Expert: LizaL - 6/15/2006

Question
I have been a make-up artist for film/tv for the last ten years and am looking to have yet another career switch. I would still like to use my creative talent & experience as a m/u artist and focus it into the world of digital design or editing. Any advice on what road to take?

Answer
Hi Tracy,

The first thing that comes to mind for me is portrait and photo retouching. I think you'd be a natural.

Although the term "retouching" implies totally revamping a portrait or photo, it's really not like that, if you want the results to appear natural.

Portrait retouching involves taking into consideration things like the natural texture of skin; the way the light falls on the subject in the photo; how we age and skin issues associated with age (that is, the most natural way to deal with wrinkles, blemishes, etc.); and mostly, I think, just giving the subject a flattering look without going overboard. I think you'd have a real talent for doing these things, having been a professional make-up artist, especially for film and TV. I know lighting is a big issue in visual media, and with your background, I'm sure you're very good at dealing with light sources and making people look natural.

The same holds true, I think, for photos that don't necessarily involve people. With your background, I think you'd be very good at retouching/enhancing things like landscapes and outdoor photos. I'd also guess you're good at color balance, which goes hand-in-hand with lighting when it comes to outdoor photography.

If you want to try and break into the retouching field, your first step would be to hone your skills in Photoshop, if you're not already using it. Naturally you can go to any college in your area and take classes, but if you'd rather be on the fast track, check out the community colleges in your area. Many offer 1-year certificate (diploma) programs in digital arts, if you're not interested in obtaining an associate's degree.

There are also some very good online classes. I've taken ActionScripting and CSS classes from this outfit:
http://www.lvsonline.com/index.shtml

You can't beat the price! Plus, the instructors really are clear and easy to understand. The material they cover is also very relative to the working world, and not things you'd never utilize.

Once you feel comfortable with Photoshop and are ready to advertise, put together a small print portfolio of your work -- you can even create an online portfolio, or one on CD, if you don't want to do it in print. Then look in your local phone book for photographers in your area, and send them query letters, and also samples of your work.

If you're so inclined, and finances aren't an issue, you might also ask to intern with a photographer (interns generally dont' get much of a salary, if any at all!).


Another thing that comes to mind would be working for an advertising agency. Generally speaking, most agencies work with a lot of different media: photography, printed materials, video, etc. If you worked for an agency, you might find yourself branching out more, and working on projects that involve not only your existing skills, but skills you might learn on the job too.

Again, I'd follow the same procedure for finding a job: hone your skills and make them marketable, create a portfolio, and then start the search.

And again, I'd recommend looking at the community colleges in your area for classes, as well as reputable online outfits, when it comes to learning and using Photoshop.

I mentioned LVS Online, and here are a couple more places that offer online Photoshop classes:

-- These email classes are offered through About.com; I don't know anything about them, but they appear to be free.
http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/photoshop/l/bllps5out.htm

-- This site has always looked pretty down-to-earth, and she seems to know what she's talking about.
http://www.myjanee.com/graphiccreations/classes.htm

-- This is a good site; it has a lot of free tutorials, and links to classes. I find it a bit hard to navigate, but if you click on the Education button, you'll see the links to classes.
http://www.planetphotoshop.com/index.html


If you'd like more advice and want to address more specific issues regarding your career switch, feel free to post back or email me at my business address:
lizal@little-works.com. I'll be happy to try and advise you. I used to teach college portfolio prep classes, as well as Career Development, so maybe I can  help you map out a plan.

If posting back or writing, please also include your level of Photoshop experirence, since that will have a lot of bearing on where you need to concentrate.

Hope this helps --

Lisa