fashion+light » Archive » Photographer: MarLon Ross / Makeup Artist: Dusty Starks

Credits

Photographer: MarLon Ross
Makeup Artist: Dusty Starks

Comments from MarLon follow the images. Click on any image to see it larger.

Angelina for LA Models

[Editor's Note: we're breaking with the standard format for this post. Rather than get the details of a single shoot, we thought it would be interesting to interview MarLon about his beauty work in general, to get a 'wide angle view' of his process and methods of working.]

Photographic comments from fashion photographer MarLon Ross:

When it comes to photography and ‘beauty’ photography in particular, I’m generally a “natural” kind of guy. Unless the look calls for the opposite, I like my final edit of the image to look close to how it first appeared on my tethered PowerBook screen. My mind set has a sort of “natural-raw” theme to it, and this is manifested in my photography. The essential elements to my look are simple: a very talented make up artist, a model with great skin, and yours truly bringing great lighting to the project. Great natural-looking images are inevitable.

Dusty Starks is my primary make up artist. I’ve worked with her for the past 6 years. Her makeup brushes have touched Beyonce, Rihanna, Lionel Richie, Seal, and many more. Dusty has done multiple tours throughout Europe and Japan with Britney Spears, and again with Sean “Puffy” Combs group Danity Kane.

When it comes to my beauty shoots, my ears are always open to great ideas. I’m open to thoughts from crew and models during my shoots. As I shoot, I depend on Dusty’s alertness. I’m not a heavy post-production photographer. So, as I’m caught up in great lighting, the model’s unique features, and going nuts on the shutter release, I know Dusty is right in the action, and that she is going back and forth from the model to the monitor (I tether on most of my shoots) paying close attention to the detail of her work. This makes my job a tad bit more pleasant because I’m allowed to focus more of the fun aspects of shooting, such as energy, mood, and so on.

Dusty and I usually select models together. We lean towards youthfulness, and striking features. The oldest model on my site, at time of shoot, is maybe 21. The image here of Calandra is one of my favorites. She was 11 years old when I shot her. I will shoot her again before this year ends. Heidi was 15. Daniella was 16, and had just arrived from Brazil when we shot. The freckles and Lips belong to Angelina who was 19, as was Sophie.

I shot all of my beauty in or around my studio in West Hollywood. Before a shoot I tend to browse the sites of agencies such as IMG, Marilyn, Women, and Jed Root. I also browse a lot of international magazines and a few photographers’ sites that I highly respect. This sparks creativity, and ignites a healthy competitiveness in me.

Some notes about the images above, and what I used to shoot them:

Angelina for LA Models

Shot outside, I used my 500watt Mole Richardson tungsten light (color corrected by a gel on the light), plugged into my pure sine power inverter, powered by a small car battery.

For outdoor shoots, if there is no need for a generator, I use a Aims Power, 2000watt, pure sine power inverter, hooked up to a small car battery. With my strobes, I can get a few hundred low to medium power shots with this set up per battery. When the shoot is done, I go home and slowly recharge the batteries with a car battery charger (cost: around 50 bucks).

Calandra for Click Models

I used my 27 inch Elinchrom beauty dish, minus the center deflector, on a 1200w RX Elinchrom monoblock head. That picture has maybe five minutes of retouch done to it. For retouch, I only used heal tool, and maybe levels (auto). Canon 20D. Canon L series 24-70, or 28-135 lens.

Daniella for Next Models

53 inch Elinchrom Octa Light, close behind her on the 1200Rx head. The light wrapped around her perfectly. I didn’t need a light in front of her. Canon 20D. 24-70, or 28-135 lens. 10 minutes of retouch, and most of the retouching time was spent cropping.

Heidi for Elite Models

53 Octa light, one of the baffles removed, right in front, above her, Elinchrom 600 RX head. Canon 20D. 24-70, or 28-135 lens.

Sophie for Click Models

53 inch Elinchrom Octa Light (right in front of her). To her right, 600w RX Elinchrom head, with a grid, aimed at her hair, around a stop higher than the key light. Canon 20D. Canon L series 24-70, or 28-135 lens. I outsourced retouching for her, because I’m not a good retoucher.

Although most of my images are retouched, I HATE to retouch. I like to spend my time with a camera or light meter in hand, or making prints from film. This digital age is bitter sweet. I love the speed that digital offers. The fact that I’ve shot artists such as Seal and Lil Wayne, and they can make selections on a tour bus within an hour of leaving our shoot is amazing! I like that a new photographer can learn much more cheaply on a digital camera versus film. On the other hand, this digital age can make almost anyone a “decent” photographer. You can shoot mediocre images, at best, do some distracting retouching, and you will be able to “get by”. However there are a few photographers who do a lot of retouching, who I respect. Tastefully retouched ads such as Gap and H&M keep my hopes up about our industry. Digital retouch is a valuable tool that I embrace. As long as the retouch to the picture doesn’t become the equivalent of steroids to the body builder, or auto-tune to the singer, I’ll keep my mouth shut.

Fashion+Light is operated as a labor of love, and a benefit to the people who participate. We don’t charge anyone anything. But we would appreciate if you’d click a product link above, and go buy something at Adorama (our affiliate partner). That way we can keep the lights on and the servers humming. Thanks!

Tweets that mention fashion+light » Archive » Photographer: MarLon Ross / Makeup Artist: Dusty Starks -- Topsy.com

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Diego Angarita, Matt Haines Photo. Matt Haines Photo said: Interview with beauty/fashion photographer MarLon Ross on Fashion+Light. http://bit.ly/c7y3Mz [...]

Nov 12, 2010 @ 9:20 pm

Alexander

A very interesting article. And I understand what he means with over-retouching. I’ve seen it quite some times, wondering if it is a human or a doll that is being shoot.

Although I believe, and so the photographer agrees as I read, that retouching done in the right way will increase a picture.

I personally prefer to only touch the lighting to remove the “gray layer” that at least my camera seems to love to leave on my pictures.

Nov 13, 2010 @ 12:49 pm

Tina

Even an amateur photographer such as myself can’t help but agree that too much manipulation of light in the picture makes the subject appear so unnatural – specially when capturing a human subject like models for example.

Nov 18, 2010 @ 10:43 pm

Fotograf Warszawa

Wow! Excellent photographs

Dec 09, 2010 @ 2:03 pm

Lawd

Nice photos. I really like the one with the hair going crazy as the girl stays still. Good job.

Jan 07, 2011 @ 4:50 pm

Carlos

Fantastic review of your set up and analysis of the photoshoot!!

Jan 13, 2011 @ 1:13 pm

Timothy

Nice shots. Great choice of models, each have their own unique qualities. It’s so much easier to not retouch. Besides, if over touch the photos, then you take out some of the positive qualities of the model.

Jan 13, 2011 @ 1:43 pm

Cab

I’m not a photographer but I do editing. Well, I’m not that good actually but I really appreciate the masterpieces of both make-up artists and photographers. They always make anything or anybody beautiful in every way.

Jan 15, 2011 @ 12:20 am

clark king

its amazing… i also love taking pictures of faces… im not a professional photographer but i have a nokia D3000…

Jan 26, 2011 @ 11:35 pm

Laura Parez

nice photoshoot…

Jan 28, 2011 @ 1:00 am

Susan

such amazung photos! ure a real professional. the coloures are really natural! thanks!

Jan 30, 2011 @ 9:40 am

Desmond Adrain

perfect make up.. perfect photo shoot… nice one..

Feb 01, 2011 @ 1:47 am

Ben Bull

great shots, love the make up, especially the first shot, very striking!

Mar 03, 2011 @ 4:55 am

Fotografas vestuvems

Some decent shots there. Well done.

Mar 07, 2011 @ 12:50 pm

James

Like some of the others, I like the first image the most. Of course, my beloved has freckles, too, but the idea that flawless skin is without any texture in color is beyond me. Makes no sense.

Mar 13, 2011 @ 3:55 pm

Firenze

Daniella’s photo is great. It has the right lighting and not too much retouching.

Mar 17, 2011 @ 6:57 am

Krissy

Wow, I’m so glad I stumbled on this, I love your pics. Thanks for posting, I’ll check back often….

Apr 05, 2011 @ 6:18 pm

Tom Hawkins

Gorgeous models and great photo. So natural and warm!

Jun 21, 2011 @ 10:33 am

Dorset Wedding Photography

I very much like the first and the third photos! I find the freckles adding so much texture to the photo, while the third photo seems to have a lot of motion with the hair!