Award-winning hairdresser and Electric London founder Mark Woolley has spent decades behind the chair and behind the lens working with models and celebrities on campaign shoots and believes the products you use can have a big effect on the finished result.

“The tools may be the same in the salon and on a shoot, but the conditions, lighting and styling are a world apart,” he explains. “In the salon, you’re dressing hair for real life, whereas on a photo shoot, you’re dressing hair for a single frame.

“The camera will pick up product build-up, flyaways, grease where you expected gloss, and dullness where you wanted polish. Getting it right means understanding not just what a product does, but what it looks like through a lens. It’s important to understand how products work, the effect layering can have and how over-working hair can ruin any hairstyle.”

Mark’s tips for working with products on a photo shoot

1. Start light and build through the day
Begin with the minimum product needed to achieve the look. You can always add but it’s harder to take away without having to reset the hair completely. 

2. Understand the lighting
Speak to your photographer to understand the lighting on the day. If you want a glossy look, avoid harsh lighting which will flatten shine and highlight flyaways, instead position key lighting to illuminate the top of the head.

3. Work in sections
Apply products to one section at a time and check in a mirror under similar light to set before committing. What looks right to the naked eye can look entirely different against a white wall.

4. Preview before committing
Always capture the look as a test shot before committing to the shoot – this will show you what the hair looks like. Get it right on the day and don’t rely on retouching.  

5. Consider heat on long shoot days
Studio settings and lighting generate significant heat, and oil or wax-based products can ‘melt’ during the day, so be prepared to refresh or use these towards the end of the shoot.  

6. Keep notes on what you used
Keep a note of what you have used so you can talk to clients about the products you’ve used on the look or share with other hairdressers through the press.

7. Communicate with the team
Ensure the photographer knows exactly the look you are trying to create; they can see things through the viewfinder that you can’t see on the model.

Dos and don’ts for using products on shoot day

Prep the hair. This is the most underrated step on a photo shoot. Apply Electric Londonn P-4 Preparation Spray to leave hair ready for endless creativity.

Use dry shampoo to add texture and grip. Dry shampoo and powders such as Electric London C-8 Invisible Volume Chalk are some of the most versatile products in your shoot kit. It can create lift and grip without adding weight or shine.

Use shine spray with surgical precision. Control where you place it, spritzed onto a specific section in the right light looks glossy; all over can look greasy.  

Prep the hair with a heat protectant first. You’ll be using heated tools all day so protect the hair from stress and damage.

Don’t use heavy waxes or pomades early in the day. Wax is difficult to remove and almost impossible to build over cleanly. If you start with wax, you’ve committed to that texture for the entire shoot so keep it for the final look of the day

Don’t ignore humidity. On outdoor or location shoots, humidity is the enemy so opt for frizz-blocking treatments and stronger-hold bases