Left: no make-up, Middle: actual make-up done by me, Right: the no make-up photo with AI make-up
A little while ago I started using a new Photoshop portrait retouching plug-in that uses AI and greatly enhances my ability to finish portraits. It is getting so sophisticated with each update that I wondered if I might now actually be able to do full make-up from scratch in retouching. Photoshop has always made that possible but the time and skill required made it prohibitively expensive in any practical sense. But now, I wondered, so I did a test.
Let’s compare my photos:
#1 No make-up at all.
#2 I did my make-up, maybe not as well as a make-up artist would do it, but I’m comfortable doing my own make-up; as a photographer I know what I need, so it’s fine for demo purposes. I would normally retouch a photo at least somewhat, even with make-up done, so there are a few distracting spots I would normally smooth out but I’m leaving them in for the purposes of this experiment. (I will also mention that these days more and more clients, and I myself, are desiring more authentic photos that show our “earned wrinkles”. There’s a balance to strike.)
#3 AI. This is photo #1 with AI make-up only. I was careful not to overdo it, trying to make it match the real make-up as closely as possible, within the still somewhat limited choices it provides for each element (ie, 8 eye shadow colours/shapes, 6 eye brow shapes...no colour choices…just density control, etc.). One problem is that I was very slightly smiling in #2 so I think the deadpan expression in #1 makes it look creepier than it would. Funnily enough I think the AI did a better job of the eye brows than I did! I know one of my trusted make-up artists would have done better.
I notice the AI softens everything just a little so even keeping it light it still looks slightly (over-?) retouched even though all I was really trying to do was add make-up.
But to be honest I am pretty impressed. Nevertheless…
Would I soon be advising clients not to hire a Hair and Make-up artist? To be clear, not all of my clients do anyway…many do their own make-up if they wear make-up at all. But here’s what I realized…there is one HUGE benefit to hiring a professional and that is that how you feel is going affect how you look. In other words…if you look in the mirror and see the most well-rested, clear skinned, healthy, vibrant version of yourself, you are half way to showing up that way on camera.
Think of actors who find and become their characters thanks in part to their hair and make-up and wardrobe. See it and be it!
And, with a make-up artist you can let them know in real time if you are liking the look… bit more, bit less, darker, lighter, different colour, etc., before and as you shoot. Whereas if you leave it to post-production, the photographer/retoucher is going to have to guess what you’ll like. Imagine going back and forth over multiple e-mails or calls trying to land in the right place. That is not going to work for anyone.
And of course, AI can’t do hair. Yet.
In summary, I recommend that you hire the make-up artist.
BTW a little side note/bonus tip. Anyone who has seen my portrait Tips posts will probably have seen me in this top before. Why do I keep coming back to it for my business photo examples? It fits really well, does not wrinkle or bunch, has a bit of a funky detail so it’s not totally boring and hints at my artistic side, but is, overall, neutral and simple, so it doesn’t distract viewers from the face which is what we want viewers to focus on. And FYI I would never actually wear this thing anywhere because if you see the whole garment on me it looks awful. It’s for photos only. So, remember to consider wardrobe you may have that, from the waste up, would be photo perfect.
kathryn@hollinrake.com
