ISSE: The Experience

Author: Steve Kim

ISSE 2016 Hosted by the PBA had a very different vibe for me. This year Social media has been very strong for everyone, and this was a year where everyone whos never met each other but stayed connected through social media, got to come out and mingle with each other. For me this was less of a spectator experience, and a lot more of a work experience, which I am forever grateful for.

I first picked up a camera a couple years ago and decided it was best to start shooting my own work. I had watched various other artists (Hairdresser, Photographers) talk about how important it is, and how critical a good picture can really be.

I had a generous itinerary of artists I had to go shoot, so I was rather all over in the class rooms this year. I know The Nerds know I have a big hair crush on the Sassoon Academy Team. They had sent me there with good reason!

First and foremost you have to shoot what you love as Randy Taylor from Hairbrained often says. Why I love shooting them is they are just extremely natural, they act as if you don’t exist, They never pose for the camera making it a lot easier to document there work.

Walking around I got to see a lot of my old classmates and beauty industry friends, as well as mentors, It was awesome to see my mentor Brent Wedin who showed up for the hairbrained teach in, and hang out with his mentor Stephen Adams. It was an interesting moment seeing my mentors, mentor, and myself. It was also interesting catching glimpses of all classes and giving me more of a variety of what has been going on in the beauty industry.

Another one of my favorite classes was The Factory Hair, Its always a good time seeing Dj Muldoon and his crew. I had really got to know Dj during my summer in Atlanta when I had gotten to take privates at an academy for two days with him.

When he gives his lectures its always interesting hearing what he has to say as for me its always different things that resonate he had told me a while ago I had tension issues that I needed to work on (which is what I love about his classes he’s honest and will tell you whats up) From there ironically enough he had talked a lot about tension, and how it can affect your haircut. It has resonated and made me realize how I can correct that (but cutting a shit ton of more hair!).

Another class I got to peep in on was The Butterfly Circus Balyage class. Janai Hartt, Jay wesley Olsen, and Alexis Thurston teaching the class!

I hadn’t had the pleasure of meeting Janai, but I had previously met and talked with the others. They were all very humble and pleasant people. It is also definitely an honor to go and shoot them as well.

Another highlight moment was shooting Lauren Moser from the hair lab on the naha stage as she worked with hair nerd CARRIE! Interesting she recognized me from facebook!

She had a lot of insightful advice about shooting for NAHA and do’s and donts. Primary DONT, was never go into a NAHA shoot looking and expecting to win off one shoot. Should always do something because you love it.

This has been something that resonated all weekend with me as well. It seems what was once a hobby shooting hair, I genuinely love shooting the hair industry as a whole. I was running around on Sunday from 9am-10pm at night and I wasn’t once bothered by it.

Last but not least was Hairbrained Teach in, It was quite the experience being backstage and chatting with different artists as I documented there work. It was also quite the experience getting to shoot with the guy I look up to the most as a hairdresser photographer Randy Taylor.

More importantly the most memorable portion of the night was seeing Laurent Dufourg from Prive, Finish up his models, then go over and hand bobby pins to Charlie Price on stage. It just goes to show you how humble of a man of his experience is, and how many in our industry are truly humble giants.