Are you a gal looking to rock a pompadour?  Check out this neat little video tutorial:

Embedded version doesn’t work? Click HERE

As a photographer, burlesque producer, and magazine editor, I have a lot of experience with photographs.  Here are a few tips and tricks for building a quality portfolio that will get you noticed!  I have divided the information into two volumes.  This article focuses on burlesque entertainers, while Vol. II, which will be published in the February Issue, focuses on portfolio building for pin-up models.

By: Shoshana

The Do’s and Don’ts of Publicity Images for Burlesque Entertainers

1. Do send real high resolution images- Size Matters! I cannot tell you how important this is.  In the digital age, it is very easy to tag & snag images from sites like Facebook, or live shots from online media sources.  This is not the same as having a high resolution image. A high resolution image is at least 300 dpi/ppi, AND either 1000 pixels (or 8 inches) in at least one direction. It must meet both of these criteria to be high res.

You cannot artificially make a low res image into a high res image simply by changing the numbers in a photo editing program. The print quality still sucks, because even though your numbers are correct, you have taken that small amount of digital information and spread it over a larger area, making the image grainy or pixilated.  The original source file must be large enough to qualify as high res. in order to have good print quality – period.

Do Not Shrink Them to Email!- The bigger the better!  If sending them one at a time is still too much- try zipping them, or use an external free program such as Dropbox or You Send It.

2. Do invest in at least one professional photo shoot. If you are taking your burlesque seriously, you should take your image and likeness seriously as well.  You are creating a persona that will be your calling card- represent it well.  Just as you want to be paid for your time, quality, and professionalism; photographers deserved to be paid for theirs as well.  Remember, you get what you pay for.

If you can only afford one photo shoot start, that’s ok- make it count!

A: Do: Shoot indoors, with a professional studio lighting setup. These images will be used on flyers, and hopefully in the press.  For flyers, a uniformity is always good- rather than looking like a high school scrapbook- a well designed flyer is crisp, clean, and professional looking- a cornerstone of that is having quality images to work from.

Do Not: Outdoor shoots (backgrounds of grass, fences, streets, or brink walls), live shots (odd lighting, blurred body parts, motion in hair), and girl with car images are too distracting and busy for most flyers. Also stay away from themed or conceptual shoot as your only images. (More on that later)  Also, images not properly lit will be incredibly unflattering, or very underexposed leading to a grainy & pixilated quality.

B. Do: Seek a clean, crisp, background. You want to shoot a clean shot (free of props, busy backgrounds, crazy sets, etc.)  If the designer who will create the flyer/poster/ad etc.  keeps the backgrounds of the images- s/he can use the solid background and easily change color etc., by contrast if the design idea is to create a visual montage or cut the background out and put on something else, a clean solid color background works best.  It’s a win/win.

C. Do: Instruct the photographer you need headshots, ¾, and full

length shots. Each producer formats their flyers differently, and you want to be prepared.

D. Do: Shoot in your very best costume. If possible, pay for additional costume changes, if you only have one shoot- make it count!  If you have a signature number- make sure to shoot in that costume.

Do not: Bra and panty, nude, and pastie shots are fine for extras, but are rarely usable as images on flyers, posters, or in the press.

E. Do: Show your personality in your shoot. If you are an extremely versatile performer- include all sides of you.  IE.  Have a general showgirl shot, a dramatic shot, and a laughing cutesy shot.  It’s all about having the most bang for your buck in versatility.

3.    Do not: Over Photoshop or send Soft Images. Crispness and clarity!  While its fine to go after stretch marks, pimples, scars, etc with your healing tool, you do not want an over-photoshopped image for many reasons.  One, is that you can only Photoshop so much before your image is either completely fake looking, or has no tack sharp clarity.  Soft images are one without a defined point of focus (a tack sharp section of the image).  I want to be able to count your eyelashes when I blow you up to poster size to promote an event or put you on the cover of a magazine.

The second reason is simple, you want producers, fans, etc to be impressed when the see you in person, not let down because you look nothing like your incredibly over-photoshopped images.  Who wants to disappoint at first meeting?  If you are 40, look 35 in an image, not 25.  If you are a size 12, don’t try and make the photographer take you down to a 2.

4. Do not: invest in a themed or conceptual shoot, unless you have the basics down. It’s all about versatility.  Your showgirl image on a white background will do so much more for you than a “Santa Baby”, “cowgirl”, “naughty nurse”, “blood and horror”, type of themed image ever will.  Once you have the basic press kit together, it’s fun to add to your book with themed shoots, such as holiday themed shoots- which are great as there’s usually several holiday shows every year, or cowgirl or valentine images.  You’ll certainly get use out of them at some point, and they are good to have, but if the only professionally shot image of you that you have is a Halloween image- you can’t take that very far.

5. Do: Update the images in your press kit at least every six months. This is where those live shots, trade offers (I will shoot you for free in exchange for this), and themed and conceptual shoots come in handy.  Once you have the basics down, you can work on building either based on certain shows you want to be in (IE, so and so does a fabulous circus themed show- so I want circus themed shots, etc.), holidays, or companies you want clothing/costumes/props from.  Fans and producers should always find something fresh in your portfolio, both on Facebook, and your personal website.  I know Facebook and blogs are often easier to update then your website- but it is important that your website remains fresh and accurate as it is the “official” representation of you and your work.

Avoid your portfolio becoming outdated by removing images that are old, or of retired numbers. As a general rule, if the image is three years old- toss it!  This may mean sometimes parting with your favorites, and it’s very hard, but is worth it to appear fresh, organized, and on top of your game.  If there’s an image you simply can’t dump- create an archives section on your website, so the image is still reachable, but not something you include in a press kit anymore.

6. Do: Be careful who you shoot with. Outside of the obvious safety concerns- there is the obvious truth that your image matters in this business!  Shooting with sub-par photographers and hobbyists can hurt you.  (Now there are plenty of talented photographers who choose to make photography their hobby as opposed to full time work.  I respect that- those guys & gals are not who my comment is directed at.)  In a digital age where anything and everything can be found with a few clicks, you do not want sub-par images of you floating around.  Poorly lit, unflattering, or “cheap looking”, photos can hurt the professionalism you are trying to convey.  You’ve seen ‘em- you know what I’m talking about.  Does this mean you can’t seek out free photo shoots?  No, it just means a lot of research on your part to make sure the project is one you want to be a part of and the photographer is worth working with.

7. Do: Have permission. Make sure your photographer knows you want the images for promotional purposes and that you will be sending/posting them everywhere.  You can run into serious legal trouble using images without permission.  Do not assume that because you paid for the shoot that you own the images- because you don’t.  For more on the laws regarding photography, usage, and copyright; check out our Copyright Law: Myths vs. Facts article.

Step by step instructions on how to make Sugar Skulls for Dia de los Muertos. For more on the history of Dia De los Muertos click here

We all have a ton of old tee shirts lying around. You know the ones that you love so much you can’t throw them away, but you can’t wear them either? Maybe they’ve shrunk (or you’ve grown), maybe they’re stained or have holes. Why not turn them into a punk rock, eco-friendly, tote bag for groceries, or whatever you have to carry around?

Step One:
Lay your shirt flat, iron if necessary. Cut off the sleeves at the seam.

Step Two:
Cut out the neck, leaving a scoop effect, and a wide enough opening to stuff easily, while being careful to
leave your handles (area between neck and where the sleeves used to be) at least 1.5 inches wide.

Step Three:
Turn the tee inside out, and sew a straight line across bottom hem of the tee, sewing the two sides together. You can do this by hand or machine stitch.

You are done! Flip it back to right side out and stuff- you now have a tote bag!

We asked three highly successful pin-up photographers to share their tips and tricks for getting great pin-up images. We compiled the list into the best Pin-Up Posing Tips you’ll find anywhere. Everyone from pin-up virgins to semi-pro models will find useful tips and tricks in this handy guide.

Contributors:

Roy Varga, California

Varga started back in 2004 as something fun to do on a boring Sat morning, He had the bright idea to shoot his friends along with himself in the retro style he loves with a bit of attitude, you can still find that shoot in his gallery today. From that innocent action of fighting boredom it started him on a track that would quickly snow ball into what is Varga today. Varga now travels to 24 locations across the U.S. including Hawaii offering Pin-Up shoots and has been published in over 22 magazines and 3 books, As well as producing his annual Varga Calendar. Labeled “The Hardest working Man in Pin-up” Varga continues to produce eye-catching work and plans to for as long as he can push that button.

Stacey Barich, Atomic Cheesecake Studios, Baltimore

Stacey Barich is a self-trained pin-up photographer, vintage hair guru, make-up artist and owner of Atomic Cheesecake Studios. Her journey of transforming girls next door into sirens of the past began in October of 2006.

As an artist she celebrates the subtle sexuality of pin-up; as a woman she embraces her feminine wiles. Armed with a tube of red lipstick, snug pencil skirt, devastatingly high heels, she’s on a one-woman mission to bring glamour and sex-appeal to the yoga-pants set. If there’s any message she’s passionate about it’s that modern girls should discover that their sexual power is their greatest asset.

Shoshana, Through the Looking Glass Studio, Dallas

After receiving her BA in Photography, Shoshana pursued many different genres before finding her love for pin-up. What started out as a gift of a sexy vintage photo shoot for a friend to send to her deployed husband, became a full-time obsession. She went on to found Through the Looking Glass in 2008 and loves the studio’s mission of helping to raise the self-esteem of women everywhere, while embracing the fact that a wink and a smile is hands down sexier than thongs and low-rise jeans any day of the week.

And now, onto the tips…

• 1. Groom yourself like you’re going on your honeymoon weekend. Shave anything that needs shaving, wax what needs waxing, tweeze, trim, etc. Also don’t forget to touch up your roots! It’s likely that you’ll be up close and personal with your photographer, stylist and make-up crew so good prep means you can relax knowing nobody is staring at your fuzzy bikini line.
• 2. Don’t forget your nails! Have well trimmed and shaped toenails and fingernails, trim and moisturize those cuticles, and paint your nails. If you have an aversion to polish- and least do a clear coat on all twenty digits.
• 3. If you want to wear a garter belt and stockings, avoid anything that is designed to “stay up” on its own. Rubberized “thigh highs” and “stay ups” can make even the most toned thighs look like sausage. There are lots of online retailers that specialize in classic stockings that won’t bind your legs. Also, if you have less than toned thighs, a good trick is to find some completely sheer “sheer to waist” pantyhose as a foundation. (Make sure they are not control top! A good choice- Sheer Energy Sheer to Waist- they have the green stripe on the box.) The pantyhose will make your legs looks great, and then you can pull the stockings over them to have the stocking look with toned upper thigh.
• 4. It’s all in the face! Pin-Ups are all about facial expression & personality. Find your personal “pin-up personality”. Are you smoldering and sexy? Cute and playful? Figure it out and spend some real time in front of the mirror finding out what expressions are best for you. Do what comes comfortably and most natural and your pictures will show that. We can always tell who has practiced faces before the shoot, and even a little practice means better pictures.
• 5. While you’re at it, practice poses you’ve seen in classic pin-ups, or modern pin-up photos you admire. Have a friend/lover/family member shoot you with a point and shoot or even a camera phone. The quality of the image will suck, but you’ll be able to see if you nailed a flattering pose or not. This way, when you get to your professional shoot, you’ll be sure and get your money’s worth!
• 6. Take some time to tell your photographer about what you see as your biggest assets and problem areas. It helps them choose poses and angles to hide what you don’t like, and show off what you do. A good photographer should be able to pose for just about anything.
• 7. Mention any moles, birthmarks, scars that you are self conscious about. The photographer doesn’t know whether you consider your mole a “beauty mark” or a “flaw”, so be specific about what you want wiped out in Photoshop.
• 8. Understand that you “Get What You Pay For”. If you want good, professional-looking shots for your portfolio, expect to pay a professional that has proven results if you want to build a great portfolio. Same is true for make-up and hair. If the photographer doesn’t provide these services, take the time to find a good MUAH artist that can take care of you. Bad styling makes for bad photos.
• 9. Photoshop is a tool, not a miracle worker! The misconceptions of Photoshop drive me nuts! Photoshop is a tool to create certain effects, create an image entirely (like with green screen shoots), or to fix minor flaws. If a “photographer” offers to fix exposure or lighting in Photoshop — find another photographer. This is just a bad cover for their lack of lighting experience and knowledge.

  Over photoshopped images is also a huge pet peeve of mine — images with total lack of clarity are just not quality images. You want an image of an enhanced you — not someone unrecognizable. If you want a painting — get a painter. You should be realistic — do not expect to lose 20 years or 20 pounds through Photoshop. Expect a beautiful image of the true you.

• 10. Make a CD or bring a loaded MP3 player with all of your favorite songs. Have the photographer play it while you pose. It will help you relax and have more fun.
• 11. Always have double stick tape. This will help keep clothing where it should be while providing maximum cleavage.
• 12. Be on time, but not more than 15 min early. Photographers usually have tight shooting schedules. By arriving late, you are cheating yourself out of time. By arriving early, you are cheating someone else.
• 13. Don’t be afraid to be over dramatic, and really ham it up. Those “cheesy” ones are very often the best.
• 14. When posing, try to keep your tongue firmly glued to the roof of your mouth. This will slim your face, and cut down on the double chin.
• 15. Always, always, always point your toes! Your feet should never be at a 45 degree angle. Pointing your toes adds grace, while elongating and emphasizing the shape of your legs.
• 16. On the same note pay close attention to your hands and keep them soft. Imagine you are holding a raw egg in the palm of your hand, and keep the hands soft and graceful. Study ballet hand positions. Nothing ruins a great shot like hard and sharp angles or fists with the hands.
• 17. If the costuming is not provided- make sure you have a matching set of lingerie that fits well. Try on what you are bringing ahead of time. It really sucks when people show up with things they haven’t worn in years, or brand new stuff they haven’t worn before — and get all dressed up — just to hate the way the clothing fits them.

  On the subject of wardrobe — there is a huge difference between a quality corset with steel or animal boning, and a cheap plastic off the rack clearance item. A quality corset will enhance your bust, and slim your waist dramatically. A cheap “corset” will just make your torso into an unflattering box shape.

• 18. Create lots of angles with your body without pointing a joint to the camera. Never point elbows, knees, or armpits directly to the camera; this is extremely unflattering. Instead create angles where these joints are pointing away from the camera.
• 19. When doing those “staring off to the side shots” stare into the photographers strobe light (softbox, umbrella, whatever) but not past it. The light will brighten your eyes and be flattering. If you look further than the light, not only will your eyes be dull and dark, but you’ll show too much of the whites of your eyes, giving a zombie effect.
• 20. Trust your photographer. If you’ve taken the time to research and choose someone because of their reputation and portfolio, don’t insult them by telling them how to do their job. We do this to make you look awesome, and nothing is more frustrating than a client who won’t let us use our experience and training to give you the best possible outcome.

Originally posted here: http://www.queensofvintage.com/we-love-vintage-manicures/4

We love vintage manicures

by Lena

The most noticeable difference to today’s manicures is in the painting technique. It was considered to be a sign of good breeding during the late Twenties and early Thirties, to paint only part of the nail, leaving the moons and the tips un-coloured.

It may be more time consuming to achieve than painting the whole nail, but it does make the manicure last longer, particularly if you spend a lot of time typing!  This style was considered more conservative and left the painting of the whole nail to those women who were more considered ’extreme’. By the late Thirties however, Helena Rubenstein was an advocate for painting the whole nail, moons and all, heralding a new look in nail fashion.

The basic steps of a vintage manicure are the same as those you would practice today:

• Start by filing the nails into an oval or almond shape before soaking, so they don’t shred or tear.
• Soak the nails in a mild soapy solution. When the skin has softened, use an orange stick to push back the cuticles and remove any dead skin.
• Massage in cuticle oil, then remove any excess from the nail with a remover.
• Cover the whole nail in a clear, hardening undercoat and allow to thoroughly dry.
• Apply French Manicure strips to the moon and the tip area of the nail to create the block-out effect.
• Apply the polish slightly overlapping the strips. Apply two coats and allow to dry thoroughly in between. You may also want to apply a hardener on the last coat.
• Before the final coat is completely dry, remove the French strips, to prevent any lifting or tearing of the polish should it be completely dry.

1 oz Spiced Rum (Sailor Jerry’s or Captain Morgan are good choices)
.5 oz ginger brandy
4 oz eggnog
1 Ginger Snap cookie

Blend all liquid ingredients in blender until desired consistency is reached. Pour into tall glass and garnish with cookie for dunking.

DIY Pasties with Vivienne Vermuth

Photos: Courtesy of Miss Vermuth

One of the most fun things about being in burlesque has to be making pasties! These little circles of delight can really bring out your creativity, and lets you express your personality on your…well, personalities! Once you get the basics down, you’ll be a pasty making princess in no time!

As far as materials for pasties, I tend to use buckram, which is a stiff mesh-like fabric that’s used commonly use for millinery (hat-making.) Other materials that are good to use are vinyl and stiff felt. I tend to use Aleene’s Fabric Fusion or E 6000 as my glues of choice. If you choose to attach tassels to your pasties, you will also want to grab some metal grommets to ensure a smooth twirl. I’ll go over tassels more at the end.

STEP ONE

Measure how big you want your pasty to be, by measuring the dark part around your nips. That should be the size of your pasty. Then use a protractor, set it at 1/4 of an inch more than your size, and draw 2 circles on your fabric. Cut them out, and cut out a small “pie slice” from the edge to the center. Your circles should look like a PAC MAN.

STEP TWO

Take your glue and run a small line of glue down one edge of the pie slice, then bring the other edge of the pie slice to the glue side. You’ll find that your pasty now has a prominent upside down “V”, or tent shape. Take your finger or Popsicle stick and smooth the glue down over the edge so its seamless, and it will get rid of the edge a bit. If you are attaching tassels, snip a TINY hole in the tip, and place the grommet into the hole, and glue the edge, leaving the hole clear.

STEP THREE

DECORATE!!! This is the fun part! You can use sequins, rhinestones, glitter, fabric- whatever your heart desires! Keep in mind the weight of the pasty – the heavier it is, the harder it will be to keep on! Also, if you attach pasties, make sure everything is smooth and laying flat – you don’t want to catch your tassel on an edge!

STEP FOUR (ATTACHING TASSELS)

Starting from the outside of the pasty, take the non business end of the tassel and thread it through your grommet, just enough to poke through the inside of the pasty. Then take your glue (I prefer hot glue for this because it’s waterproof when dry) and drop a bead big enough to cover the back of the grommet and the tassel, then place s small circle of fabric over it to protect your nip. Once dry, your tassels should swing freely! You can also experiment with using necklace chains as your tassels, because then you can change out your tassels!

USING YOUR PASTIES

My favorite adhesive is toupee tape made for wigs and hairpieces, but you can also use eyelash adhesive, double sided tape, spirit gum, etc. Keep in mind how you will use them, i.e. if you are a performer, you may want to use tape to ensure that they stay on. If you want to use liquid adhesives, I would advise putting a small layer of hot glue on the back of your pasties, because once it’s dry it will be waterproof and then whatever adhesive you use won’t stain or damage your pasties. Take the adhesive, and line around the edge of the pasty, then press onto the nip. You are set to go!

Enjoy your new pasties!

Cheers! Vivienne Vermuth

How to Make a Basic Mini Top Hat from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Top hats are a easy way to add a sophisticated look to a dull outfit. With just a few simple items you may already have laying around the house you can make a cute accessory. This is a basic hat so you can decorate it to your taste.

Steps

1. Trace the CD onto the cardboard. One will be the bottom base of the hat and one will be the lower base of the hat (the upper base is the part is directly under the tall part and the lower base is under that). Trace a rectangle using the ruler (10 inches wide and 2 ½ inches tall. This will be the top of the hat. Cut them out.
2. Hot glue the ends of the rectangle together. Hold it together until the glue dries.
3. Take the rectangle glued. It should look like a cylinder. Trace the bottom of the cylinder in the middle both of the cd circles. Cut the circles out.
4. Hot glue the doughnut looking circle and place the fabric over the glue. Press into place. Repeat with other circle. Do not put fabric on both sides Cut off any excess fabric.
5. Hot glue over the outer part of the cylinder. Place the fabric over the glue and hold in place. Cut off the excess fabric.
6. Glue the cylinder onto the upper base. Put it over the hole make sure it covers the hole completely. Hold it in place until it dries.
7. Hot glue on the lip of the lower base. Put desired lace over the glue. Glue the lower base onto the upper base. The lace facing the top

1. Trace the top of the cylinder on the cardboard then cut it out. Hot glue and put fabric onto it. Hot glue onto the top of the cylinder.
2. Take two pieces of ribbon make sure they are big enough to tie around you head. Glue them inside the hat.
3. Enjoy. Decorate you mini-top hat to your desired look.

Warnings

• When you are putting on the lace or have thin fabic. Do not press down with your fingers. The hot glue will leak and burn your fingers.

Things You’ll Need

• Fabric
• Lace
• Ruler
• Hot glue
• cardboard

External Links

Etsy.com
MiniTopHat.com

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make a Basic Mini Top Hat. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

We have to point you in the right direction on our namesake!  Check out what these lovely ladies have done with pincurls:

Aya Smith has a video with her instructions:

http://strawberrykoi.blogspot.com/2009/03/vintage-hair-pin-curls-for-beginner.html

More pin curl tutorials:

http://pompsnpincurls.googlepages.com/pincurls