Maggie Mulhern, beauty and fashion director for MODERN SALON, consistently works with models while shooting magazine covers, judging competitions and directing Artist Session, a workshop that offers direction and inspiration to hairdressers interested in learning how to conduct successful photoshoots. Here are her tips for choosing a female model for a photoshoot:
#1: Always book by the face, not the hair. A good hairdresser is going to make the hair look good, but a challenging face can ruin a shot.
#2: Do you think thick hair is good? Not always! Hairdressers frequently have to come up with ways to hide or minimize thick, dense hair.
#3: Sometimes “interesting” can be quite effective. Models don’t always have to be classic beauties
#4: Ask if she has any restrictions. Obviously color and cut will come up in a conversation, but “I once met with a model that would not allow us to tease her hair,” Mulhern says.
#5: Ideally, get her on set for a shot. See if she can move and is comfortable in front of a camera with strangers looking at her.
#6: Look carefully at her portfolio. This might stimulate your own ideas or allow you to see if she can pull off multiple looks.
#7: Go deep into a model’s hair to look for extensions, wefts or bald spots.
#8: Examine the ears. If they stick out too much, they might interfere with a hairstyle.
#9: Always lift up the hair to peek at the hairline, especially in the back. This is vital for updos.
#10: Look for a model with a long neck. This allows you more options.
CREDITS:
Hair: Daniel Roldan assisted by Vicky Yeremchuk
Photography: Roberto Ligresti
Makeup: David Maderich
Fashion Styling: Rod Novoa assisted by Dennis Pinto
Nails: Amanda Smith
For reprint and licensing requests for this article, Click here.