Hey folks -- so far there are only five "hairstylists" on MM, and it seems only one of them is actually a serious stylist (but unfortunately for me, lives in Sweden). A few seem to be models who accidentally signed up on the wrong classification and one guy from Denmark says he's "just viewing nudity" (hey, at least he's honest).

Make-up artists are fairly easy to find, but it seems like those who are experienced and efficient with hair are scarce. Why is that? Is it hard to get hair stylists to do TFP/CD?

If anyone knows of folks who do good hair, please convince them to sign up on MM! :-)

just from the hairstylists i know, they would rather make their income working in a salon than doing TFP shoots.... i don't know any hairstylists that want to freelance or have a schedule where they want to take time off. but I am also in Canada, and I think it's a slightly different market maybe???

i do know one girl, she has done a lot of hair for shoots for me, but since I have been hooking her up with gigs for a year, and she has yet to return ANY favor, I have just recently stopped asking her to join me as the team unless it's way over my head.

as a mua, I learned only basic hairstyling techniques, and my first priority is make up. i would LOVE to go to hair school, but I can't afford it. I am thinking of hiring someone to teach me ins and outs of styling as I have done some things, but not enough so I am at the same level with my make up skills.

you could always call hair schools, and there might be graduates that will know hair very well, want a shot for their portfolio to help them get a job, and then you could just have a mua seperately. just an idea.

Have relationships with salons who work for me for prints and CD's. Shhhhhhhh. Top shelf salons. Very hush, hush. They tell people that it costs them a fortune to get professional photos done. I get free on site hair stylists.

Very protective of my people. You know how it is.

I agree with angela, I find most hairstylists who do print work, also work at salons and usually the salon work takes precedence over testing or even paying shoots (they have clients to keep happy..). But there are quite a few mua's that do hair as well. I do what I like to call "light" hair. Im trained in hair styling (no color or cut) and do blow-outs, curling, flat-ironing, period styles, and some upstyles (nothing hugely complicated...)But like angela, I prefer to concentrate on makeup, and although i like doing hair, I find it to get stressful (especially if your working within any time restrictments) to do more than one models hair and makeup. If its just one girl than usually I dont have any qualms with it, but if were talking about 3, 4, 5 girls...it just gets to be too much (been there done that) Anyway if your looking for a good hairstylist, sometimes if you go to hair salons and just ask around you should be able to find a hair stylist who is interested in getting into print, and maybe just didnt know any photographers or models before. If worst comes to worse, go to a makeup/hair agency and ask them if they have any stylists who are trying to build their book, or maybe even pay there rates if your looking for a stylist for paying work, or go to a modeling agency and ask them to refer you to hairstylists they have worked with..anyway im rambling hope this helps...

I like doing chignons and up-do's and some basic hair styling, but there is rarily enough time with novice photographers or semi-pros and then hardly anyone ever asks for it. I'll "bump" some hair or sometimes do a loose curl style to give the hair some body (if it's okay with the photographer and time permits).

It also would help if the photographer and the model would decide before hand what they wish to have the model shoot in as well as how many outfits, so that one might figure in time for hair-styling AND make-up (if both are desired)and then let the Hair Stylist/MUA know before hand.  The MUA/Hair Stylist can't do every single hair style in a two minute time frame (though in retrospect, some CAN be done in said time frame, but not many...)

It would also help if the photographer or model would ask about hair before the shoot, so that one can bring all of the proper tools and hair care "stuff." AND as a bonus... (yes, folks, you have it!  an added bonus!) I personally like to bring little hair accessories when I know what the model is wearing...

Hmmm.  Should I go away with the Hair Stylist category?  Or mabye make a broader category?

tyler:
you could put both together... i don't think it would be a problem, but they still should be defined (like under their name which one they do, not just their name), lots of hairstylists dont do make up, and lots of make up artists do basic hair...


but as for dealing with photographers, its up to the mua and photographer to discuss before hand the shoot, the look, etc...

i ALWAYS ask about whats happening with the hair, or what they were wanting, since if nobody does the hair, the picture isnt nearly as awesome as it could be. (speaking from experience). there must be a complete look. i look at it as my responsibility to ask otherwise i am the one who looks bad the day of if i am unprepared or taking too long.

also, i charge differently if i am to do hair as well, regardless of what that hair style is, and i always explain how long it will take me to complete the look they are asking for.

just my input. wooo hair. hehe

Hello, I'm new to the site. I am a professional freelance hair and makeup artist from LA.  And yes, as Tyler said, it is true that it is harder to find hair people for TFP/TFCD.  If I were a hobbyist, I'm sure I'd be more interested in doing test work... but since I do this for a living and do not work at a salon, of course paid work always takes a precedence - the rent must be paid, after all

Discussion of the hairstyle (and photo examples if available) in advance is always suggested, not only to give the hairstylist an idea of the time/supplies required, but so that you can make sure that everyone is on the same page regarding the desired styles.  Upon occasion, I have made custom hairpieces for shoots as well, which requires a significant amount of pre-shoot/event preparation.

Please don't do away with the hair category, lol!  If there are only listings for makeup artists (as some sites have) the hairstylists end up getting buried and are harder to find!  Because hair people are fewer and far between than MUA, I find that most inquiries I receive are for hair rather than makeup.

Cheers all!