It is said that, "Every picture tells a story," but
participants in Hair Cuttery's "Photoshoot 101" class
will tell you, "There's a story behind every picture."
Fourteen Regional Performing Artists (RPA's) attended a June 3
"Photoshoot 101" course in Silver Spring, Md., to learn
what it takes to produce a professional photo shoot.
Led by Ratner's International Artistic Leader Shannon King and
National Educator Mezei Jefferson, along with Arosci's Pat Grant
Williams and Dale Hall Mecus, Stylists learned to "see beyond
the chair" at how make-up, wardrobe and the creation of a
focal point play into a successful photo shoot.
Then on June 4-5, the class turned into a hands-on workshop for
the RPA's, as they put their new skills to work at an Arosci-sponsored
photo shoot.
"I came here expecting to be a glorified gopher and watch
from the edge," said Natiza Luckey, an RPA from Chicago.
However, she was delighted to discover that would not be the case.
From making sure each model's hair was perfectly in place to
the final dab of gloss on their lips, the RPA's were intimately
involved in every detail of the shoot.
It started on June 4 when each model was assigned two RPA's.
After a discussion on expectations and agreeing on a shared vision,
they got to work. Using Arosci products, the RPAs completed all
prep work on the models' hair, and on June 5, with the able assistance
of Mezei Jefferson, the finishing touches were applied in preparation
for the photo shoot later that day.
"The goal of this class and photo shoot was to not only
re-energize our relationship with Arosci, but to build the RPAs
self-confidence," noted Shannon King. "Many of them
started this week, nervous and unsure of what to expect, but now,
'they are in it to win it!'"
And the RPA's enthusiasm and energy was evident, from their painstaking
attention to detail, to the smiles and cheers that erupted after
each model finished their shoot.
"Our company places such an emphasis on building relationships.
And for me, this is what this class has been all about. Not just
building relationships with everybody else, but also with a product,"
noted RDA Connie Garcia from Orlando, Florida.
