British hairdressing awards: putting together a winning entry

"Choosing the right photographer is paramount to creating a great collection. It's important to choose a photographer with good contacts and agency connections. Choose someone whose style you like, then arrange to meet them - it's not just about their work but also your relationship. You need to work with someone who understands what you want and wants to do the project with you - you don't want to be fighting against someone to get your vision across. Every photographer has a different style - I love images that are clean and look expensive, are not over styled but beautifully shot and delicately retouched. When you are booking a photographer also think about the support system - I have a great PA who organises bookings, castings and entries for me, and have an assistant/digital operator who I have worked with for a long time. This all means I am free to concentrate on creating a fabulous image." 

"The inspiration behind my last collection was a new movement in fashion, with a confident edge in the younger generation. I wanted to use this sense of self-assurance and translate it into strong, powerful shapes. Having a story is important as it helps you focus and everyone understands the end vision. Create a mood board that has the same feel as your vision; don't copy someone else's image, but you can be inspired by the mood of the picture. Set the scene with your mood board by gathering lots of tear sheets, fabric swatches and sketches - anything that represents your vision. Your story can be simple or complicated depending on where your inspiration has come from, but always remember it is a hair story - not fashion or beauty. All the elements need to work in harmony without outshining the hair. Be guided by the experts you have chosen to work with but don't compromise what you want to achieve."

"One of my biggest mistakes when I first started was using non-professional models. Although the hair was great they didn't know how to work the camera and never did the hair justice. Professionals just feel the mood of the shoot. They know how to breathe and relax which is vital in making a shot work. Look for someone who is thin, has strong cheekbones and an outgoing personality. Make the model feel like part of the team. Show them the mood boards and how you want them to move. It is important to make your model feel relaxed and comfortable. A model will influence or potentially compromise the hair. When casting keep your hair ideas at the forefront of your mind. Speak to the model about what you intend to do as they can cause problems by objecting at the last minute. Lastly, it is essential to choose a girl who enjoys changing her look and is open minded; a model who only wants a trim will not work."

"Having the right team is essential for a successful shoot. You need people who will get behind your vision and enhance it with their expertise. Take the photographer with you to the casting as you'll pick girls whose hair suits your ideas, and the photographer can flag up girls who will look dynamic or photogenic on camera. It's worthwhile casting the other team members too so you can see a selection of styles and choose the people who best fit your vision. A shoot is a big financial commitment, so try to get the best out of how far your money can stretch. What the models wear will be a big part of the final image, but if your budget won't stretch to a stylist then ask a fashion student or local designer - they might work for free if they can get copies of the images showcasing their work. Always book a professional make-up artist and photographer as you don't want gorgeous hair to be let down down by over powering make-up, or bad retouching. People with experience of shoots are always great as team members as they make the whole process run smoothly because they know what's expected. If you're putting together a team for the first time, look through hair magazines and note down whose work you like, then you can start to build your own dream team."