Brenda Poutawera won a competition to have her photograph professionally taken by Charmaine Marinkovich. Photo/Andrew Warner
Brenda Poutawera won a competition to have her photograph professionally taken by Charmaine Marinkovich. Photo/Andrew Warner
Personal stylist Megan Hewett and portrait photographer Charmaine Marinkovich have teamed up to offer a package that includes hair and make-up. Bay of Plenty Times Weekend reporter Dawn Picken took part in a morning of star treatment, complete with her own paparazza.
What to do when a friend invites you to take part in a styling session and photo shoot? Rummage through your wardrobe, ask the stylist for help, then grab eight changes of clothing.
Most days I work and chauffeur children wearing running gear, business casual wear, or a mix of both. So when my friend Brenda asked if I'd like to take part in a prize she won from the Style Company and Markinovich Photography, I agreed.
Then I wondered what to wear. My wardrobe is a mishmash spanning two decades. It includes suits from my TV presenter days, wildly printed op-shop tops and a half-dozen dresses collected overseas the past couple years.
I invited The Style Company owner Megan Hewett to my house to learn what might work for the shoot. I also wanted advice about weeding an overgrown closet. Hewett says hiring a personal stylist is becoming more popular for time-crunched Kiwis.
"Many of my clients have sought my help simply because they have lost their mojo (confidence) and want some simple advice on how to refresh their look without having to have a major wardrobe overhaul."
Megan says she's also done emergency sessions in advance of job interviews, weddings and corporate events. The Tauranga resident charges $90 per hour for most services, saying the investment can outweigh the cost of shopping disasters.
Megan helped me select several solid colour dresses and tops with varying necklines. I asked her to cull my multiplying mass of black trousers. She had me try on six pairs and helped me select two for the charity box.
"I wouldn't ask you to part with items you're sentimental about," she said. Megan also does colour analysis and meets clients for shopping trips.
Last Friday's shoot happened in portrait photographer Charmaine Marinkovich's studio on 11th Avenue. Brenda and I arrived bare faced and had our hair and make-up professionally done. I morphed from soccer mum to glamazon in one hour's time. My smoky eye makeup and curled hair prompted my 11-year-old daughter to ask later that day, "Why do you look like that?"
Charmaine took turns photographing us in front of her studio which gets lots of natural light. She warned us in advance poses would feel strange, since positions that look good in photos often seem unnatural.
It was like a game of Twister as Charmaine coached us; "Hand on hip, lengthen your torso, neck out, chin down, smile. Relax." That last part made me laugh.
(l-r) Stylist Megan Hewett, Dawn Picken, and Photographer Charmaine Marinkovich. Photo/Andrew Warner
Charmaine says she photographs women of all ages. Her wall gallery includes children as well as grandmothers, all of whom look beautiful without appearing like they're part of 1980s-era 'glamour shot'. No shoulder pads required.
This could be an option for those of us needing a new profile picture for a website or social media page, or maybe a Christmas gift for a family member.
The service ranges in price from $150 for a portrait experience session, including a makeover and photo shoot for one, to $795 for a 'Folio Collection' shoot. A la carte photo prices start at $150. Stylist and makeover photo shoot packages cost $330. Pre-shoot consultations are standard.
I watch as Brenda poses in a little black dress with pink ruffled shoulder detail. Under Charmaine's direction, she smiles and sticks out her bum like a pro. Five outfits later, we're done. Queens for the morning in the studio; glama-mums for a lifetime in pictures.
top tips Style tips from The Style Company *Confidence and a smile are most important *Dress for who you have become, not who you used to be *Think about your whole look, including hair, makeup and shoes. * www.thestylecompany.co.nz
Tips from portrait photographer Charmaine Marinkovich *Always turn your body on a 45-degree angle; never stand straight onto the camera *Put weight on the foot furthest from the camera *Think of someone or something that makes you happy. * www.marinkovichphotography.co.nz
