Getting your hair ready for photos.
Keep it familiar, and keep it you.

Agree the look before the first shot

Tell the photographer whether you want your everyday texture, your usual part, a covering or a familiar tied-back style. Ask for a quick preview in the real setup. Lighting and lens choices change how hair looks, so a preview is a picture, not a verdict.

Do the routine you already know

Wash in your usual window and give your ordinary finish its full drying time. If you want one small change, practice it before the session. A last-minute cut, color or unfamiliar treatment is a whole different project from preparing hair you know.

Changing outfits messes up the shape

• Where you can, put the portrait outfit on before the last quick hair check.
• Free any lengths caught under a collar or strap.
• Settle them where you like them in the frame without tightening the style to pin every strand down.

You’re tempted to add another layer

• Look at the preview and pick the one detail you actually want different.
• Use only a product you know, in the amount you’d normally use.
• Hair looking shinier or duller under studio light isn’t a reason for more oil or a whole restyle.

Your natural texture looks different on screen

• Ask to go over the lighting, the angle and the finish you’re after with the photographer.
• Keep your own texture, and your own asymmetry, when that’s the look you want.
• A portrait isn’t a scalp check, so don’t read your density off a studio screen.

Know when to stop fiddling

• After one small fix, drop your hands and look at the whole picture. Keep a clean comb or a familiar clip nearby if it helps. A photo that looks like you can include a few flyaways. You don’t need to touch your hair between every frame.

Bring one product you trust

A styler you know is optional when the style already works. Bring it with its directions if you want it on hand. No product photographs well for every texture under every light, so the familiar one is the safe bet.

Browse styling products. The consultation uses your hair details and styling habits to compare creams, mousses and gels.

Condition the way you usually do

Use the conditioning step that normally helps your hair settle. A heavier mask right before a portrait isn’t automatically better than your established routine.

Browse rinse-out conditioners. Tell the consultation what you want from a conditioner and what you disliked about previous ones.

1. Smooth just the hairs that bother you

On a dry, finished style, spread a small amount on clean fingertips and lightly guide a stray hair you can reach. Keep it away from your eyes and face. Stop after that one area rather than going over the whole surface.