Capturing the perfect photo is no easy feat, but Antoinette Beenders knows a thing or two about the job. In her role as global creative director for Aveda, Beenders is responsible for image development and the artistic direction of the brand as well as Aveda’s advertising campaigns and education collections. Needless to say, she has all the tips and tricks needed to show off your work in the best light.
Here, Beenders shares five easy guidelines to guarantee a successful photoshoot.
- FOCUS: Decide what you want to showcase: is it hair, or make up? If you decide on hair, then focus the image on the hair and don’t let avant garde make up, strong fashion or a crazy backdrop steal your thunder. Keep it simple, and opt for a natural makeup look and clothes that complement the hair. For example, sleek hair can be styled with textured clothes, but textured hair with textured clothes can often look too busy.
- MOODBOARD: Make a full mood board of your concept and be sure to include hair, photography, makeup, clothes, photographer and/or makeup artists. Just like in the salon, it's always easier to explain your thoughts with images. Having a mood board will also put your thoughts in perspective and will help you make decisions based on what you might want to use the images for, i.e. for awards, to put up around the salon, etc.
- MODEL: Make sure that your model or subject is photogenic. Sounds simple, but a beautiful girl or handsome man in person does not guarantee a great face in a photo. The least attractive model in person can take the best picture—this has happened to me many times. Always make sure you take close up “mug shots” on your phone of all models during the castings, and choose your model purely on how she/he photographed. Sometimes it's even worth getting a great face with not-so-great hair over a not-so-great face with good hair. The first thing people will notice in your image is the face, and the strongest images are usually the ones with eye contact.
- PHOTOGRAPHY: Get the best photographer you can afford—this may mean a keen amateur photographer with a great eye. If you're going to pay for a photographer, make sure they have pictures in their portfolio that match the style you’re going for. There is no point in getting a photographer and expecting an Italian Vogue-like image when their portfolio is all Instagram pictures. Also, factor in time during the day for your photographer to get the right shot—it may take a little while for them to find the “vibe."
- HAIR: Doing hair for a photoshoot is very different than doing hair for a client in the salon. When you start out creating images, do hair that you are good—this will result in a more fulfilling image. Also, don’t get frustrated if you don’t get what you had in mind straight away, it takes a lot of practice and experience to create a knockout image. Overall, the key here is to practice your looks and be prepared prior to stepping on set for the shoot. This will save you a lot of money, time and frustration in the long run.