a little nervous but the images that were produced were outstanding and no one would of EVER thought that she was nervous...

I also had the pleasure of snapping a couple of shots of Miss "Model 65" (remember to sms that 34973) for my friend Simone Davel, who needed to update her photography portfolio, so I organised Kirsten and Nola to come and we could do some fun and fabulous fashionista stuff at my studio, I just poached these shots.

Photo by Fi Fitzpatrick Photography

Makeup by Astute Artistry (Mpho Shange)

Greatly assisted and orgnised by Simone Davel

Isn't she gorgeous? Go vote for her now! She deserves to be in the top 10 because not only is she gorgeous on the outside, she's an absolute darling. Do it NOWWW! :)

On the day when Simone was doing her thing my studio, Kirsten brought her drop dead gorgeous friend who is also in FHM Top 100 for 2011, Nola Schreuder.... I painted her face and snapped a couple of shots of her, here she is

Photo by: Fi Fitzpatrick Photography

Makeup by MissFitz

Don't forget to vote for Miss "Model 50" to 3497 or vote on her FHM profile. She is an absolute doll! She also deserves to be in the Top 10!!! 

The first oppurtunity I had to do makeup for Graphic Art was for a stunning little lady called Mashadi, here is a shot from her shoot with the legend of all things photographic....

Photo by Graphic Art

Makeup by MissFitz

Vote for this stunning little lady, she also deserves to really be in the top 10 for 2011!!

I have also done makeup for Cindy De Wet (model 59) on two occassions now with two different photographers. First time I met Cindy, if I recall correctly she was still fairly new to the modelling world but she has taken it by storm, and her portfolio has grown tenfold since then. 

Here is a shot from the first shoot I did makeup for her, with Allen Riedel

Photo by Allan Riedel

Makeup by MissFitz

Obviously this shoot wasn't for FHM, it was a wintery themed shoot, but we did something more FHM style with Paul Duffy a couple of weeks ago and here is one of the results from the sexxxxy shoot!

Photo by Paul Duffy

Makeup by MissFitz

Vote for this hot lil mama! Model 59 :)

I also recently did makeup at Graphic Art for the totally stunning Talana Bouwer, miss Model 25 and here a result from our shoot together!

Photo by Graphic Art

Makeup by MissFitz

Vote for this stunning lady! She is a total hottie and a complete sweetheart!

I also had a great time doing makeup for Rizelle  but I havent had a glimpse of any of the images yet, she also needs some votes, so please vote for her!

I've been so privledged to work with some of the best looking girls in the country this year and I wish them the best of luck for 2011 FHM Home Grown Honeys, not to mention the great photographers I've met along the way!!

Thank you for letting me work with you ladies!

Makeup Artists Relationships with Clients

Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love my part time job of being a makeup artist, specifically for crazy funky and avant garde photoshoots, but I can do makeup for anything from events and functions to tv and of course the lovely gorgeous brides that we all know and love for being difficult.

I had an interesting client a couple of weeks back and she really made me think about what my previous clients had thought of their makeup experience with myself being there makeup artist. This particular client was someone who didn't know anything about makeup, someone who doesnt wear makeup at all generally but as it was one of her first photoshoots the photographer convinced her that having your face done is essential and polishes off your look - she wasn't keen on having a makeup artist because she had a bad experience with her last makeup artist... someone whom I've heard of in the industry as being quite spectacular. She said, she specifically did not enjoy having her makeup done by this person because she took so long and would not let her see what she was doing to her face as she was done and she thought the makeup was "heavy".

I tried my hardest to explain to her for film and tv makeup is NEVER going to be as light as everyday use and I personally know a couple of people who love their every day foundation to be "heavy", I'm personally a heavy-ish foundation person, as my skin sometimes has a tendancy to go a little red on my cheeks, and I find that this can be covered if I have my heavy foundation on.

Makeup for photoshoots can always be difficult when there are models and photographers involved, as the model wants one look whereas the the photographer wants another, they both say they don't care and I must do my thing but if one wants a smokey look and the other wants a sort of natural look there can be big conflicts for my job as the makeup artist. Especially I want the client happy and the photographer as they will both tell everyone of their experience with me and whether or not they enjoyed it. The particular girl that I have spoken about in the post asked me via email to come and do her makeup again so I do hope she was pleased with the result that I produced on this particular day.

I am starting to understand now that not only am I a makeup artist, but I am also a under paid psychologist as I hear everyones problems and gossip and I find myself starting to offer advice to them from my point of view. Unfortunately- I'm known for not being the best person to give advice as my brain works in weird ways that seem to only work for me! :) So to any of my clients that I've given advice to, just remember to only take it with a pinch of salt.  

My relationship with a couple of photographers has grown to be a big success this year, as my calender for this month of November shows... I was lucky a couple of weeks ago to have three or four bookings over 2 weekends a month, this month has been quite hectic juggling all my time to accomodate everyone, and now I've got some lunch time bookings to skive off work to go and beautify some people - which is a very welcomed distraction as everyone knows I'm not the biggest fan of sitting behind a desk and being a slave for my collegues, but it keeps my brain very busy!

As you can see my makeup business is finally taking off - just in time for December for it to cool down and then start all over again in January after my little trip down to Cape Town in the first few weeks of January :) So excited for that, but thats a different post for another day!

See some of my latest makeup work that I am so proud of.... All photographs by Nicholas Goldsworthy of NGD Photography

Model: Christine Park

Model: Lucy Venables

Model: Imogen Meyer

Model: Kirsten Maarschalk 

(FHM Top 100 2011) Please vote for her - she deserves to win it! :)

Peace, love and cupcakes,

Flea

Everyday should be a C&H Day

The creators of C&H are seriously something else, but I absolutely loved this! :)