“Scarlett’s Hot Tips On Photo Shoots”
I’d like to start out by telling you girls I do all my photo shoots at home by myself using a Nikon D3100 camera sitting atop a Vivitar VPT-3600 tripod, which is adjustable in so many ways. I have my self-timer on the camera set at 10 seconds to release the shutter, which gives me plenty of time to get in front of the camera and strike a pose with or without a prop. And both these photo items I use (noted above) can probably be purchased on Ebay for a very reasonable price! I encourage all of you wanting to post top quality photographs to strongly consider purchasing a single lens reflex camera rather than using a phone to take your photos.
I start my photo shoot procedures by getting out all of my shape wear, hose, tights, heels, boots, ankle booties, and fashion jewelry that I plan on using for that day’s shoot. I have those items placed in two different bedrooms in our home for easy access during each photo shoot. All clothing items are kept hanging in three closets, and I try to change into at least six different outfits throughout the course of a single photo shoot. The biggest mistake I always make is dragging out way more than I’ll use during every photo shoot. Here’s one tip to keep that from happening! Use only one set of one color of shape wear and a matching bra – such as the color black – and then wear only dark dresses or tops the entire shoot. On your next photo shoot, try doing just the opposite using nude color shape wear and a nude colored bra and then wear all light-colored tops and dresses! You’ll be thanking me after future photo shoots! “You’re more than welcome” in advance girls!
Next up is putting on any shapewear required, if any, before doing my nails to keep the nail polish from getting ruined while putting on some rather snug fitting shape wear. In certain cases, with certain styles of dresses, I use no shapewear at all. After the shape wear is in place it’s time to paint my fingernails and my toenails–if I’m planning to wear high heeled open-toed sexy sandals. I use Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy 550 “All On Red” nail polish and always match it up with my Maybelline 635 “Very Cherry” lipstick. As you can see from my photos, both the lipstick and nail polish are always really red! Why, you ask? Great question! When you see college or pro cheerleaders or college majorettes, they will always be wearing really red lipstick and matching nail polish. Because it gives them a very youthful and sexy look! At least that’s what they all tell me, and I’ve spent over 55 years on the sidelines of college and pro football games at the highest level of competition. When I ask that question to any of these girls, the answer is always the same – “Because it gives us a very youthful and sexy/attractive look!”
After the nail polish is dry, it’s time to put on my makeup. As many of you girls know, I’ve never had a professional makeup artist do a makeover on me. I’ve learned every one of my makeup skills online through Google, which takes me directly to YouTube makeup instructional videos. The videos done by both pros and amateurs will show you how to apply any kind of makeup ever invented and how to use any application brush imaginable! Facial makeup types include the following: liquid and powder base makeup, blush, contour makeup, brow makeup, eye shadow makeup, eye liner (most all girls’ toughest challenge), mascara, and lipstick. You should take the time to watch the instructional videos on each one of these types of makeup! Proper application and blending are the two keys to that professional look you’re shooting for!
When all your makeup is properly applied, it’s then time to put your hair on! I’ve wrote an article on wigs located in the Hodgepodge area of our Article section, it’s worth a read and important in creating the best look for you. You’ll find out you will need to do some experimenting with colors and lengths of hair to get it just right for your facial features and skin tone. I prefer chin length or just a bit longer bob lengths and cuts of hair, and I have two “go to” colors – my auburn with dark roots and my blonde with dark roots. The girls seem to like them equally on me; leaning more towards the blonde by just a “hair” – get it! LOL
And now ladies – IT’S SHOWTIME! Time to start taking those gorgeous photos! You’ll have to experiment with what works for lighting and distance from the camera in each room. The girls seem to love my outdoors photos, so I sneak out on the front or back porch where I use ambient light, which is best right before sunset. If you have a Nikon D3100 or any other up to date single reflex camera, it comes with an automatic pop up flash which usually takes care of all your lighting issues inside! Just set the self-timer for 10 seconds to give you plenty of time as noted above to possibly grab a prop and strike a pretty pose with or without a prop. I like busy rooms with lots of things behind me, beside me, or even in front of me to add interest to the picture. Don’t just stand there in front of a blank wall for all your photos. They will get rather boring in a hurry! Use colorful props with lots of flowers, stuffed animals, framed photos, sports equipment, books – if you wanna look absolutely brilliant, toys (not the ones you use in the bedroom silly), bicycles, lawn mowers, cars, trucks, SUVs, and even piles of food items in your food pantry – my favorite is a jar of Jiff Peanut Butter! Juice your photos up by adding all these items, which add interest to a pretty picture! I don’t want my photos to just be all about Scarlett! I want to have several other things in my photos for our girls to look at! It can be fun to create a theme for doing a photo shoot.
And last, but certainly not least, is THE SMILE! For God sakes, don’t pose with a look as if you’re about to go off to your own funeral. Remember, you’re thrilled to be a girl in these pictures! You love the feel of those ladies’ clothes against your skin! You love the feel of those sexy heels or knee-high boots or ankle booties! You’re happy as a clam because you are so enjoying the thrill of crossdressing! You see that thrill of mine in my genuine smile, which is on display in every single photo I’ve ever posted! And that’s hundreds and hundreds of photos! I understand that some may not want to display less than perfect teeth in their photos; you can still give a big smile without showing one single tooth! Did ya know that girls! SMILE, SMILE, SMILE, AND THEN SMILE SOME MORE! Please girls, if you want a more youthful and happy look, don’t forget to SMILE!
Well girls, those are my top hits as far as Scarlett’s tips on photo shoots! I hope you enjoyed them and will plan to put them to work in your future pictures posted here at our wonderful CDH!
I truly love every one of you girls!
Sincerely, Scarlett
1) Have you not posted a photo yet in the All Crossdresser Photos section of Crossdresser Heaven? If not, why not?
2) Where do you think you need to improve in order to post some quality photos of the femme side of you here at CDH?
3) Of all Scarlett’s physical and fashion attributes, the one attribute which gets the greatest number of compliments is my smile! Is there any reason why you wouldn’t smile for a photograph you would post proudly on this site?
Girls feel free to answer one or more of the questions I’ve posed to you above. I would love to hear your responses to either my article or any of the three questions asked of you at the bottom of my article!
More Articles by Scarlett398
- Scarlett Looking Back At Her Very First Cross Dressing Experience!
- Scarlett’s Purpose at Crossdresser Heaven!
- A Few Of Scarlett’s Hot Tips On Fashion And Beauty!
- Scarlett On Having “The Talk” With Your Wife Or SO
- Scarlett On How To Share Your Thrill Of Cross Dressing With Others
Well done my lovely. I really enjoyed your article and will put into practice some of your thoughts. I personally don’t wear any shapewear. I will now look around to find some props!!!!!
One thing I don’t need (as you know) is to be told to smile. I agree a smile can make the picture, I don’t know why some of the girls don’t , it is a natural thing to do to look a truly beautiful lady.
Hope that made you smile girlfriends Hugs Clare
It did Girl Friend! Now listen, Clare, when ya get ready to buy shape wear, just go on Amazon and put in searches such as these: “butt padding", “hip padding", and “corsets". You’ll be really surpised at how inexpensive everything is on Amazon and how quick it shows up on your porch! Oh yeah, you can find some gorgeous silicone breasts on there for $28 for the pair. I get excited every single time I get them out of the box!
Love ya, Clare XOXOXOXO Scarlett
I have the silicone breast already. Thanks for your help XX Clare
You’re welcome, Clare! Have a super day girl friend!
Scarlett
As to red lipstick, I’ve heard several times that it is the power color for lipstick. Studies show that people listen more and interrupt less when a woman is wearing red lipstick. Isn’t that interesting?
Yes, that is good to know! I’m so happy to hear I’m being listened to without being interupted. Maybe they are just mezmerized by my red lips! I certainly love your million dollar smile in your profile pic girl friend!
XOXOXOXO Scarlett
Scarlett my friend, (having baseball withdrawal lol) you really hit a “home run" with this article… I may never use my timer on my camera phone again. I concur with Clare… So many girls would look so much prettier with a smile…your suggestion laying out your wardrobe before your photo shoot really shows “you are always put together" and always look Maaaahvelous! Again thanks for tip.
Stay well XOXOXO, Leonara
You are more than welcome Sweetie Pie. When I write an article it’s always written to help any girl on CDH who takes the time to read it. I do make a common mistake with every photo shoot and that’s always grabbing way too much to put out for the shoot! Like this last shoot which got four photos posted today, I pulled out probably 15 pairs of various footwear and only used three of them! That happens with every shoot. And the more you pull out – the more you have to put away! Thanks for liking the look.… Read more »
Awesome article. Very well written with exceptional advice. As you well know, I learned much of my style now from your advice. Thank you thank you thank you my sweet BFF
Danielle
I have created a monster movie star! You have been my very best student ever! And now look at you! Your photos often get twice as many “Likes" as mine! I love that new profile pic of you! That’s a movie star if I ever saw one!
Love you forever! XOXOXO Scarlett
OH Girlfriend . you always know how to make me feel special. Now off to the movies. I hear them calling me. lol
Love ya back
XOXOXO
Danielle
Thanks for sharing, Scarlett! IMHO, your willingness to share not only this photo information but also many other helpful and very useful pointers with the girls of CDH reflects very well as to what a great girl you are, not to mention what an asset to CDH. You are a gem, Scarlett!
Hugs,
Peggy Sue
XXOO
You’re always so sweet to me. One of the main reasons I was led to this site was to help every girl on here reach their own individual highest level of cross dressing possible. When one reads any of my articles they are all instructional. I guess that’s the teacher in me coming out!
Thanks, Peggy Sue, for appreciating me spreading these useful tips and pointers to all of the CDH girls!
Love you Peggy Sue! XOXOXOXO Scarlett
You look beautiful, Scarlett!
Thanks a bunch Cutie Pie! This is one of my favorite photos!
Love your profile pic by the way! XOXOXO Scarlett
Thank You Scarlett for all the wonderful advice! I agree with you on many things, especially the part about smiling! It’s contagious and we all need a smile especially in trying times like now! Hugs Jenna
The smile makes you look really happy and it also takes about 10 years off your actual age! All cross dressers should be absolutely thrilled when all dolled up as a girl!
Thanks for taking the time to read my article, Jenna. There’s about 7 more in this section as well covering all sorts of subjects from shape ware to how to have “The Talk" with your wife or SO!
XOXOXOXO Scarlett
1. Wife does not know I still cross dress, and I have a goatee.
2. Get rid of the goatee and start trying put on makeup.
3. I would most definitely be smiling in any photos.
I stayed deep in a closet for years and years before finally sitting my wife down and having “The Talk" with my wife about all aspects of my cross dressing.
Yes, if you’re gonna be cross dressing, the goatee will definitely have to go!
And smiling shows your happy and actually shaves off at least 10 years of your actual age!
XOXOXO Scarlett
Hope to have the talk soon, I’ll kept you up to date on that. Love you.
Scarlett, Thanks for sharing all of these wonderful tips. One of the things I like about using my iPhone is the Bluetooth function. I can just keep a little remote clicker in my hand and then fire away at will, without having to go back and forth between the camera and my chosen location for posing. I have an older iPhone so the quality of my photos is not as good as I would like. But if I were to purchase an SLR camera, the Bluetooth remote capability would be a must-have feature. Do you know if this capability is… Read more »
Great question and here’s your answer! The newer models of the Nikon cameras suck when it comes to the self-timer because you have to resest the damn thing everytime you want to take one single photo! I have a newer Nikon D3400 and an older D3100! The new one sucks and the only time I use the damn thing is when it’s in my hands and I’m taking photos of my corgis or my sexy redhead! With the older D3100 model, you set the self-timer once and it’s set for the entire day or year if you keep it on!… Read more »
1. Yes 2. In the bedroom 3. No 😀
Hey girl, you were the first one to answer all three of my questions! YAY! You’ve just got to improve in that bedroom! LOL
Love ya Dawn and again I had fun in the chat room with you and the girls!
XOXOXOXO Scarlett