Hair Stylists- How to Plan a Photo-Shoot of Your Work

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A hair stylist is an artist, every head of hair they touch becomes a work of art, and what better way to show off their skills then through pictures. A picture can tell a thousand words and planning a photo-shoot is fairly simple, but if done incorrectly, it can become ineffective and very costly.

You will want to start with a clear vision of what you really want out of planning this photo shoot. To help clarify, answer the questions below:

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What kind of hair stylist are you? Most hair stylists dabble in everything from color, to
hair cuts, to styling. If you are the master of all arts; then your photo-shoot should show a bit of each skill set. There are hair stylists who specialize in certain areas (ie. hair art or color). These stylists should have their own photo-shoot focus on the specialized skill set.

What is the purpose of this photo-shoot? Now it is time to figure out the direction of your photo-shoot. What pictures do you want to come away with? Are you creating a professional portfolio to show to potential employers?

It is incredibly important to give your photographer proper direction in order to help you achieve your ultimate goal. This brings me to the first and most important step, choosing your photographer. If your hiring a professional photographer be sure of the following:

1. They have a photography degree or equivalent years of experience
2. Check their portfolio and previous work
3. Ask for references
4. Shop around for different quotes
5. Be sure your photographer knows how to photograph hair, they can have amazing fashion or scenery pictures, but photographing hair itself is a skill all its own.

High Resolution Camera- Google Images

If you don't have the budget to hire a professional photographer, take the pictures yourself with a high resolution camera.

Next, you will want to find a model. Your model will depend on what type of photo shoot you want to do. If you're doing before and after images with hair styling for example, you can probably just ask your clients or friends to volunteer or to do it for a small fee. Now, if you are doing extreme hair art, you may want to find a model with some experience who can properly pose. The hair style can be amazing, but if the model looks awkward or uncomfortable it can really hurt the photo.

Janko Williams - Retoucher

If you hire a model try to stay away from modeling agencies, they can run up to $50 the hour. Try posting ads on your own on Craigslist and Facebook, or choose sites like Modelmeyhem.com not only to find models but also photographers.

Be sure to properly schedule your photo-shoot and communicate with everyone to assure you are all on the same page. If you don't do make-up your self, hire a make-up artist for your models and figure out ahead of time what you will want them to wear. Most likely your photos will not show most of their clothing, but probably their top. A simple blouse and light make-up should do the trick to compliment the hair but not fight with it as the hair should be the main focus.

The most important thing is to have a clear vision, be organize, and hire responsible people. Always have a back up plan, and don't forget to have your models sign release forms giving you legal right to use their pictures.

Good luck!