If you haven't seen Ivan Hernandez (@justhairobsession) being shared by every hair feature page on Instagram, have you even been on Instagram? His signature pictures, with the black background, eye-popping balayage and smooth waves, can be traced back to him from a mile away. Here, Hernandez tells us about himself and shares his tips for success. 

Salon: Salon Gi, North Haven, CT

Specialty: Balayage and lobs

Followers: 62.8K

Most viral post: Smooth and wavy side-by-side painted Lob. Reading the comments, people really loved seeing both smooth and wavy demonstrating even color and blending in comparison. The black backdrop really made the hair color and shape of the cut pop.

Favorite apps: SplitPic, I love doing side-by-side posts and this app gives a longer photo versus a square picture option; QuickFlip gives me more material to post by changing the model’s position then flipping the photo; Layout is perfect for collages and you can add up to 9 photos and crop them individually.

Favorite hashtags: #oligo #framar #justhairobsession #hairpainting

I follow: @cutyourhair @gina.devine @presleypoe @hairbyedwin @ammoncarver

Pro tips: I find that a clean post does well most of the time. Busy tops and backgrounds distract from the focal point. Lighting is everything when it comes to getting the right shot. Not every girl I photograph gets posted, it all depends on the amount of daylight I’m working with and how light bounces back from what they’re wearing. Some hair looks beautiful in person, but it does not always photograph well. Captions are key! Although I’m not the best at them, I do find that a good, relatable subject will definitely grab an audience. Being consistent with my posts and the time of posting have worked well for me.

Hidden beauty talent: I love getting creative with updos when given freedom.

Hidden talent: I’m an excellent cook.

How social media has changed your life: Social media has opened many doors for me. It has allowed me to branch out on my own and love my profession all over again. Networking has been huge through Instagram. It has helped me tremendously with meeting, traveling and working with amazing artists in our industry from all over the country. I’m still blown away by the power of social media and how it can bring people together to share the same passion.

The first time I was featured on MODERN’s Insta: June of 2017, I remember because I saved the post. It was a short platinum blonde bob. It was a client whom I almost didn’t photograph because of timing, but managed to get only one good shot.

See the full 2018 MODERN SALON 100 here!