Kim Kardashian is one of the most photographed women in the world. As a model, businesswoman, and star of the reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Kim is constantly in the public eye. Her photos are analyzed by fans and photographers alike. One question that often comes up is: what photo filter does Kim K use?
Kim has access to professional photographers and expert photo editing, so her pictures often have a polished, perfected look to them. However, many wonder if she uses specific filters to achieve her signature style. Let’s take a look at some of Kim’s preferred photo filters and editing techniques.
Understanding Kim’s Photo Style
First, it’s important to understand the overall aesthetic Kim K goes for in her photos. Some key elements of her style include:
– Soft, smooth skin: Kim’s complexion always looks flawless and glowing, never shiny or textured. Her skin tone also appears even and perfectly balanced.
– Contoured features: Kim’s face is expertly contoured in most photos, with a sculpted, slimming effect. Her nose, cheekbones, jawline and lips look precisely defined.
– Tousled hair: Kim wears her hair down in loose waves or with soft, messy texture. The focus is on volume and body over precision.
– Moody atmosphere: Many of Kim’s photos have a sultry, moody vibe. Shadows and light are used to create drama and mystery.
– Warm, rich colors: The color palette of Kim’s photos skews warm, with creamy beiges, golden browns, and rosy nudes. Cooler tones are avoided.
So in short, Kim goes for a sexy, contoured, naturally glamorous look in her photos. Now let’s look at how she likely edits them to achieve this appearance.
Soft Focus and Blurring
One of Kim’s signature editing techniques is likely applying soft focus and strategic blurring. This gives each photo a hazy, romantic vibe. It helps conceal any perceived flaws or blemishes on the skin too.
The Soft Focus filter on apps like Instagram and FaceTune allows you to adjust the degree of overall blur. Brushing over certain areas like the under eyes, chin and forehead can further perfect and smooth the skin. Kim likely finishes off with the Smooth tool to ensure her complexion has a totally poreless finish.
Bronzing and Contouring
Kim shapes and sculpts her facial features with dramatic bronzing and contouring. This involves using darker, warmer tones like bronze, brown and terra cotta to enhance and shade certain areas.
The jawline, cheeks, nose, temples and under eyes can all be softly sculpted using the Airbrush tool on apps like FaceTune and Adobe Photoshop Mix. The bronzing brush lets you build up color naturally. Finish off by highlighting the brow bones, bridge of nose and cupid’s bow with concealer or a brightening pen.
Golden Hour Effect
Many of Kim’s photos have a distinctly golden, sun-kissed quality. The light in the images seems soft, hazy and luminous. She likely replicates this natural ‘golden hour’ effect with filters.
On Instagram, try the Juno, Ludwig or Gingham filters. These add bright, creamy warmth to images. The Afterlight app has a ‘Golden Hour’ category with filters like Sunray and Late Night that boostgolden tones. For a intense radiant glow, try the Litely app. Their digital filters include Sunset which warms and softens an image beautifully.
Moody Tones
While many of Kim’s photos are sun-drenched, others have a moodier, more mysterious aesthetic. These images likely use filters that subtly darken shadows while keeping the subject illuminated.
On Instagram, Brooklyn, Moon and Lark desaturate and cool down certain tones for a moody effect. The Rise app’s Blue Hour filter casts an almost cinematic glow over images. For a sultry nighttime vibe, also try the Noir filter on the Dust app. It adds stylish shadows and a rich color palette.
Dewy, Luminous Skin
One of Kim’s most coveted beauty looks is gorgeous glowing skin. She mimics this using editing tools that enhance luminosity.
The LuMee phone case already brightens and evens out selfies with its built-in lighting. For a dewier effect, FaceTune has a Glow tool that can be brushed onto the cheeks and eyes. Snapseed’s Glow filter also creates a subtle ambient radiance. Finally, try dusting FaceApp’s Sparkle tool lightly over the skin for mega watt highlight.
Conclusion
Kim Kardashian’s photos have a unmistakable look- soft, smooth and radiant with sultry, contoured features. While professional lighting and makeup artistry helps, she also relies on a few go-to filters and editing tricks. Soft focus, blurring, bronzing and adding glow are some of her secrets. Apps like FaceTune, Afterlight and Instagram itself provide endless options to mimic Kim’s glamorous aesthetic. With the right tools and techniques, anyone can give their photos that perfect Kim K polish.
Kim Kardashian’s Photo Editing Process
Kim Kardashian is renowned for her flawless social media photos and ultra glam aesthetic. Her immaculately styled images have become as famous as the star herself. But what exactly goes into creating Kim K’s picture perfect photos? Here is an inside look at the reality star’s extensive photo editing and retouching process.
Perfecting with Photoshop
After a photo shoot, Kim sends the raw images to her personal photo retoucher, Mary Phillips. Phillips has worked with the Kardashian clan for years and is an expert at fine tuning photos in Photoshop. There she makes hundreds of micro adjustments to get Kim’s look just right.
This can involve skin smoothing, blemish removal, whitening teeth and eyes, fixing stray hairs, sculpting the face and body, and general color correction. According to Phillips, “if there’s a stray hair that’s out of place, I’ll remove it. If there’s something on her face I need to remove, I’ll remove it.”
Contour and Sculpt
One of Kim’s signatures is her expert contouring. Phillips will further enhance and chisel Kim’s bone structure by digitally contouring the face. This involves subtly darkening areas like the hollows of the cheeks, jawline, temples and sides of the nose to slim and sculpt. Highlighter is also applied to the cheekbones, brow bones, cupid’s bow and bridge of the nose for extra polish.
Soft Focus and Blurring
Strategic blurring is another technique used to perfect. Areas like the under eyes, chin and neck are gently blurred to conceal any perceived flaws. An overall soft focus filter is also often applied to give a romantic, hazy effect. According to Phillips, “blurring the skin is essential for that flawless, airbrushed look.”
Glow and Radiance
Creating dewy, luminous skin is a focus, even if the original image is matte. Phillips will brush on layers of glow using Photoshop tools. A subtle ambient glimmer is added to the high points of Kim’s face like the cheekbones, nose, brow bones and cupid’s bow. The lips and eyes also get a boost of shine.
Tonal Tweaks
Kim’s photo aesthetic involves a rich, warm, golden color palette. If the original photos are too cool or bright, Phillips adjusts them using Photoshop. The shadows are darkened slightly and highlights shifted towards beige and gold rather than stark white. Vibrant tones get muted down for a more natural, romantic look.
Final Touches
Once Phillips perfects the photo in Photoshop, Kim may make a few tweaks of her own in Facetune. This app lets her smooth skin, whiten eyes and teeth, and make any last minute changes. Finally, Kim selects one of her preferred Instagram filters to finalize the image’s mood and tone before posting. Some top choices include Mayfair, Valencia, and Nashville.
How Kim Kardashian Attained Her Signature Photo Style
Kim Kardashian is instantly recognizable by her signature photo style. But it took years of evolution for the star to cultivate her glamorous aesthetic. Here’s a look back at how Kim attained her one-of-a-kind look.
Early Days: 2006-2009
Looking back at early photos of Kim, her style is almost unrecognizable today. During her first years in the spotlight, the star favored heavier makeup, including dark lined eyes, frosted lips, and sculpted brows. Her poses were more provocative, and her hair had lighter blonde highlights.
While beautiful, Kim’s look in the late 2000s lacked refinement. The ultra sexy styling photographed well but did not showcase her natural beauty in the most flattering light.
Transition Period: 2010-2012
Around 2010, Kim began transitioning towards a more elegant and polished look. She favored nude lips, dewy skin, and softer hair with chocolate brown highlights. Her style was still very bombshell glam but showed signs of growth.
During this period, Kim began experimenting with contouring to subtly slim and define her facial structure. She also discovered the power of false lashes to open up her eyes and balance her face.
Finding Her Style: 2013-2015
By 2013, Kim had come into her own style wise. She opted for a golden bronze palette, with shimmery nude lips and eyes, thick lashes, and warmer hair coloring. Her contours became more precise, and she mastered photo angles to elongate her physique.
During these years, Kim also embraced strategic retouching. Using Photoshop tools, the finer details of her face could be perfected in each photo. Things like pores, wrinkles, and stray hairs disappeared for a flawless effect.
Photo Queen: 2016-Present
From 2016 onwards, Kim reached her peak photo power. At this point, she had the ultimate glam squad, the best photographers, and seamless retouching. Her makeup, contouring, and angles were all honed to perfection.
During this era, Kim discovered instagram filters and began posting images with a recognizable golden hue. Moody, sultry, naturally gorgeous – this succinctly sums up her current aesthetic. After years in the public eye, Kim achieved icon status through photography.
Kim’s Top Photo Editing Tricks
Kim Kardashian’s photos always look incredible, from her perfect skin to hourglass curves. But how does she do it? Here are some of Kim’s best-kept photo editing secrets for getting that picture perfect look.
Keep it Moody
Kim often opts for moody, sultry lighting that subtly contours her face. On Instagram, apply a subtle filter like Mayfair or Moon for a smoky effect. You can also lower brightness and heighten contrast to amp up shadows and mystery.
Add a Golden Glow
Warm, golden tones are essential to Kim’s aesthetic. On FaceTune or Instagram, use filters like Ludwig, Juno or Nashville to cast a radiant bronze hue over images. Lowering the exposure also boosts rich shadows and golden light.
Contour is Crucial
Sculpt and shape your features with dramatic contouring like Kim. Use FaceTune’s Bronzer tool to swipe under the cheekbones, jawline, nose and eyes. Finish with highlighting powder or pen on the high points of the face.
Get That Glow
One of Kim’s go-tos is luminous, glowing skin. Use FaceTune’s Glow tool to paint over cheekbones, nose, chin, brow bones and lips for a dewy effect. The Afterlight app also has great glow filters.
Blur it Out
Strategic blurring gives Kim’s skin an ultra smooth finish. In FaceTune, gently brush the Blur tool over areas like the forehead, under eyes and cheeks to perfect. Don’t overdo it – a soft haze is all you need.
Kim’s Favorite Retouching Apps
Kim Kardashian has access to the best photographers and editing tools in the industry. But she also uses a few common mobile apps to retouch photos on her own. Here are Kim’s favorite go-to apps for selfie perfection:
Facetune 2
This popular retouching app lets Kim smooth skin, accentuate contours, whiten eyes and teeth, apply glow, and make custom tweaks. She especially loves the reshaping tools to nip, tuck, and exaggerate her curves.
Retouch
Retouch offers manual retouching tools like dodge, burn, and blur to help Kim polish photos. The blemish remover is another of her favorites for creating flawless skin.
Visage Lab
For quick and easy touch-ups, Kim swears by Visage Lab. The filters automatically smooth texture, tighten, and tune colors in just one click. Perfection has never been so effortless.
Adobe Lightroom
Kim often uses Lightroom Mobile for quick enhancements on the go. Features like white balance corrections, tone curves, and granular editing give photos that signature Kardashian aesthetic.
Snapseed
The custom filters in Snapseed help Kim get her photos looking just right. She’s a fan of the portrait effect for smoothing skin. Drama filters amp up the moodiness of her shots.
Kim’s Favorite Photo Backdrops
Aside from knowing her best angles and photo editing tricks, another of Kim Kardashian’s secrets is choosing the most flattering backdrops. Here are some of the reality star’s preferred photo environments.
Plain White Walls
A crisp white wall makes the perfect blank canvas for Kim. This ensures the focus is fully on her without distracting backgrounds or clutter. The clean, minimalist look suits Kim’s modern aesthetic.
Marble Surfaces
Kim often poses against rich marble architecture. The smooth façades and neutral tones beautifully complement her features and curves. Marble also conveys elegance and luxury.
Mirrored Surfaces
Mirrored walls or surfaces allow for double the Kim! The reflections play up her hourglass silhouette and give photos added depth and drama. Mirrored backdrops are a favorite for her full length shots.
Lounges and Lobbies
Grand hotel lobbies and stylish lounges provide the ultimate backdrop for Kim. These spaces feature stunning chandeliers, bold art, lavish furnishing and gorgeous architectural details that elevate any photo.
Poolside
A serene pool or poolside patio, with the blue water in the background, creates sensual, peaceful images. The contrast of the crisp, bright setting plays beautifully with Kim’s curves.
Kim Kardashian’s Top Photographers
It takes a skilled eye to capture Kim Kardashian’s beauty just right. Here are the celebrity photographers Kim works with the most to achieve her perfect portraits:
Greg Swales
Greg Swales is one of Kim’s long-time collaborators, shooting countless magazine covers and campaigns. His lighting accentuates Kim’s contours, and he excels at full length body shots.
Hype Williams
Renowned music video director Hype Williams has photographed Kim in culturally iconic settings. His work evokes timeless Old Hollywood glamour.
Steven Klein
Edgy fashion photographer Steven Klein adds a dark, avant garde flair to his shoots with Kim. His moody images tell a stylized, mysterious story.
Marcus Hyde
LA-based photographer Marcus Hyde provides youthful, colorful pop art energy to his photos of Kim. Many of her most viral modern looks have come from his shoots.
Vanessa Beecroft
This fine artist has photographed Kim nude painted in silver for thought provoking works examining the female form. Her shots present Kim as a living sculpture.
Conclusion
In summary, Kim Kardashian’s signature photo aesthetic involves sexy, glamorous imagery with a provocative yet artistic vibe. She achieves her polished perfection through skilled photographers, strategic posing, flattering lighting, and extensive retouching. Her sultry, smoothed images share an opulent golden color palette and moody atmosphere. With flawless skin, glowing contours, and seductive eyes, Kim has mastered the art of looking photo ready 24/7. She uses her exceptional beauty and curvaceous figure as a canvas, applying makeup, filters and Photoshop to create iconic modern portraits recognised the world over. Kim proves she is a true master at using photography to amplify her personal brand.