How To Find Makeup Artist For Photoshoot

The Ultimate Guide to Finding a Makeup, Pilus, and Wardrobe Stylist

If yous're interested in shooting product sets, like with fashion photography, you're going to need to build a team across yourself. The truth of the matter is that your success will depend on who you know and what they tin can exercise for you. Every bit breathy as that sounds, information technology's the nitty-gritty truth about building a team.

Commercial photography is a production and a collaborative effort. Information technology takes a squad of creative individuals to create jaw-dropping images, and those aforementioned relationships tin can create new opportunities for you on the business organization side. I've had the pleasance of working alongside some really talented individuals with a lot more connections that I had and information technology benefit me in the long run. With that beingness said, yous'll ll have to learn how to effectively work with others, along with respecting their individual responsibilities if you're going to brand things work with your squad. This is where building solid relationships comes into play.

Edifice a team of talented artistic minds is a lot easier than information technology sounds. Let me showtime off by admitting that the individuals that I'grand currently working with are not the same individuals that I started working with. Why? I trade up. In theory, you want to find a team and grow together as a family unit. In reality, if someone isn't growing with you, then you lot put them on the sideline for a scrap until they're pulling their weight.

Earlier I begin defining roles and responsibilities for each artistic individual, it'due south vital to understand the importance of knowing how to effectively work with others. It can mean the difference between success and failure as a photographer. NO 1 wants to piece of work with a hard photographer (unless they're getting paid extraordinary well).

TIPS FOR NOT BEING AN A**HOLE PHOTOGRAPHER.

FINDING A MAKEUP Artist

Makeup artists are modern-day magicians. A great makeup artist tin can create the illusion of clear skin, heighten facial features, define eyes, and transform models into visual perfection before you lot even open Adobe Photoshop. I've found that at minimum, I require a talented makeup artist on set to create stunning images. Yes, you tin can withal create beautiful images without one, but their efforts volition save y'all hours of post processing. Finding a great makeup artist is truly a godsend, since it tin mean the difference betwixt creating an amazing prototype or utter crud.

I've establish many makeup artists that I've worked with on Instagram past searching the hashtag #MUA (short for Makeup Artist). You'd exist surprised by the sheer number of MUAs in larger cities who are actively working in the fashion manufacture. Instagram has get an invaluable resource when trying to see before and after photos, backside the scenes, or even who they've worked with in the by. It's basically a photo resume.

Alternatively, I've plant great MUAs though Model Commotion (MM), although MM has an unfortunate reputation for unreliable and questionable "professionals" considering of its fairly lenient user policies. ANYONE tin be listed every bit a professional person on MM, in a couple of quick keystro kes. The trick to making MM work for y'all is learning how to weed through the coal and finding that ane diamond in the rough. How? Through reference checks and interviews. It may sound archaic, but it is constructive. Ask for references. Do you lot know any photographers that they've work with in the past? Ask for their opinion on the MUA's skill level, professionalism, or even their personality. Setup a meeting before you work together to hash out ideas, exchange portfolios and get to know ane some other. If a MUA shows upward for coffee at your local coffee house, they're more probable to prove up on the 24-hour interval of your shoot. It'southward really that elementary.

In add-on to social media, I've found some bang-up MUAs through client referrals and referrals from models that I've worked with. If y'all don't accept access to a large network on social media because you live in a smaller city, consider meeting MUAs the old manner fashion, in person. Near MUAs freelance at stores like Sephora, MAC, etc. Don't be afraid to talk to the MUAs at your local mall.

FINDING A WARDROBE STYLIST

Wardrobe stylists are in charge of curating the article of clothing and accessories for your photo shoot. A professional stylist volition borrow pieces from designer showrooms, in exchange for the publicity your style editorial will bring the designers. Annotation that most aspiring wardrobe stylists volition begin by buying and returning items from retail stores. The wardrobe stylist would be responsible for making sure that the wear is returned and undamaged in those rare cases.

A strong wardrobe stylist is one who can put together strong editorial styling consistently fifty-fifty with the simplest of outfits. In guild to have a consummate style editorial, a stylist will accept to put together a goal of vi to viii different, but cohesive, looks. If the six to eight looks are not cohesive, or do not fit the aesthetic of the magazine, the editorial will not be published. In addition, information technology'southward important to accept a stylist who is reliable, timely, and professional.

Bang-up stylists are by and large already working with ama zing photographers. If your photography is up to par with who they're currently working with, you shouldn't take any issues emailing them and requesting to work with them. If, still, you're nonetheless trying to find your ni che, developing your style, or you're merely learning how to plough your camera on, and then focus on working with an aspiring stylist.

The quickest way I've found stylists to work with was past skimming magazines for styling credits. By figuring out who styled a particular fashion editorial, I could quickly obtain their contact information. A quick Google search would provide me with their home metropolis, portfolio, and who they had worked with before. This is all crucial data you lot'd desire before working with someone.

These days, I've seen an assortment of stylists on Instagram. Stylists, much similar makeup artists, love backside-the-scenes photos. You'd be surprised just how quickly y'all can detect a stylist by searching the hashtag #stylist. Lastly, don't exist agape to skim through Model Mayhem portfolios!

FINDING A Hair STYLIST

Pilus stylists specialize in hair artistry. A trained pilus stylist should be able to, at minimum, blow-dry pilus, braid hair, and style men and women'southward hair, while specialized pilus stylists can excel in niche field, such as cut, coloring, highlighting, and styling. If the shoot requires extensions or specialized tools, those responsibilities are up to the pilus stylists.

Some hair stylists are extremely skillful with working with sure textures and types of pilus. Not all pilus sty lists know how to manner African American and Spanish hair, since it requires a unlike finesse and techni que than working with Asian hair. As you're skimming through a hair stylist's portfolio, exist aware of what types of clients or models they generally work with. You'd be surprised how many hair stylists only aren't comfortable or capable of working with certain types of hair.

Every bit you'd expect, you can find pilus stylists at your local salon, but did you know that you can contact your local cosmetology school and asking to work with some 1? If you have a 'pull letter' or are looking to 'test' with a pilus stylist, don't be afraid to contact your local cosmetology school. There are many aspiring hair stylists who would absolutely beloved the opportunity to work on an editorial styled shoot for their portfolio.

I've also found many hair stylists I've worked with by looking at the credits in the publications I've worked with. Exist certain to compliment them for their work and note why yous would beloved to work with them.

Finally, yous'll find quite a few pilus stylists using Model Mayhem and other social media platforms like Insta gram , Facebook and Twitter. A quick search of the hashtag #hairstylist volition bespeak you in the correct management.

Jeff Rojas's picture

Jeff Rojas is an American photographer, writer and educator based in New York City. His primary body of work includes portrait and fashion photography that has been published in both Elle and Esquire. Jeff also frequents as a photography instructor. His teaching experience includes platforms like CreativeLive, WPPI, the Photo Plus Expo, and APA.