Amy Dunn, Houston Photographer Blog » beauty

Valentine’s Day Headshot Party!

amydunn — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:45:57 +0000

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. I love this holiday, especially this year as it falls on the same day as Chinese New Year. I’m hosting a Headshot Party in Houston, Texas on February 6th and would love it if you could all help me get the word out. The event takes place near the Galleria area in full view of the Williams Tower.

Attendees get two beautiful headshots from a choice of three unique backdrops (pink, red, and/or white). I will have Valentine’s Day props, good lighting, good food, and most importantly, good people. I hired a couple of professional makeup artists to assist us that day so everyone looks like a cover model. This is great for people who want to surprise their loved ones with a truly unique gift or even for models/actors that need to update their headshots.

Everyone is welcome to join! $150 gets two professional photograph prints. Be a model yourself, or pose with your friends/children/loved ones for the same price. Retouching available separately from a European Photoshop expert for $50 a print.

Limited availability, so call today to reserve your appointment: (713) 777-7171. Ask for Jon.
Or email me directly: amy@amydunn.com

A 50% deposit is required to hold your spot. You can make a safe, secure payment via PayPal or drop off a check/cash to a convenient office on Westheimer. Jon will provide all the details when you call.

Come join me, and let’s celebrate an experience you will not forget!

xoxo,
Amy

Tearsheet in Society Living Magazine

amydunn — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:04:38 +0000

Society Living Magazine
October 2009

Photographed in New York City
Makeup by Diana Manzanares

New Photo Added to Beauty Section

amydunn — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:08:53 +0000

Photographer: Amy Dunn
Photo assistant: Jon S.
Makeup artist: Erin McCarthy
Model: Fania

Gear: Canon 5D Mark II
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
Hensel Studio Lights

Make Up For Ever
New York City, 2009

New York State of Mind

amydunn — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 06:38:34 +0000

During my last week in New York City, I got to squeeze in a shoot with a couple of my favorite people: Erin, the monstrously-talented-force-to-be-reckoned-with-artist at Make Up For Ever and Stephen Eastwood, a freaking Canon Explorer of Light as my companion to b.s. with during breaks. Who’s better than me?!

Erin sent me the files from our shoot, and I suddenly felt nostalgic. Over the last two months, I traveled to Europe and spent a good portion of time in Houston and Austin, TX. Many shoots I organized in the listed cities fell apart for some strange reason, and while Texas boasts some serious beauty and talent, the energy is way too laid back here. I would love for someone to prove me wrong.

I originally intended to crash the Photo Plus Expo in NY; however, I must attend a wedding in Texas this weekend and would not miss it for anything. BUT, I found a ridiculously amazing deal at Jet Blue today and will visit New York City next week! My mind keeps racing over the possibilities of shooting there, and I want to explore some of the ideas I intended to test but could not due to time constraints. I definitely want to shoot with Erin because we always get such amazing beauty work, and I will see if I can get the infamous Mr. Stephen Eastwood to be my “reflector bitch” again. He really does fill in a good shadow, doesn’t he?

Photographer: Amy Dunn
Lighting consultant: Stephen Eastwood
Makeup artist: Erin McCarthy
Model: Anka

Make Up For Ever Studios
New York, NY 2009

Gear: Canon 5D Mark II
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0 L USM
Hensel Flash Unit and Small Softbox
Reflector for Fill

Beauty Test with Model, Anka

amydunn — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 04:59:46 +0000

I consider myself lucky to live in New York and work with such a talented pool of artists. Erin McCarthy invited me to a test at the MUFE studio and booked a lovely model from Russia named Anka. Stephen Eastwood kept me company today and helped light the set. Stephen is an official Canon Explorer of Light, but he happily stood there with a reflector in his hands, joking about one more talent to add to his extensive resume.

Stephen and I set up a small softbox camera-right and added a gridded kicker light in case I pulled back. Erin worked her magic on Anka’s delicate features, and we got a nice series of beauty shots today. My lens did a lot of hunting in a low-light setting, and the focus did not always lock properly. I wish I brought a different lens, maybe the 100 mm Macro or 180 mm Macro if my arms could keep it up and steady. I really like the 70-200 mm f/4.0, but if you can afford Image Stabilization, I say make that splurge.

I have one outtake to show my blog readers, but please forgive the ruddiness of the shot. I will have the whole series ready and retouched in a few weeks, and I promise they look ten times better! Thanks for checking in, and I look forward to seeing you at the next blog post.

Photographer: Amy Dunn
Lighting consultant: Stephen Eastwood
Makeup artist: Erin McCarthy
Model: Anka

Gear: Canon 5D Mark II
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0 L USM
Hensel Studio Lights

New York City, 2009
© Amy Dunn
All rights reserved

Photo Shoot with the Muse, Amber

amydunn — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 05:31:45 +0000

My hands got itchy this weekend, so I called one of my favorite models, Amber, to stop by for a shoot. I have not felt like shooting lately because one of my favorite “assistants” in the whole world, Jon, went back to Slovenia. I got spoiled having someone around to always point the light(s) in the right direction and work a reflector like nobody’s business. Jon could practically read my mind and knew technical details to help me achieve results.

A photographer is only as good as her assistant.

Working without an assistant is tough, but Amber and I have amazing chemistry and enjoyed a relaxing shoot. Jeanine Mangan did a brilliant job on Amber’s hair and makeup, and once she left, Amber and I ventured out to work alone. I love shooting a select few models over and over again. Doing so allows me to monitor my growth, and it builds rapport that shows in the photographs. Besides Amber, I adore shooting with Catherine Frances Scott, Diana VSL, Keltie Colleen, Kesha Nichols and Marketa Belonoha. These models need little direction and make my job easy and fun.

Amber and I have worked together four times now, and we have at least two more shoots in mind. Stay tuned for our beach shoot and our summer pool party pics, and don’t forget to check out Canon Digital Learning Center for my interview on the Lens of the Month, the 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM!

Photographer: Amy Dunn
Hair & Makeup: Jeanine Mangan
Model: Amber

Amy Dunn in New Beauty Magazine

amydunn — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:08:01 +0000

…as a model!

Thank you, Keltie, for the heads up!

I learned how to read and write Mandarin when I studied in college, and I think the characters I wrote on my Wacom tablet say, “Ha Ha Ha.” Who knows with me, though; I used to (in)advertently write curse words on my Chinese homework, much to the amusement—or chagrin—of my teachers.

By the way, do you realize how hard it is to laugh on command? I had an audience consisting of the photographer, her assistant, the makeup artist, hair stylist, production team, other models, and the client. Luckily, I have years of experience laughing at my own jokes.

I learned how to laugh on command when I modeled the cover of a Houston publication called Papercity, photographed by Larry Fagala. At a restaurant, I sat at a table with other models (and real patrons!) and had to create mood/energy for the shot. I began to laugh, and pretty soon, the whole table laughed at me laughing—at nothing. It all starts with a smile.

I almost bought a copy of this publication, but the magazine cost $10! I have magazine subscriptions to at least a dozen publications, so I generally only pay a dollar or two for each magazine. Hmm…I think I have this photo somewhere online that I can download for free. hahaha If you have an extra $10 lying around, pick up your copy of New Beauty at your nearest Barnes & Noble!

Nailed

amydunn — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 11:37:14 +0000

I noticed my beauty photography consisted solely of head and shoulders, and I started to get bored with my own work. I wanted to breathe some new life into my photography, so I collaborated with a manicurist to create some magic. After instructing the model to place emphasis on the hands, my portfolio received an instant makeover.

I also played with gels. When used sparingly, these vibrant colors add diversity to any portfolio. Here, I lit the model’s face with a blue gel and tried to pop in a mix with a snoot. In that low-light setting, my Canon 100mm macro rangefinder had a tough time finding the model’s face. I will try a wider light source the night time I try gels—this Sunday, in fact!

I liked the addition of hands in my shots so much, I want to incorporate them into more of my images. Many models show up on set with gnarly nubs or chipped polish, so I will make sure to have a nail artist on set going forward.

Let me know what you think of the shots!

Photographer: Amy Dunn
Makeup artist: Diana Manzanares
Nail artist: Amber Elizabeth
Model: Isabella