Lesson #2: Flattering Angles- Tips on How to Take Your Best, Most Gorgeous Photos Ever!

Models and photographers both know that angles are what will make your photos look Shelltacular, whoops, Spectacular! An angle can illuminate, confuse, disorientate, and can turn a boring photo into an emotionally powered shot full of drama! 

My book, Face This, will give you all the tricks to creating the right look and angle for yourself in front of anyone’s camera for perfect photos every time, but what you can do when YOU are the photographer, to make interesting pictures involving angles? Here is your monthly, get-better, photography tip!

EYE-LEVEL. The traditional way most of us take our pictures and view people is head-on, eyes straight forward, at about shoulder level. It conveys reality and represents the moment just as we remember it ... beautiful, but ordinary. Since digital photography is FREE why not change it up a bit with a little more creativity?

LOW-ANGLE.  This  photo is created by the photographer crouching down and angling the lens upward.  These photos convey superiority & power. It can have the added benefit of creating height for the subject by exaggeration. If your angle is strong enough, you can get cool photos with just bright blue sky or trees as a backdrop, eliminating an otherwise distracting background.

HIGH-ANGLE. This is when you elevate your camera over your subject. It tends to make your subject seem smaller, at times almost swallowed up by their surroundings, making them feel more approachable and less intimidating.

CLOSE-UP. This is the classic way to get your best ever photographs of children. Many times it involves laying on the ground, with no angle at all, and using a zoom or getting really close. This technique magnifies a subject and creates a very intimate image of significance with the background just a blur.

Changing your perspective or the angle that you are taking your photo can change the feeling of your photos altogether, so get up on the chair, lay on your back, down on one knee, hover overhead and get in someone’s face for a photo that will be framed and cherished for years ahead!

Calling all goddesses - Fun Birthday Party Ideas with Girlfriends!

Along the transitions in my life, I have been empowered by many great goddesses that have surrounded me in a protective bubble of love, harmony, unity and wondrous kindness. This year for my birthday I called out to my ethereal friends and their demi-gods, to merge these energies to celebrate my birthday and nourish my soul with laughter at a local Hookah lounge.

I asked my girlfriends to come dressed in whatever made them feel goddess-like, flowers in their hair, glitter, draping chiffon … time to play dress up! I selected goddess names for each, framed as a keepsake

 and requested that if they wanted to extend gifts that they be hand made from the heart. I received a wondrous poem, art, and jelly! We were nourished with hummus, entertained by exotic belly dancers and enticed by the pineapple hookah!

Birthdays. Love em or hate em … they are inevitable. Why is it that we dread celebrating or wait until the milestone big-0 to commemorate them? It’s normal to feel reluctant about a change in your chronological age, but I encourage all of you to put away your expectations that you should be checking off a list of accomplishments. Life unfolds for us in such awe-inspiring ways and if you are too caught up in a scheduled path you may miss it!

Birthdays are good for you! A study published last year in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, showed that people get happier as they get older! Have you stopped celebrating your birthdays? How old would you be if you could decide your own age? Personally, I think you have to be over 40 to finally be REALLY happy! I read about a woman in Florida who celebrated her 100^th birthday on a treadmill … She said she “feels good after exercise!”

Here are a few ideas:

• An around the world party
• High tea
• Gratitude party
• Diva Safari ~ night on the town!
• Karaoke room
• SPA Shindig
• Street shopping ~ Walk down a quirky street for a trip down memory lane. Try on outrageous hats, check out an old bookstore, bargain shop at a vintage/resale store, visit a wine bar or funky bistro!

This is what I know:  One bite of birthday cake is never enough, I am the only one like me in the world and I want to live my life from the inside out, celebrating with the people I love most every year – at dinner with my kids, on a long weekend getaway with my husband or throwing a goddess party ... Singing happy birthday every year, right on key!

I would love to hear your birthday ideas!

XOXO 
from the 47 year old celestial brunette!

Wrinkled Elbows - How to Fix them at any Age without Botox!

As if there isn't enough to think about when we age ... but one dead giveaway that we often forget to pay attention to, because we don't see it when we glance in a mirror ... wrinkled elbows!

Our elbows are one of the first places to show aging. The skin is thicker and darker there due to dry skin, constantly leaning our weight on them, and leaving them unprotected from the sun’s harmful rays. My photographer friend says that even children need retouching for discoloration in this area!You have to have a little extra skin around the elbow or you wouldn't be able to bend it, but wrinkly elbows do not mean you're old - seen in this photo snapped at the MTV Video Music Awards recently, of 30 year old celebutante, Kim Kardashian.

                                       

Photo credit HuffPost

I did a fitness shoot last week and made sure I was not giving my photographer extra work in photoshop fighting with my elbow wrinkles. How? By cheating every photo a bit with a slight bend in my elbow. A modeling rule in posing is “if it bends, bend it.”And the best place to apply that rule is for your elbow! Never lock up the joint here, or you will have wrinkly elbows AND an awkward, unflattering pose! 

photo credit HuffPost

From the front, Kim gets it right with the bent skinny arm on the hip trick! Often photographers soften celebrity photos, but obviously not always. 


Regardless, “you cannot walk into the room with photoshop” so here are some things to try for better results in your pictures and in real life:

1. Exfoliate! Exfoliate! Exfoliate! ~ You want to make your skin glow again by removing all the piled up, dead, dry skin on your elbow that is making it discolored by using a scrub, loofah, or nubby washcloth in the shower.
2. Lighten 
   • Try cutting a lemon in half and sinking your elbows into them for about 10-15 minutes to lighten the skin.
   • Fade dark spots by using an over the counter hydroquinone to treat hyperpigmentation.
   • When self tanning don't forget to moisturize your elbows first so that the color is not over- aborbed into the elbow
3.  Elbow Grease 
   • Vaseline, olive oil, shea butter, anti-aging creams!
   • I use a product called AmLactin I  buy at Costco for $18, a steal compared to other stores. It contains an alpha hydroxy acid, a naturally occurring skin humectant to relieve stubborn dry, rough skin. (Works great for feet too)
4. Sunscreen
   •  SPF 15 or higher every day or you will sabatoge all the effort above because the sun promotes darkening and drying.

Guess who these elbows belong to? Hint: People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive cover boy, Brad Pitt used to rub elbows with her. Proof positive that not even a star is not immune to the wrinkled elbow of age.

photo credit TMZ

Dry shampoo - a dirty little secret for healthier hair!

One of the biggest underground trends for your hair DO is the "no-poo" routine, as in ... no more traditional shampooing. 

Most of the time when I go for a modeling job the instructions are always to arrive with clean hair and face, but recently I was scolded for not having "dirty" hair because it is easier to manipulate into a fuller, wavy style.  I have to admit that the thought of going days without shampooing seems almost “un-hygenic" to me, but I decided to revisit this idea after a trip to my salon where I was called a "DAILYwasher" ... like it was a bad thing.

Thankfully, the newer brands of dry shampoo’s have made the difference in being able to break this habit!  A few years ago, I tried a dry shampoo spray from Bumble and Bumble that had a brown tint, and after using it my hands were brown, I had places on my face where the brown spray landed, not to mention  brown remnants on my pillow the next morning. I threw it out and never looked back, until now. Every hair company seems to have a dry shampoo out there these days and definitely some are better than others. I happen to love the ones by Ojon and Oscar Blandi, around $20, but I have heard that Batiste for about $7 is a comparable and terrific product. Plus you can try making your own from corn starch for pennies.  Check it out {Here} 

Etiquette among the NY elite, used to be to go to the beauty parlor every week or so for a wash and set. So the idea of waiting a little longer between shampooing is nothing new. Washing hair every day is actually a little counterintuitive because there is no better conditioner for the ends of your hair than your natural oils, and by washing daily you aren’t allowing the oils time to penetrate down and absorb into the cuticle of each hair, to make them shiny and soft, naturally. Some people believe over-washing can cause your scalp to go into greasy overdrive trying to produce more oil to compensate. Also, the little bit of product build-up in your hair can add more control and volume than if you wash it every day!

My list of why to wait a little longer between shampoos:

1. Healthier hair.

2. Longer lasting color.

3.  Volume. 

4. It's green!

5. Saves time.

6. Let's me be a little lazy!- Careful, don't skip showering. Put your hair in a ponytail and wrap in a turban, careful not to get it wet if you have a lot of product in your hair or your hair will turn into a gumball!

I have friends with gorgeous hair that swear by this concept and although the dry shampoos of the past had a bad rap, thanks to the newer products, I'm a believer! I recently worked with a 20 year old model who often gets booked because of her gorgeous long thick hair who told me she uses Suave dry shampoo ($3) on her freshly washed locks just for added volume! Another beautiful friend, who likes to skip shampooing daily, suggests using a shot with the blow dryer to add body and sleeping on a silk pillowcase to eliminate bedhead in the morning.

In Sydney, Australia, a radio station issued a 6 week challenge for its listeners to stop shampooing. Emily Rowles, a 21 year old accepted this experiment and shared her final diary entry at week 6, "Well, I thought by now I honestly would have secretly 'snuck a wash' however I'm still just 'watering' my hair and it has never looked (or felt!) better!" 

Wardrobe Essentials - Must Have Staples for your Closet

Do you feel like you have nothing to wear even though your closet is full? I know how overwhelming it can be so I have some tips to help you navigate through the fashion glut this season.

First of all get rid of everything that makes you feel frumpy that is unflattering like big sweatshirts and saggy jeans. If it bunches or pulls or sags, toss it into a pile for donation or get it tailored. DO NOT set aside a section for skinny or fat clothes.

Also, make a list of what you need to complete a look for that shirt or pant you love but can’t find anything equally as great to pair it with in your closet. If you have a great base wardrobe, think accessories or accent colors - brights are huge this season.

My personal top 10:

1. LBD – a little black dress that makes you feel sexy. (This year it might be a little red dress instead)

2. Dark wash jeans. Most of us own 20 pairs of jeans but still struggle when choosing one to wear since some are too short, too tight, too long, or too small. Colored denim, skinny and flared are all in this season, but make sure you have a dark wash, boot-cut jean in your wardrobe that fits perfectly – it is universally flattering, goes with everything and will never go out of style.

3. Tall pair of  boots with a comfortable heel to wear with skirts and jeans in black or brown. If you're daring go thigh high!

4. Cardigans – belted, buttoned, opened, long or cropped, worn with a t-shirt, blouses, jeans, skirts and pants. 

5. Color blocking - Pick a hue that works on you and go head to toe. The easiest way to really color block is to pair a colored piece with a neutral, but your neutral isn't necessarily beige, it can be white, black, or brown. Or be bold and color block with another bold color ... or two.

6. Leather jacket. Duh.

7. Shapewear – makes your clothes fit better and makes you look thinner. Get the perfect bra and be  sure to adjust the bra straps up!

8. Statement jewelry - Add a cuff bracelet or bold necklace to make anything seem stylish. Or layer smaller bracelets on your wrists like arm candy.

9. VINTAGE - mixing old and new together is chic' - Look for lace pieces, pleated midi skirts, polka dots, yellows – bright or mustard, florals and dresses of all sorts that you can layer up. Vintage stores are a great place to get cool statement jewelry also.

10. NUDE pumps - they go with everything and give you a "legs for days" look. Check out my post about How To make your legs look Longer {HERE} And you should also have a pair of Black high heels for a girl’s night out ... the highest you can walk in. And by the way, we all need a girls night once in awhile to celebrate our fellow goddesses! 

If you're packing for a trip you might like to read How to Pack and Travel in Style like Model's do (HERE) After all, models are constantly on the go jetting off last minute for a shoot and experts at on the go fashion.

Things You Should Know by Now

There are a few things that we learn growing up. Some of us find out early that mom didn't always know best.  We must constantly navigate the waters and make decisions based on what we think is correct, most often using common sense. Remember that rules, especially when it comes to aging, were meant to be broken sometimes ... trust your gut, it never lies.  And according to Dave Barry, 

"Never, under any circumstances take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night."

1. A stripe of color on your cheeks is not “blush” and making a fish face to apply it under your cheekbones is the wrong place for it. The best way to put on blush on? Reverse the way you were taught. Instead you should start near your temples and blend toward the apple of your cheek, where your skin naturally flushes.

2. Gray hair will make you look older. If your job has been eliminated or you’re looking for a promotion this could hurt you.

3. If your face and neck are different colors, you will look like a bobble head. Make sure all of you blends! Brush a darker powder or bronzer under your chin and jaw. This will do two things: eliminate a double chin and even out your skin tone because the neck is often a lighter color than our face.

4. Listening to your mom tell you not to remove your facial hair because it will grow back thicker like a man’s, is a myth and just plain bad advice. For more about this read Chapter 3 in my book Face This, about how to get flawless looking skin for your close up.

5. Makeup comes with an expiration date and putting your finger into a product can introduce bacteria into it. Be sure to be paying attention to both.

6. Spot reduction is an urban legend. If you like your booty but want better abs, you cannot lose weight in only one area. Even doing tons of tummy and core exercises won't help much if there is a layer of fat on top over the muscle. Sorry, but fat gets lost at the same rate over your entire body and only genes or hormones can dictate otherwise.

7. The mirror doesn’t lie ... check yourself twice before leaving the house. If you have to ask, chances are it doesn’t look so good.

8. Putting scotch tape on your nose is not the same as a Biore strip to clean out your pores.

9. Wear sunscreen even when it’s not sunny out. Many dermatologists say you should wear nothing less than 30 SPF. Although you will get less UVB exposure in the non-summer months, UVA rays are year round and will cause wrinkles and stubborn brown spots on your skin.

10. You should not go to bed with your makeup on, not only will it cause break outs but you will be missing out on giving your skin a chance to renew while you sleep.

What bad beauty advice have you been given? I am sure there are a few laughs out there to share. Feel free to comment below!

Lesson #1: Soft Lighting is a Girl's Best Friend!

Let's face it ... everyone looks better in the right light. The secret to looking Ahh-MAZING in your photographs is knowing and getting into the right lighting. One of the biggest challenges in learning how to take beautiful pictures is learning how to determine where to shoot your photo and from what direction.

Shooting in direct sunlight at 12 o'clock noon is the harshest lighting on any face, but especially as we age.  Bright, direct overhead sun is unforgiving as we get older casting defined shadows under eyes, illuminating fine lines in our skin and showing deep contrast in our faces. Remember too much sun is always too much sun for our skin, whether we are at the beach or taking a photograph directly underneath it.


Soft light has no direction to it and does not cast shadows. This is the kind of light you see in a cloudy day or in wide open shade. It is also the light we want to photograph ourselves in. How to tell if your light is hard or soft? One of the easiest techniques is to simply hold out a finger across your hand, slightly in front of you, to see if there is shadowing. If your shadow is dark then you have a hard lighting situation and should look for a softer shadow or no shadow at all to shoot in.


Here is a photo I took in my backyard this morning under cloudy skies. You can see that there is no shadowing under my finger and you cannot tell where the light is coming from. My lower hand is perfectly lit under the cloudy conditions which filters the sun naturally.

A few hours later when the sun came out I took the second photo in the same place. This time you can see how the sun overhead casts a dark shadow on my hand along with a shadow on my arm from the camera lens.

Soft light, moonlight, candlelight, sunlight, incandescent light, whatever your light, the quality and direction will make the difference between an OK photo and the one that you love. The characteristics of light are far reaching so get it right!

"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within." ~Elisabeth Kubler-Ross.

"There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it." ~Edith Wharton

Tips to Looking Younger - Model Beauty over 40

Click HERE to Watch the Video of 5 Easy Ways to Look Younger

Shelley GoodStein - Ford Models

BB & CC Cream - Asia's Hottest Beauty Product for Flawless Skin Invades America

What is a BB cream and why is it so popular in Asia? 

The BB stands for Blemish Balm, an all in one beauty treatment! It brightens the skin, acts as a concealer to cover blemishes, hydrates like a moisturizer, evens out the skin like foundation, contains a high SPF to protect, and delivers serums to soothe, fight acne and aging. My model friend turned makeup artist, Colleen, just returned from Asia and shared this little pearl of wisdom with me, so I wanted to pass it on to you too!

This product was originally developed in Germany as an ointment for patients after they had undergone skin peels to protect, soothe and cover redness. From what I understand, a Korean actress used it after laser surgery as a daily cover up for her recovery and went on to publicize her experience and because of her testimony it became a highly hyped and sought after product launching in Korea around 2005. Spreading to Japan, then SouthEast Asia, and now to Europe and North America, these BB creams may be the next hybrid potion to really deliver!


Besides giving your face a natural flawless look while protecting your skin from the sun, prolonged use of these products are said to fade scars and improve the overall quality of your skin tone.
Before and after pictures using BB Cream:

Some of the most popular brands of BB Cream include Missha, Dr Jart+ (both available at Sephora), SkinFood and Liole. 
Many of the BB creams in Asia come in a variety of different tints but the ones  available today in the American market come only in one or two shades. Boscia's BB Cream has a light neutral beige which works perfectly with my skin and my girlfriend's whose skin is a different hue than mine. The girls at Sephora told me that it works on most everyone unless you are very dark or tan, because it seeps into your skin and self adjusts the color so that it looks invisible, giving you a flawless finish. In the US and UK, MAC, Dior, Smashbox, Clinique and Estee Lauder have all launched their own BB Creams. These 5 in 1 multitaskers are similar to a tinted moisturizer used alone or under makeup, but add a radiance with skincare benefits. I see this easily becoming my weekend go-to product!

Even though you may be just now learning about a BB Cream, there is already a new and improved ... CC cream, on the market. The CC (Color Control) Creams promise to provide better coverage with more skin nourishing ingredients than their older BB predecessors. I have been a fan of the BB creams because of the high SPF and tinted skincare benefits, but my complaint is that they are a little too heavy to wear especially on hot humid days. Well, someone else must have thought so too because the new CC Creams include the high UVA/UVB SPF protection with a lighter and less oily formulation that expertly covers uneven skin tone. Plus most include Vitamin C and a skin brightening primer.

Chanel, whose iconic double C's seem especially made for this Cream, launched their own CC Cream in Asia. They have not yet announced the US release of this product but you can be sure beauty bloggers are already looking for an Asian connection to get their hands on it. Interestingly enough, it looks like drugstore brand and long trusted skincare line Olay, might be first up to bat in the U.S. with their anticipated launch of Total Effects CC Tone Correcting UV Moisturizer in October - available in 3 shades for $22. 



But if you're like me and gotta have it now ... well, where there is a will there is a way! The only CC Cream seemingly available in the states is Rachel K's best selling and highly hyped balm, founded by Miss Singapore Rachel Kum. Available for sale on the ever popular shopping site Ebay. This in demand product is sold in 2 colors - one for yellow undertones (the pink bottle "neutral" color) and one for pink undertones (the black bottle "original" color). Of course this begs the next question ... How do I know what undertone I am?

Undertone is the natural skin coloring that we were born with, notwithstanding the surface color of your skin from weather or skin conditions like acne or rosacea. It's possible to change the color appearance of your skin with makeup or skin products but the idea of finding your undertone is based on the skin you were born with. I think the easiest, fastest way to check is by holding your thumb firmly against your inner forearm for 10 seconds. When you release your thumb, the blood should rush back into the covered area and reveal your true undertone - yellow or pink.

If you have a warm or yellow undertone your skin usually tans and does not burn. And if you look at the underside of your arm, your veins may have a slight greenish tint if you can see them at all.

If your skin has a cool or pink undertone you probably burn first before you achieve a tan and if you look at your veins on the underside of your arm, they will appear blue.

I think whichever  BB or CC Cream you pick will quickly work it's way into your everyday staple because using it corrects uneven face color instantly - tricking people into thinking you have naturally flawless skin without having to worry about the precision of foundation, powder, concealer, primer, brighteners ... All in one! Plus it's good for your skin because of the vitamins, anti aging ingredients and SPF . Remember the big difference between the two is that the CC Creams have a lighter texture.

A little secret about applying the creams ... for areas around the nose or other pigmented areas that need a little more concealing, pat instead of rub to create a layer to cover the redness and even out skin color.

And I couldn't end this post without wondering if a DD Miracle Cream to enhance "you know what"  is on the horizon? Let's hope so!

Shelley GoodStein is a 47 year old FORD model who speaks to women through television, national articles and public forums about a model's secrets to looking good from the inside out and the beauty of aging! She is the author of Face This: Advice From Real Models, Photographers and Make Up Artists on How to Become Picture Perfect!

Stress can make you look OLD

Are you starting to show your age or worse … look older than you actually are? Avoiding anxiety is one of the easiest ways to “cheat your biological clock” according to research published by Bahman Guyuron in the medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Female identical twins were studied to see what factors made one look older than the other.  Women that underwent the stress of a divorce were perceived to look almost 2 years older than their sister who was married, single or widowed.  Take home message girls: You are better off staying single than ending up in a bad relationship.

They also found that extra weight over forty helped to soften wrinkles in the face but the added pounds under forty caused skin to sag and obscure youthful features like a smooth jawline. It’s often been said that as a woman ages she must choose between her body and her face. According to Dr Guyuron, being thin is what ages us the most, "Excessive loss of weight can be detrimental to youthfulness and attractiveness after the age of 40"... leaving older women looking gaunt. However, thanks to injectible dermal fillers that can help restore lost facial volume, you no longer have to choose between having a big butt or a beautiful face.

Unfortunately, taking anti-depressants was shown to effect appearance negatively, finding that women who used them looked  “significantly older” than a twin that had no history of anti-depressant use. Guyuron speculates that these drugs tend to weaken eye muscles, causing the area to look droopy and relaxing the facial muscles to cause sagging or jowls.

Healthy living choices definitely made a difference in keeping a youthful face. Sun worshippers and those women that smoked or drank more alcohol, looked older than their sibling.

Sooner or later, the choices you make in your life and anything that contributes to a person’s stress will show up “written on your face.” Genetics obviously pays a factor in contributing to how we age, but this study, holding genetics identically constant, reinforces that how we react and the choices we make in our lifestyle (booze, smoking, sun) can impact that youthful glow above just DNA alone.

Beyond a SHADOW of doubt ... the perfect color for your eyes!

School started this week in Arizona for my kids and while I was there to register my 8^th grade son, I was reminded of a couple things from my own school days ...  experimenting with eye shadow as a teenager and art class. The good news for curious girls is that when you are young your face can handle all those glittery, wild tints but as we age it is important to focus on enhancing with color. After all, our eyes capture the attention for our entire face! So time to brush up on what hues are best for your eye color. 

The colors directly opposite of your eye color on the color wheel are called complimentary colors and that’s exactly what they do - compliment your eyes! They will pop your eye and give you your most dramatic look. Your shoes can match your outfit, but your eye color should match your complexion. You can also break that old school rule, that says you shouldn't wear eyeshadow the same color as your eye, by paying attention to the shade you are choosing.

For blue eyes complimentary colors are orange, pink and golds.

Avoid aqua shades because they will compete with your blue eye color.

Lavender will give your eyes a gray blue tone.

Rusty oranges will make your blue electric.

Smoky eyes done with gold, bronzes will be killer with a light blue eye.

If you use blues try silvery, gray or navy.

Green or hazel eye's complementary colors are pink, purples, and orange.

Mustards and peaches will give brightness.

Gold is great to highlight.

Light green and khaki are colors to try in the green family. Also brown with a red undertone (think sienna or pimento) can be nice.

Many women with green eyes have fair skin and freckles, so try to avoid eye shadows that are too shimmery or deep in color. Olive skin green eyed girls should avoid silvery blue shadows.

Sometime black eyeliner is too harsh for your eyes so consider making you eyes stand out by lining with violet or dark brown.

If you have brown eyes you hit the jackpot because almost any color works for you.

Brown eyes have no complementary color because brown is actually a combination of other colors. 

Try jewel tones. For a dramatic effect use midnight blue. Just watch out when using brown colors so that your eyes don’t start to look muddy.

Look inside your brown peepers for just a hint of a green, gold or blue fleck and borrow from those color palettes to pop your unique color. The intensity of the eyeshadow you choose should depend on your skin tone – the lighter your skin tone, the less intense color you should use.

Deep brown almost appearing black eyes can use darker colors but be careful they don’t look too harsh. Try highlighting with the lighter flecks of color in your eyes.

Medium and light brown eyes are the easiest to work with. Consider purples and mauves, copper, golds, bronzes, greens  - use the darker colors in your crease and be careful not to overpower the color of your eye.

Back to school for EVERYONE!