If the idea of hiring a professional photographer sounds overwhelming, breathe easy. We asked two Contessa-winning photographers to share their tips for mastering your Contessa photoshoot.
Location, Location, Location
“The stylist has to decide if they need a photographer to come to them, or if they are in a position to shoot in the photographer’s studio and city. Some photographers travel and others don’t. Expect that you’ll need a much higher budget if you’re bringing a photographer to your salon. You will have to pay travel expenses, flights, hotels, equipment rental, etc., in addition to their normal creative fees.” — Paula Tizzard, SOHO Studios, London, Ont.
Pro tip: Check out the list of photographers on salonmagazine.ca, which lists whether or not the photographers travel or are studio-based.
Pace Yourself
“Don’t do too much in one day. With my clients, I notice that the best work comes from people who are focused on less models in one day. I find that their creative juices are capable of doing a lot more focused work when it comes to doing maybe three or four models a day—and that’s with assistants and a team around you. Sometimes, when people try to take on too much with five or six or even seven models in a day, it starts to get thin. So you may nail two or three looks and then have two or three models that are just OK or may not come out at all.” — Giancarlo Intini, Toronto
Know (and Follow) the Rules
“It’s better to work with someone who knows the ins and outs of the rules and is fully aware of what they are permitted to do for you. Hiring a photographer who doesn’t know the drill can cost you your entry and a lot of time and money if you’re disqualified for something as simple as not being familiar with the rules and technical specifications.” — Paula Tizzard
Don’t Stress the Small Stuff
“When you’re shooting hair, you need to shoot with retouching in mind. We know there are rules and guidelines about that—you don’t [and shouldn’t] need to build a total hairstyle
in Photoshop. But that being said, when you’re shooting photography in the hair world, you know there are going to be errant hairs or some beauty imperfections that can be cleaned up in Photoshop. Just keep in mind that the hairstyle should be at its best potential while in front of the camera first.” — Giancarlo Intini
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