Professional Makeup Artist Portfolio Shoot Birmingham

Build, develop or update your professional makeup portfolio with a professionally produced Portfolio Shoot at The Central School of Makeup in Birmingham.

Designed for newly qualified and working Makeup Artists, our Portfolio Shoot Days give you the opportunity to create high-quality professional imagery for your portfolio, with a professional model, hairstylist, leading Fashion & Beauty Photographer and the CSMU team working alongside you.

Whether you are building your first professional Makeup Artist portfolio, updating an existing book or creating new work to represent a different area of your artistry, your shoot is planned around the images you want to create.

Your portfolio shoot can focus on bridal makeup, clean beauty, commercial beauty, editorial or creative makeup, depending on your training, experience and the work you want your portfolio to showcase.

From your initial concept through to the final retouched images, CSMU coordinates the professional team around your shoot, including model scouting and agency bookings, professional hair styling, creative planning and photography.

What Your Makeup Portfolio Shoot Includes

Each Portfolio Shoot is individually planned around the work you want to create, bringing together the professional team, preparation and production needed to create strong portfolio imagery.

• Professional Model – one professional model for each individual shoot, with CSMU managing the model scouting, agency liaison and booking.
• Professional Hair Styling – hair styling planned to complement the creative direction of your finished look.
• Bridal Dress & Jewellery – for bridal-led portfolio shoots, we can coordinate a wedding dress and bridal jewellery through the bridal boutique we work with.
• Moodboard Training – a dedicated pre-shoot training session exploring how to develop and communicate the creative direction for your shoot.
• Pre-Shoot Creative Meeting – a Zoom meeting with CSMU and photographer Garazi to review your moodboard and discuss your model, makeup, hair and overall creative direction before Shoot Day.
• Professional Fashion & Beauty Photography – your finished makeup will be professionally photographed by leading Fashion & Beauty Photographer Garazi at our Central Birmingham studio.
• Two Professionally Retouched Images – each shoot includes two final professionally retouched images for use within your makeup portfolio, website and professional social media.
• Additional Image Options – further professionally retouched images can be ordered directly from the photographer following your shoot.

From Moodboard to Shoot Day

Your portfolio shoot begins with your creative direction.

Before Shoot Day, you'll be invited to a moodboard training session where we'll explore how to develop your concept and communicate the makeup, hair, model and overall finish you want to achieve.

You'll then join Garazi and the CSMU team for a pre-shoot Zoom meeting to review your moodboard, discuss your ideas and ensure the creative team understands the image you want to create.

Following your creative meeting, CSMU will manage the professional model scouting, agency liaison and booking for your shoot and coordinate your hair requirements.

For bridal-led shoots, we can also coordinate a wedding dress and bridal jewellery through the bridal boutique we work with to complete the bridal look for camera.

What Can I Create for My Makeup Portfolio?

Your professional portfolio should represent your skills, your artistry and the type of work you want to showcase.

You may choose to create a beautifully polished bridal makeup look, particularly if you want professional bridal imagery that goes beyond photographs taken during real weddings or client appointments.

You may want to create a clean beauty or commercial makeup image, focusing on beautiful skin, considered product placement and a polished camera-ready finish.

Or, if you have the appropriate training and experience, your shoot can take a more editorial, technical or creative direction to showcase another aspect of your artistry.

The moodboard and pre-shoot creative meeting allow the makeup, model, hair and photography to be considered together before Shoot Day, while keeping your own creative direction at the centre of the finished image.

Your Makeup Portfolio Photoshoot in Birmingham

Your Portfolio Shoot takes place at The Central School of Makeup in Central Birmingham.

On the day, you'll have dedicated time to create your makeup on your professional model while our hairstylist works to the agreed hair direction for your shoot.

If you are already professionally trained in hair and would like your own hairstyling to form part of your finished work, this can also be incorporated into your shoot.

Once your model is ready, you'll move onto set with Garazi, where your finished look will be professionally photographed using lighting and backdrops selected to complement the direction of your shoot.

You'll remain on set throughout the photography, allowing you to monitor your makeup and make any adjustments or touch-ups required for camera.

Your Professionally Retouched Portfolio Images

Following your shoot, you'll receive a selection of images from which your final portfolio photographs can be chosen.

Each shoot includes two professionally retouched final images. Garazi can also guide you towards the frames she feels are particularly strong for your professional portfolio.

If you'd like a larger selection of images from your shoot, additional professionally retouched photographs can be ordered directly from the photographer.

Who Is the Portfolio Shoot For?

Our Professional Makeup Portfolio Shoot Days are suitable for newly qualified and working Makeup Artists who want to create new professional imagery for their portfolio.

You may have recently completed your professional makeup training and be ready to begin building your first portfolio, or you may already be established within the industry and need to test, update your book or create fresh work that better represents where your artistry is now.

The shoot can also be particularly valuable for bridal and special occasion Makeup Artists whose existing portfolio consists predominantly of client photographs and who would like professionally planned and photographed beauty or bridal imagery alongside their real-client work.

Build a Makeup Portfolio That Represents You

A strong Makeup Artist portfolio isn't simply a record of the work you've already done. It is an opportunity to show the quality of your artistry and the work you want to be considered for.

Our Portfolio Shoot Days bring together the planning, professional model, hair styling, photography and studio environment for you to create work specifically for your portfolio.

Portfolio Shoot Days take place at The Central School of Makeup in Birmingham and are open to Makeup Artists travelling from across the West Midlands and throughout the UK.

Your concept. Your artistry. Professionally produced for your portfolio.

Places on our Professional Portfolio Shoot Days are limited and regularly book before wider marketing begins. Early booking is recommended.

Please note: All Portfolio Shoot Day and Masterclass bookings are non-refundable.