Behind the Scenes of a Photo shoot
So, you wanna know what it takes to be behind the scenes of a big branded photo shoot?! Is it as glamorous and exciting as you imagine?
The answer is Yes!
It has always been a dream of mine to be part of the team who makes these beautiful images we all see in print and billboards. Creatively I am enamored at the beauty and true talent of making something 3 dimensional look alive in a 2 dimensional aspect!
Come with me as I take you for a sneak peek behind the scenes Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Photo shoot.
Details before the shoot:
Months before the shoot, John Paul Mitchell’s Creative Team is busy developing detailed marketing strategies, enlisting production teams and models, and setting the location. The final call sheet goes out last and the very best names in the industry are on it.
Photoshoots are standard marketing tools used to sell a product — they’re no phenomenon, especially in the beauty industry. The purpose of this photoshoot was no different: create and capture fresh new images of the brand’s products— but our mission was greater than simple advertising. We weren’t just snapping models standing in front of a big fan to boost profit margins — we were enhancing natural textures and highlighting each model’s distinct finish. We were celebrating unique curl patterns.
The Team allotted 2 days to document the celebration in the California mountains. Hot one second, cold the next, and almost always terrified a modest gust of wind will knock you off the vertical mountainside.
Day of:
I always repack my kit the night before the shoot to make sure I have everything I need. I overpack my kit the way I overpack for vacation: shamelessly. Curls shoots like this require a full arsenal of styling tools, which meant even less room for shame. For this shoot, I was well-equipped with my wide-tooth comb, sectioning comb, multiple size irons, and my trusty dusty portable dryer attachment, courtesy of Amazon. For just $xxx, it was genius at first sight and has proven a perfect addition to my kit!
Depending on who you ask, arriving 15 minutes early is on time and arriving on time is late. If you ask me, arriving on time means leaving 3 hours early to account for getting lost in the Hills of Los Angeles. I used to stay close to the set before I had mom duties. Now, I stay banking on Starbucks and gasoline to get me from San Diego to L.A. for my 7AM call time.
This location was on a mountain estate, tucked away in the L.A. Hills. It was accessible only by a windy two-lane backroad, lined with tall drapey trees — which I of course passed twice.
I arrived first on set, second only to the COVID-19 check clinic — because in LA., the show must always go on, pandemic or not! Before getting out of my car, I took time to mentally prepare for the day—all the more reason to arrive early! Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned from my experience in this industry, it’s how to prioritize mental health.
As I practiced deep, conscious breathing, I couldn’t deny my body’s immediate physical response. Sensations of peace and serenity soon replaced the weight of the pandemic’s upheaval, uncertainty and isolation. I readied myself to embrace the rush of creative and community we’d all been deprived of during the lockdown. I felt so fortunate not only to be working on such a big campaign, but to reconnect with some of my favorite people. My final exhale was met with the sound of rumbling tires and slowing engines. I heard familiar voices through the humming of crews unloading equipment.
The reunion had begun.
Honestly, once I stepped out of my car, work mode was officially activated. Photoshoots run on tight schedules and demand focused energy from every single member of the team. After so many years in this industry, you quickly learn that time spent on nervousness is a luxury you simply can’t afford. There is work to be done and just a small window of time to do it, and to do it right.
First stop: the COVID-19 clinic. Entry was strictly granted to those with masks and a wristband of confirmed credentials. Naturally, I was first in line [AKA: yet another benefit from that 3-hour margin of error I so generously gifted myself].
Second stop: hair and makeup.
No one walks to hair and makeup, they run.
Fun fact: they means everyone on set.
Set population that day was smaller than usual for this shoot, maxing out at just 25 people. We lugged our kits up a steep incline to the production barn where we’d spend time prepping for the shoot. There were just 2 hair and makeup stations in the back room, with some lighting and chairs. We set up and diligently unpacked our kits, all before coffee and breakfast were served — but the wait was worthwhile. The food was mouthwatering and in true Hollywood fashion, the menu accommodated nearly every diet: vegan and vegetarian included! I chose a berry lemon muffin and TBH, I haven’t stopped thinking about it since.
THE LOCATON
Any time a location has numerous sub-locations, I expect some challenges. This location spanned over 100 acres stocked with too many buildings, cabins, man-made lakes and rivers to count. **Shoutout to the production team*** who kept us in mind and encouraged us to wear comfy sneakers. If only our footwear could’ve sheltered us from the extreme weather. There wasn’t much we could do when the freezing morning temps skyrocketed in the afternoon, or when the California wind humbled us with its presence whenever it pleased.
Once our mighty army of 25 was split into social media, video motion and creative teams, each team was assigned to different locations.
Each location either sat in a meadow by a river or on an actual mountaintop. We had a saint of a crewmember who drove the most massive off-road vehicle, taking each team member to their locations. Time is money, baby! We found ourselves constantly pushing the time and chasing daylight, and battling extreme weather conditions. But nothing will stop production from getting the shots they need. At one point, we were shooting on a vertical incline on the side of the mountain. The gusts of wind were so powerful, it was literally hard to stand up. But the show went on, and by the grace of the Creative Team, the shots turned out as beautiful as planned several months before.
The goal of running an efficient shoot is to have eyes and ears in all places at all times. On such a big piece of land, with so much to do and so little time to do it, ongoing communication between all teams was super important. Thank goodness for old-school technology: we used walkie-talkies to communicate more than Mike, Dustin, Lucas and Will on Stranger Things. When you’re chaperoning several models to back and forth, to and from different buildings, where different projects are being worked on, it’s imperative to stay seven steps ahead to avoid running behind. Part of staying ahead requires you to know where everybody is, where they need to be, and when they need to be there.
ON SET:
Lucy Doughty was the Creative Director, and as such, she had to have eyes on everything. Noogie Thai was the Editorial Director and made sure every shot was executed to perfection. I was a member of the Hair Team, which means it’s my job to support the Creative Team however I can. I don’t just do hair behind the scenes, I run models across locations to different sets and ensure Production gets what they need.
The Creative Director and Photographer finish every shoot with the still shots, aka the hardest shots to get. Fun fact: because stills demand minimal editing, the shot has to be as close to perfect as possible. And not just perfect — perfect perfect.
The spot they had chosen for these shots was all set up in the shade so I helped put the gorgeous model into place and within seconds you heard the camera clicking. The photographer gave Noogie direction to do things like open up the hair and make adjustments where they needed.I continued to watch as an assistant to Noogie. It was incredible to watch another artist in their element. He pulled out crazy tricks out of his magic hands, each time the directors gave their redirections. And while others in his position might have shown frustration, Noogie without hesitation continued to work and try every trick in his book or tricks. At last I watched him pull some of the models' highlighted pieces from the back and weave them ever so closely to the front by her face. Basically reformatting her color placement so that it looked more dimensional in the 2 dimensional composition. They snapped a few more and the shot was captured. Everyone clapped and cheered, I looked over at Noogie through all of that and the look of both impressment and amazement was all I could give him. He laughed with his infectious laugh and we all transported to the top of the mountainside for what would be the final shots.
Noogie’s perfectly placed highlights that were not there before.
Food for thought:
I can’t help but wonder how many readers I’ve managed to stress out and overwhelm so far. I get it — it sounds like total chaos to a virgin audience. I’m still not immune to the overwhelm; a quick scroll up will remind you that even I have to make time to prioritize my mental health and self-care pre-shoot! But to the reader, the industry rookie, and the dreamer, don’t sweat it — it’s actually a well-oiled machine.
Here’s my best photoshoot survival tip for all photoshoot team members: be prepared for an on-the-go working style by bringing with you everything you need. And for my editorial stylists, here’s my exclusive Dirty Girl Blog pro tip for ensuring successful and minimally stressful styling on set: because you’re expected to make adjustments on the fly so you should have a bag of essentials with you everywhere you go. A friend of mine designed an ingenious apron/bag that has saved my life on set. It has everything you need: lots of pockets for combs, brushes, hairspray and other unique tools in your own personal kit.
As the long, hot, day ended. We all transported to the top of the mountainside for the final shots. As the sun begin to set behind the hill tops. I took a moment to take it all in and express gratitude to both my mentors Noogie and Lucy.
I was truly living my dream!!
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Amazon link- Portable hood dryer
