Inspired by the work we created in our collaboration for Peach Fuzz. Laura submitted this image to Wella Trend Vision Awards and I am delighted to say she was shortlisted as a finalist. 

Hair: Laura Smith @ Tony Wood Hairdressing
Makeup: Zac Muir
Model: Katy Goodhead
Photo Assistant: Annabelle Gorman

This look was created by artistic director, Claire Treharne.

Makeup: Kit King

Model: Gabi Foxlow

This look was created by Specialist Stylist, Jo Gabriel

Makeup: Kit King

Model: Ingrid Cord

This look was created by Specialist Stylist, Sian Munro

Makeup: Kit King

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I had arranged to work on this again with the queen of hair colour, Saffy Burton in Aylesbury. Her colours are always so vibrant and interestingly applied it was a no brainer. I had also enlisted super makeup artist Olivia Todd to bring her skills into the fold.

This years announcement was made in early December as always and this years colour is Very Peri. Pantone describes this as: “a dynamic periwinkle blue hue with a vivifying violet red undertone blends the faithfulness and constancy of blue with the energy and excitement of red. A new Pantone colour whose dynamic novel presence encourages personal inventiveness and creativity”

Initially I wasn’t very excited by the colour announcement as it was similar to the Ultraviolet tone from 2018. I had shot something for that colour so I wanted something different to those images. I experimented with three different looks and selected a couple of shots from each look.

The first look was just using a simple neutral backdrop and let the hair colour do the talking. However once I started shooting I felt it lacked something. So I switched to a longer exposure and used a moving coloured constant light source to add something different. I also added a little camera movement to bring in some coloured ghosting.

The second and third looks were using a purple backdrop which I lit at different powers to created a different hue. The team changed up the looks on the models to give some different range in the images.

From what started as a colour I wasn’t very inspired by, it turned into some dynamic work of which I am proud of.

Credits

Hair: Safy Burton
Assisted by: Sophie
Makeup: Olivia Todd
Models: Robyn Balnaves & Beth Bingle

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Due to not having a permanent studio space it has been very difficult to conduct photo shoots during COVID-19 lockdowns. We opted to shoot on location in the fresh air to allow us to keep the social distancing required.

Alex has a really striking look and her new hair really complimented her strong features. Here are her selected shots:

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It’s been a couple of years since I did a Pantone colour of the year shoot. This year in collaboration with Safy B’s in Aylesbury we produced a set of images inspired by this years colours. The colours this year are Illuminating (yellow) and ultimate grey.

For this shoot we enlisted the talents of Rebecca Butterworth for the makeup and modelling skills of Jordan Ebbitt and Harriet Stokes.

This was pulled together very quickly in about three days, which is probably a good thing as only a couple of weeks later we were into Lockdown again. I feel like I have spent most of the last year in lockdown, which is not quite true but with salons being so restricted it has really impacted the number of shoots. Hopefully 2021 will be better once this latest lockdown lifts.

I wanted a backdrop that would contrast and compliment the colours so I went with a light blue lit from one side to give fade to a darker shade. For the lighting I love using a beauty dish directly in-front of the model, just above their head. I position it to get a great catchlight in the eyes. For these i also wanted to reduce the contrast so I used a strip soft-box as a fill light. It created a kind of i catchlight which is kinda cool.

From there it was over to models to do their thing and boy did they. I wanted to get some movement into some of the images and we used a board to waft some wind into the hair. This is quite a skill in itself, getting the correct direction and strength takes a bit of experimenting. It can be better than a fan or hair dryer as it allows the hair to move back rather than just being away from the face.

Hair: Saffron Burton @ Safy B’s, Aylesbury Hair Assistant: Emily Wood @ Safy B’s, Aylesbury Makeup: Rebecca Butterworth Models: Jordan Ebbitt & Harriet Stokes

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We waited for the lockdown to lift and then the shoot commenced when we thought it was safe enough to do so. With the relevant protection in place we were able to create a striking set of images.

The vivid colours in this collection worked well with movement, so we decided to encompass it where possible. The first image in the gallery earned the Creative Image of the year award for Buckinghamshire in The Salon Awards.

Hair: Saffron Burton – Safy B’s, Aylesbury
Makeup: Rebecca Butterworth
Models: Daisy Bailes & Eleanor Code

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1. Give a clear brief of what you’re looking for in good time prior to the shoot, and how many models will be involved. Mood boards and/or photos of the model(s) are always helpful.

2. Checking the MUA’s portfolio before booking them goes without saying, but when doing so, check that their experience matches your model/brief. For example, if your model is a mature woman, does the MUA have experience working with older clients if their portfolio/Instagram is mainly glammed-up teenagers ready for nights out? The answer could well be ‘yes’, but do check if it’s not obvious from their work.

3. If it’s a TFP (time for prints/photos), the MUA should also have some creative freedom to put their own spin on the brief, as it’s a collaboration of professionals sharing their talents for everyone’s portfolios. However, if it’s a paid job you should expect the MUA to deliver your vision. Do listen to their ideas though, as they could come up with something slightly different that you love.

4. Tell them whether you’ll need them to stay for touch-ups during the shoot itself. This could result in additional cost if it’s a paid job.

5. Ask them how much time they’ll need to create the look(s) you want. Sounds obvious, but most people can stick their everyday makeup on in 10 minutes before running out of the door, and this can lead to unrealistic expectations as to how long the shoot makeup will take, especially if there are multiple models.

6. Time your shoot accordingly. Whether it’s in your salon or a studio, you’ll need to work backwards from when you wish to start shooting to allow for the makeup to be done

7. When booking your model, ask that they arrive with no makeup on. If the model arrives with a full face of makeup it will take time to get off properly. This could mean a delay in starting the shoot itself or the makeup being rushed to compensate for the lost time.

8. Decide in advance where the MUA will work – you can always discuss this with them when you book them. Access to natural light is the dream, but failing that, a well-lit area is really important. I personally have lights I bring with me on all makeup jobs, but not all MUAs will have their own light(s). If your salon/location is particularly dark/badly lit, do give them a heads-up

9. Make sure they have enough space. Some MUAs travel super light, but some (like me lol) may have a quite a bit of kit. They may bring their own makeup chair, or expect to use one of yours if in a salon.

10. Location MUAs will be well used to working straight of their kit bags, but if there’s a table, shelf or spare trolley that they can use to put things on it will always be appreciated

11. If they’re airbrushing and/or bringing lights they’ll need access to a power socket but of course that shouldn’t be a problem in a salon!

12. When the shoot starts, ask the photographer if you can have a look at how your hair and the makeup is translating on camera. Sometimes you’ll notice things that you want to tweak in the images on their laptop or the back of their camera, that you’ve missed when looking directly at the model. Photoshop and Lightroom etc are amazing at correcting things post shoot, but it’s much easier if things are adjusted in real life at the time.

13. If it’s a TFP shoot, do take care to tag/credit the MUA when you use the images, particularly on social media. They should also tag you/your salon/the photographer etc in the same way. If it’s a paid shoot that you’re submitting to a magazine or online publication, it’s always hugely appreciated if you credit the MUA. If their name gets published too, even in the small print, it can help them get more work and better pro discounts with some of the major cosmetic brands.

14. Decide if everyone involved is allowed to share content on social media about the shoot. If you’re planning on submitting images to a magazine or blog, they sometimes prefer that they’ve not been shared anywhere prior to them publishing them. So you might want to have everyone wait until they’ve been published before they’re shared on social media.

Here is a selection of our work together:

Check out Lee O’Driscoll on social media and her website:

Insta: @leeodmua

facebook.com/leeodmua

www.leeodmakeup.com

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In this post I am going to break down the process for planning and executing your own photoshoot. Some of this you may already know, of have been doing without thinking about it. However, the aim is to make you think about the finer aspects. Planning is the key with great shoots. So let’s get into the details.

Why are you doing a photoshoot?

The two main reasons I encounter are:

Competitions – Hair competitions are a big deal within the industry and often considered a key part of building a reputation and long term success. They are also incredibly competitive by nature, so your images are the key. Hair competitions have their own rules which are really important when planning your hair shoot. If hair competitions are they reason for your shoot, get a copy of the entry documents and find out the rules. This information is a vital place to start.

Marketing – Promotion of your salon or personal skills as with any business is critical to success. Setting yourself apart from the competition in a visual way is a great start to doing this. As they say a picture is worth a thousand words. Thinking about where you plan to market, is it social media? Are you going to print them and fill the Windows of your salon? Will you be submitting to hair magazines? Possibly all of these is the answer, but it is useful to make it clear to your photographer how you plan to use them. This allows for them to shoot in the correct orientation and at a high enough resolution.

Writing a brief

A written brief is your way to state what you require from this shoot. The more detail the better,

State how many images you would like.
How many looks you are planning.
State the purpose of the images
Any timescales
Competition information
An idea of you budget.
Are you looking to follow a specific trend?
I am not saying you need to write war and peace, but a bullet point list of the important details is a great place to start when contacting a photographer. It will also allow the photographer to tell you how possible something is and offer solutions.

Moodboards

We are talking about a very visual subject, most photographers will respond better to seeing an idea you are thinking about. Whilst many hair photographers will have a great knowledge of hair imagery, remember they are not hair stylists. My first question to a customer is always, do you have some examples of what you are thinking.

There are lots of ways to create a moodboard, you can go down the a traditional route using magazine cuttings . Literally rip ideas out magazines, stick/pin them to a board or wall. This is a great visual aid but limited in its flexibility.

Digital moodboards:

Lots of apps are available, you can use a note application such as one note or Evernote. You could use Word or the option that I see the most is to use Pinterest. Pinterest to those who don’t use it allows you to pin images from websites onto subject boards. Allowing you to create idea boards for more than one idea at once. They can be set up so a team can collaborate and all drop ideas into one board, and then sent to somebody to look at.

The look and feel of your images

Now you have a moodboard, hopefully you are starting to see a pattern emerging in what you want to do. It may be that you already have an idea of this in your mind, but seeing them on the moodboard will allow you to answer some questions the photographer will most likely ask.

What sort of background – Are they are a particular colour? Is it smooth or textured? Are they at a location or in studio?

Lighting style – Are the images high key meaning brightly lit, lighter backgrounds with less shadows. Are they low key, darker in appearance? Are you looking for soft light or more contrasting light with harsher shadows?

Colour or Black and White – Most images are shot in colour and converted to black and white, but its good to know the intention prior to the shoot.

Models

I feel this is one of the most important aspects of any photoshoot. Modelling is a skill and not anybody can do it. Lots believe they can, however when the lights and pressure is on, you want somebody who can deliver. Think about what you want from the model, are you looking for a certain hair length, colour, thickness. What are you planning to do to their hair? The more adventurous the cut/style, potentially the more expensive the model will be. Especially if you are going into a competition, where you may need that model to recreate the style. It can essentially contractually stop them working with others stylists for that and other competitions.

There are a few options where it comes to models. You can hire a professional agency model, opt for a freelance model or use somebody you know. These all have their own pros and cons.

Professional agency models – This option gives you a higher chance of getting exactly what you want and images that you will be proud of. The negative is they can be expensive, but as they say you get what you pay for. If you are serious about success in competitions or being noticed for your work in magazines, this is your best bet.

Freelance Models & Model Networks – this can give the best of both worlds, freelancers may be cheaper and more willing to negotiate. You are not paying for an agent so the model has the decision. You may be able to negotiate hair treatments as part payment. The standard of model can vary but with look for a good portfolio and you will get a good model. Model networks are a good place to look for these kinds of models but be prepared to be firm on who and what you want.

Using somebody you know or client – I have had mixed results with this method. Pretty models are great however there is a lot more to modelling that being pretty. If you know somebody who has experience and you trust them, then great. However I have seen a fair amount of salons clients freeze when they are put in the spotlight. So think carefully before going down this option. The obvious pro to this is the cost, they may do it for free or a hair cut/colour.

Model Release Forms

Model release forms are important as it confirms the models are happy for the images to be used. It specifies payment terms, if their name can be used and for what the images can be used for. For example social media and competition use. These forms can be found quite easily online. *Note* if the model is under 18 then you will need a parent/guardian to sign them too.

Where to look for models:

Agencies – There are a few hair specific model agencies:

Unite Model Management

“Unite Model Management are a dedicated team of professionals who are experienced in the field of hair, fashion, catwalk and promotion. Founded by leading model Georgie Riot and her team of creatives with a wealth of experience in this area, we understand there is a need for an agency that nurtures, develops and supports models in building their careers in preparation for the ever-changing industry. Many of our models are well known in the hair industry and have been published in the likes of Hairdressers Journal, Estetica, The Hair Mag and many others, whilst representing the industries top hair salons and educators. We have over 100 models registered so are nearly always able to cater to your needs in regards to hair cut and colours!” – Georgie Riot, Unite Model Management

Model Networks

Model Mayhem

Purpleport

Model management

What else do I need to consider:

Makeup Artists – a great makeup artist will add value to your images. Somebody who has experience of working with photo shoot makeup and how lights will react to their makeup. Once again I would recommend using a professional. – Check out Lee O’Driscoll’s guest blog post – 14 Tips for using a makeup artist on your hair/salon shoot

Fashion Stylists – Depending on the look of you images having a wardrobe stylist can add an extra dimension to your shoot. Many stylist can do this on a consultancy basis where they will advise on a look for a fee. Often this optional depending on your shoot, however it can definitely add some value.

Locations – If you decide on a location rather than a studio shoot, you can drastically alter the look of your images. Finding the location can be challenging and often there will be a cost for this, however some places will be happy to make a deal with you. If you don’t ask, you don’t get! There are websites and organisations that can help with filming locations.

I have tried to cover the important factors and questions in planning a hair shoot, although most of this applies to any photoshoot. If you have any questions or there is something you’d more you would like advice on, please get in touch. I will be creating some more posts to advise on executing the shoot, so keep an eye out for that.

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Looking at the positives, I have been able to watch my son learn to walk and now run (mostly). In the main this experience has allowed me to connect with him in a way I’d not managed to when I was working pretty much full time.

Here is a few images of us just being:

So I did manage to do some socially distanced work, primarily with the incredible Andrew Smith. We created some tutorial videos to help people manage their hair through lockdown. Here is a small selection:

Once lock down was lifted a little I was able to do the odd shoot, which I will blog in the next few days. It feels good to be back to work albeit with an 18 month in tow at times. If I can teach him to set up lighting and edit, I could be on to a winner, haha!

Open again for enquiries, I am particularly keen to get back to work with hair stylists and salons. Any way I can help and encourage their businesses to pick up and grow again. Please get in touch via the contact form on social media. I am also looking to do a giveaway for a salon shoot, but I am not quite ready to launch that yet. Watch this space…

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