Watch: Take Better Photos With These 3 Tips

3 Tips That Will Elevate Your Hair Photography

Take better hair photos for Instagram and beyond with these tips from American Crew Founder and Professional Photographer David Raccuglia (@david_raccuglia_photography). David sat down digitally with BTC Founder Mary Rector (@marybehindthechair) to discuss his photography, how he approaches composition and lighting when shooting, plus what he looks for in a winning American Crew All-Star Challenge entry. 

Keep scrolling for three key takeaways that will instantly improve your hair photography, then watch the full conversation between David and Mary above!

CLICK HERE To Enter The American Crew All-Star Challenge For A Chance To Win $5,000, A Trip To Barcelona & A Photo Shoot With David!

Use Natural Light

A professional photographer isn’t always needed to shoot high quality hair photos. David recommends beginners use natural light from a window to create striking portraits. Here’s how he sets up the shot:

• Place a chair close to a window.
  

   

• Situate the back drop right behind the chair.
  

   

• When posing the model, make sure the subject has both eyes in the frame.
  

   

• In the editing process, add shadow to the corners of both eyes for depth and drama.

Studio Lighting Needs To Look Natural

There is such a thing as too much or too little light, especially when using studio lights. Excessive light can cause a spotlight effect on the model that looks artificial, while not enough light can make the photo look dim and muted. Make sure you’re checking and adjusting the light settings as needed when shooting for the best possible outcome.

Look At How The Lighting Helps Highlight The Fade

Highlight The Best Part Of The Hair

When choosing photos for the American Crew All-Star Challenge, David and his judges are looking for technical excellence. The best way to highlight that is to find the haircut’s best asset—what’s the coolest or most interesting part of the hair? Once you’ve identified what the asset is, the next step is to figure out what angle would highlight it best. 

David remarked that people tend to shoot low and down at hair and that’s not always the best approach for every haircut. Don’t be afraid to play around with angles and shapes to find what works best for the model and the hair.

The American Crew All-Star Challenge

The American Crew All-Star Challenge is a global competition where barbers, hairstylists and students are tasked to create and photograph a custom men’s look using American Crew products. Here’s what it entails:

• Submissions are open until May 15, 2021 and five global winners will be announced on June 14, 2021.
  

   

• The student winner will be announced on or before the June date.
  

   

• The five global winners will receive $5,000 and an all expense paid trip to Barcelona to participate in an editorial photoshoot with David.
  

   

• The student winner will receive $2,000 worth of product and merchandise, as well as one-on-one training with an American Crew All-Star Educator.