Top tips for creating award-winning images for your british hairdressing awards entry

It’s that time once again – entries are open for HJ’s British Hairdressing Awards, sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional. Your images are what make or break your British Hairdressing Awards entry so it's crucial to think long and hard about what best represents you and your creative vision. Who better to take advice from than the 2022 British Hairdresser of the Year, Cos Sakkas? Below he reveals his top tips for creating show-stopping imagery:

1. Make sure the hair, make-up and clothes all work together. Remember it is a hair shoot and you don’t want to detract from the hairstyles you have created, so keep everything else simple and understated
2. Work with a team who have the same vision as you, but will push you to try new things
3. Shoot for you and no one else – don’t shoot for the Awards, shoot for yourself. You want a collection that is true to you and shows your skills, passion and vision. If you put pressure on your shoulders to create a winning collection, you will lose your focus
4. Shoot in colour and black and white – both will be beautiful but give a different dimension to your finished look
5. Stay focused – don’t be distracted by whacky ideas
6. Take your time when cropping your images – full length has a totally different feeling to close up, so choose wisely and don’t rush this process

Here's some advice from previous winners on creating a show-stopping British Hairdressing Awards entry...

"Remember it's a hair competition so the hair must be the focus. Choose a photographer you feel can convey your ideas and has experience shooting hair pictures. Practise the styles and techniques before the big day so you are prepared, but at the same time be prepared for something to change at the last minute." Shane Bennett, Previous Artistic Team of the Year https://www.instagram.com/p/CW6LpHZrhrz/?hl=en "Go with what you feel confident in, don't try and do something that is out of your comfort zone. Look at images that attract you and see if it would match the collection you would like to do. Enjoy the experience - if you finish the shoot knowing you have given it 100% effort what else can you do?" Gary Taylor, Previous North Western Hairdresser of the Year "Be clear about what you want to achieve and plan every look in great detail before the big day - you can never be too organised and whilst you might shoot the image at a different angle or change the parting on the day, the overall look should be exactly as you planned. Don’t give up. Sometimes when you start shooting a look it just doesn’t work – there is often no obvious reason but it’s just not working. The slightest tweak can make it come alive and fall in to place. Make sure your images all work together as a collection and tell a story." Shaun Hall, Previous Midlands Hairdresser of the Year https://www.instagram.com/p/-f6lMEEBiB/?hl=en "Choose your models carefully. Make sure they are open for change and it’s important to have the end vision in mind.  Find a great source of inspiration you are passionate about. Find a team you work well with. If your team is strong, you get great support and all work towards the end goal of achieving a winning collection." Issie Churcher, Previous Schwarzkopf Professional British Colour Technician of the Year "Hair needs to be sharp and defined but it still has to look authentic. Loose hairs aren’t a flaw, your collection should tell the story of what happened in the moment. Colour saturation and desaturation will make your image pop. Don’t compromise on creativity, go with your gut instinct." Darren Ambrose, Previous British Hairdresser of the Year https://www.instagram.com/p/CIfX8E5DbLr/?hl=en

• Do something you love
• Do something that represents you as an artist
• Break the rules and try something new
• Work with a team that you like and that are all good at what they do, so they bring something unique to the shoot
• Have the vision of the image in your head and make sure the first shot represents that, so you set a vibe for the collection
• Do your homework before the shoot and don’t leave anything to chance
• Have a few extra looks up your sleeve so that if something isn’t working on camera, move on
• Enjoy the shoot and keep the energy of the day positive
• Pick your models yourself rather than another member of your team
• Create your own moodboards and talk to your photographer about lighting and make-up reference
• Don’t shoot to win, shoot to create
• Above all – money doesn’t win awards – talent does! If you don’t have the budget, get people excited so that they want to be involved. Many times we have shot girls and boys from the street with very little budget

Sally Brooks, Previous British Hairdresser of the Year For more tips on choosing your best shot for the British Hairdressing Awards click here.