A picture is worth a thousand words, they say – and this especially applies to the hair and beauty industry. Knowing how to take amazing pictures of your work is a skill every stylist should master to get ahead of the game.
With the Treatwell LookBook reaching thousands of hair and beauty bookers online, make your talent and skills shine through your photos with these expert salon photography tips.
- Choose work you’re really proud of.
- Use natural light, if you can.
- Consider the background, angle, and composition.
- Use a good camera or camera phone.
- Avoid text or large logos in your photos.
Choose work you’re really proud of.
You’ll want your potential clients to see only the best of your work with each photo showcasing your unique craft, so be selective and choose work you’re really proud of. Make sure the hair is finished to your best standard, and don’t be afraid to take a few shots so that you can pick the one you like the most.
Use natural light, if you can.
Having good lighting is what makes your photos look amazing, and most cameras love natural light. Using natural light makes colours more vibrant and makes borders look more defined. Flash, on the other hand, is the enemy of great photos, so avoid it if you can.
Not all salons will have good natural lighting, and if you don’t, a ring light can help. Using one can transform your photo from an amateur snap to a professional-looking, magazine-worthy shot. Turn the light down to 50% and make sure the ring isn’t too close to the hair — you’ll still want the light to look as natural as it can be.
Consider the background, angle, and composition.
You want the hair to be in the centre of attention, so your background shouldn’t be distracting. Having lots of “noise” in the background (like different types of products, hairbrushes, or a cup of coffee) can make your photo look a bit unprofessional.
Having said that, this doesn’t mean that your photos need to be taken against a plain white wall (though they can be) — there’s nothing wrong with having some products in the background! Just make them look organised, and tidy up the space, so it isn’t cluttered. It’s all about the composition, so be intentional.
Make sure you're focusing on the hair rather than anything else. Draw full attention to the hairstyle by shooting from the back rather than the front.
Use a good camera or camera phone.
Not everyone has the latest iPhone or the best digital camera, but if you don’t have a camera that can take high-quality images, it’s worth borrowing one for a few days. Or you could invest in one if you can – after all, it’s a marketing tool for your salon! Good quality images are a lot more likely to receive attention from potential bookers – while the same can’t be said about low-quality photos. Your photos should be at least 1920 x 1280 pixels to look good (and for you to be able to upload them into your portfolio).
Avoid text or large logos in your photos.
While it may be tempting to add your logo to photos of your work, it can actually be quite distracting – and that’s not what you want when showcasing your work to a huge consumer base. The Treatwell LookBook is all about helping you stand out for what you do best and getting eyes on your work, so let the hair do the talking.
