How to Become a Hair Stylist for Photo Shoots

Step 1

You get to know what the photographer wants and needs out of the model, the hair on the model and the overall look. You get to use more products and things on a photo shoot and you get to do things to the person's hair that they would not typically do on an everyday basis. Because you are positioning the hair and the person all at once.

Step 2

So, your job as a hairdresser for the photo shoot is to make sure this model just has to pose and they don't really have to think about their hair, whether it is out of place. They shouldn't have to tell you, "I am sweating on my brow, so can you work on that?" So, in that way, you are in charge of basically, every hair on that model's head and all over the place.

Step 3

First, you have to gather up all your stuff. Take your scissors always, edgers and trimmers. Take your hair sprays and goops, glops, stuff to clean out the hair with if you need to, combs, things you don't think you will need.

Step 4

Because you will be doing other things of course, than just hair, a little costume fitting. So, you are really there just to get everything together.

Step 5

Ideally, you will meet with the model, to work on the hair, a couple days before to, make sure they are cut the way you want them to be cut - presented properly.

Step 6

Then, the day of the shoot, perhaps an hour or two before, depending on when you are meeting up for the shoot, get the model ready for the shoot, look at all the neckline hair, look around the ears. Look at any eyebrow errant hairs, you look at the nose hair. You are going to have your tweezers with you.

Step 7

Then you are going to work on the hair and get the hair ready for the photographer.

Step 8

You wet the model's hair down, shape it into place, diffuser dry it if you need to, and get it just ready... ready to be reworked when it needs to be reworked and that way, your job is easier.

Step 9

Keep your blow dryer ready and have your equipment ready. Be prepared.

Step 10

Make sure everybody is in agreement on it. Then, you are going to do a camera check eventually, where you get to look through the camera and see if you like everything. Cause, they have as much of an "eye" for detail as a lot of photographers do in some cases. So, you are really a second set of eyes.

Step 11

Then, you go back over to your model and you work with him a little bit more, if needed.

Step 12

Outdoor shots require a few more things, weather permissions permit and it is windy outside, you always have to be right outside the shot, doing your usual thing, plus. You are going to be adding more hairspray then you know you need to and much more goop than you know you usually need to get it to stay where it is. And if it gets blown out of place, you are right there to kind of scoop it off and gets stuck to the face from sweat, you goop it off.

Step 13

You are always going to be mindful of the photographer's time, because they have lighting issues and the sun is going down, stuff like that.

Step 14

But for the most part, you have to keep your stuff gathered up, keep sand out of it if you are on the beach, keep people from cutting shoelaces with your scissors and banging your hair dryer around. So, you will be responsible for you and the model and the model's hair.