CONTENT CREATION FOR LASH ARTISTS
HOW TO CREATE PROFESSIONAL-LOOKING CONTENT FOR LASH ARTISTS
While lash artists typically take photos of client's lashes at the end of the session to add to their portfolio, sometimes we need to get a professional model in that we can pose and use without having to worry about "keeping them for too long" or feel like we're bothering them for asking them to close and slowly open their eyes for the 200th time.
If anything, try to do a seasonal photoshoot that you can use to refresh your social banners for every season, but it would be ideal if you could do at least one professional photoshoot a month to keep things fresh!
You can also use these models to try out new styles or colored lashes or do anything that your typical clients don't ask for. Depending on where you live, you can find good models for free (in exchange for the lashes and prints) or you can get one for any rate, which will be worth it in the long run. You should always have a high marketing budget and not be afraid to use it!
STEP-BY-STEP:
SET A GOAL: Figure out what the goal is, what message do you want to convey with these images and how can you measure the success of this campaign.
PLAN: Now that you have a target, let's figure out how to get there! Get specific with what you need, when do you need to do it and who or what else do you need to achieve these goals. Create a shot list with a description of what type of images you want to achieve. If you can provide a mood board to your model that will also help, and you should keep this handy the day of the shoot to refer back to get ideas for poses.
PREPARE THE MODEL: Let the model know beforehand what she needs to bring and what she will be doing so she can prepare herself. You already know how long your set will probably take you, add at least an hour more to account for the time it will take you to set up the camera (if you're doing this solo) and to prepare everything to look as aesthetically pleasing for the images.
EXECUTE: After booking and resourcing everything you need for your shoot, we need to actually go through with it! Select a day and book everyone to come in at a specified time and start! Use the best camera you have access to, even if it is your phone.
MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS SET ON SET: Arrive 30 minutes to 1-hour before the shoot time to set everything up. Make sure everything is clean and tidy as the background will probably show on the media and it may ruin an otherwise great shot. Make sure your hands and nails are clean and manicured. Look around in your space to find pretty sections to shoot in. Bring in some flowers or even a fluffy rug where she can lay on. Find props that can be used to pull the concept and the look together.
TAKE BREAKS: Have some snacks and drinks ready and take a break every two to three hours to not overtire yourself or your model and crew.
DON'T BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW: I've been there, I want to take advantage of the time and take as many photos and videos as I can but then end up spreading myself too thin! If this is your first content shoot, maybe you would like to concentrate on doing a beautiful set of lashes and taking nice photos. For the next shoot you can concentrate on making videos for TikTok or IG, then the next session you can do both now that you got the hang of them and know what to expect. This saves you time and keeps you focused on getting the best shots for your end goal.
EDIT & POST: Edit the images, select only a couple of the best images or clips and use those for your end content. Make sure the filters or edits you add go in line with your overall brand's look. You should have specific presets set out for your company, and if you don't use these images to create some to keep consistency over time. Share them across all your social channels for maximum exposure and also tag the model whenever you can as well as the brands used and/ or the location where the shoot took place.
LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES: I was taking corporate photos at the same time so the model had to look as nice as possible and I had only a limited amount of time to either get the perfect shot or create perfect lashes. Because of this, I didn't use tape to lift the eyelid a bit to help me reach the bottom layer and corner lashes. I also omitted the tissue paper on the forehead and under my lash palette, which is what I tend to do. This is to excuse the unevenness of the lash results on this specific set.
PLAN FOR THE NEXT ONE: This is an ongoing thing and should be planned in advance for the best results. Sometimes you can have a couple of models at the same time to have even better photos! But try to make it a constant event to keep your image fresh!
Also, the experience now taught me what to do and what not to do to make the process go on smoothly for next time! Let me know in the comments your best practices, tips, and how often you create content!
CHECK OUT THE PROCESS OF HOW THESE LASHES WERE CREATED AND SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEW YOUTUBE CHANNEL!
MODEL: Tanya Singh - instagram.com/talkcheeky
LASH ARTIST & PHOTOGRAPHER: Yessika Mármol