#GSGICON

At the start of 2020, Good Salon Guide will be launching the first GSG ICON competition. This is an incredible chance for a member salon to create its very own collection!

Shooting the winner’s collection will be the uber talented, Gary Halliday who, as well as being outstanding behind the camera, worked for many years as one of the world’s leading session stylists. We wish every single member who enters good luck with their ICON entry but, if you don’t win, Gary has put together a guest blog for us outlining not just why a collection is so vital, but how to put one together without breaking the bank! Over to Gary…

Shooting a collection of hairdressing images for your salon or competition can seem like a daunting task. The cost of shooting a collection can be prohibitive for many businesses, this coupled with time and the need to keep staff motivated and working within the salon just makes the whole experience seem unobtainable. However, the rewards and positive motivating effects that can be generated form a shoot adds value to your business. Clients love knowing that their stylist is having their work published in the press and feel genuine joy when the salon wins a national award. Having your work published also helps attract ambitious new staff members who want to be part of a salon who are pushing the boundaries. When I worked with Umberto Giannini, Umberto recognised from day one the importance of having a presence in magazines and trade publications. We put as much effort into our images as we did on the salon floor often working late into the night or on our days off.

So, how can you achieve a brilliant shoot on a micro-budget and without losing time in the salon?

I've created a list of tips to help you the salon owner/ senior stylist achieve your goals.

• Don't try to do everything by yourself - ask for help.
• Do delegate - identify staff who have a passion for photographic work. Some staff may be better organisers, and some may be better creatives - form your creative team from these skill sets. If you have a small salon team you may need to share roles.
• Pick what competitions and magazines you want to enter or see your work published in.
• Be realistic! Getting images published in the local press is maybe the first step - you'll soon learn what looks good.
• Build a relationship with trade mags through Instagram and social media so that they see you're producing great images.
• Build a mood board of images and hairstyles you feel represents where you want to be and the kind of work you can realistically produce.
• There’s nothing wrong with being commercial!
• Models - models from an agency can be expensive - initially cast from within the salon and clients but remember a pretty girl or good-looking guy may not be that photogenic. Get your photographer or a staff member to shoot some images on a smart phone to see how well the model moves at the casting.
• Keep the clothes styling and accessories simple.

Check out Gary's fantastic member offer for putting together your own salon collection here!