When people see the final images from a hair collection shoot—glossy, polished, award-worthy—they often assume the process is all glamour and lights. But behind every beautiful image is a carefully choreographed day involving planning, collaboration, and creative problem-solving.
As someone who’s been shooting professional hair collections across the UK and internationally for years, I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the best stylists and teams in the business. This post pulls back the curtain on what actually goes into a high-end hair shoot—from concept to click.
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The Pre-Shoot: Planning Is Everything
The success of any shoot is decided before the camera comes out.
I usually begin with a conversation with the lead stylist or creative director. We’ll talk about the concept—whether it’s for an award entry (like the British Hairdressing Awards), a collection for a salon launch, or a commercial campaign.
Mood boards, sketches, and references are invaluable at this stage. We’ll look at:
* Overall tone (editorial, avant-garde, commercial, etc.)
* Model selection
* Hair concepts and techniques
* Wardrobe styling
* Makeup direction
* Lighting mood (clean & clinical vs moody & dramatic)
It’s a collaboration, and everyone—from the hair team to the makeup artist and stylist—has input. My job is to bring that vision to life, and elevate it visually.
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On Set: Building the Team
A typical shoot day includes:
* Hair team (often 2–5 people, depending on the size of the collection)
* Makeup artist
* Wardrobe stylist (for fashion-forward or editorial looks)
* Model(s) – selected either via agency or private casting
* Photographer’s assistant (helpful but not always essential)
* Occasionally: a videographer or behind-the-scenes content creator
The shoot environment needs to be relaxed but focused. Everyone’s doing their part, and it’s my role to keep the momentum going while making sure we’re capturing the strongest possible imagery.
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The Shoot Itself: Posing Hair, Not Just People
Shooting hair isn’t just about making the model look good—it’s about making the hair look incredible.
That means thinking in 3D: how does light fall on the texture, the colour, the shape? I’m constantly adjusting lighting angles, model poses, and even slight head tilts to catch the perfect moment.
Sometimes we spend 30 minutes on a single look. Other times we’re flying through a fast-paced set. Every collection has its own rhythm.
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Post-Shoot: Image Selection & Retouching
Once the shoot wraps, I go through hundreds of frames to narrow down the selects. I’m looking for:
* Clean execution of the hair
* Strong model expression and posture
* Composition, lighting, and technical sharpness
* Consistency across the full collection
Retouching is done with a light touch—I believe in enhancing, not faking. The goal is to polish the image while keeping the hair looking real and dimensional. Flyaways, skin tone, and minor distractions are cleaned up, but the integrity of the work remains.
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Final Thoughts
Hair photography is a true team effort. It’s not about the photographer, or even the model—it’s about capturing the craft, artistry, and vision of the stylist in a way that translates visually and emotionally.
Whether it's for a BHA entry or an international brand campaign, the process is always a creative collaboration, and it's a privilege to help bring those ideas to life.
If you’re a stylist or salon looking to create your next collection, feel free to reach out—I’m always happy to talk ideas.
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Thanks for reading,
Richard Miles