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This month’s Nail Tech is……….

Mary Belshaw

Salon Name and Town: Juliet Moon (Mobile), England

Why did you decide on a career in nails?  I have always been creative, making plaster models, paintings etc.  A friend of mine learned how to do nails in the States and taught me when she came back.  I did a diploma and attended the Designer Nails courses.

What environment do you work in?  I’m mobile so usually somebody’s front room or dining room.  I take a desk lamp incase the lighting is bad.

What services do you offer?  Acrylic overlays and sculptured, free hand nail art, manicures and pedicures.

How many clients do you see per week?  Not many, I have five children under 10 years old.  I have to time my appointments to co-inside with the child minder and unfortunately I have been known to work at a loss.

What part of your job do you enjoy the most and why?  I enjoy every part of my job from applying extensions to the nail art.  Client’s faces filled are filled with surprise after the nails are finished makes it all worthwhile.

How do you advertise?  Occasionally I put an ad in the local paper but mainly shop windows, hairdressers and word of mouth.  Of course I carry cards wherever I go as my own nails attract a lot of attention.

What is your most popular nail art request?  Small animals with rhinestone eyes.

What is the weirdest request you have had for any nail service?  A mandarin style nail on the little finger of each hand.  I would love to say what it was for but client confidentiality forbids me!

Tip to pass onto other nail techs?  No matter how awkward the client grit your teeth and keep smiling!

PHOTOGRAPHING FINGERNAILS

By Melle Stripp

I have been asked time and time again how to take photos of nails with detailed nail art and what type of camera to use.  When choosing a camera it is vital to opt for a model that has a macro facility.  You will know whether it has or not by the flower symbol.  Macro is far easier to use than a zoom lens as it allows you to take close up shots at close range without having to think to hard.  You can easily find a good one for £100.  I have a Samsung AF Zoom 1050 which I find ideal.

 Lighting. Lighting is also very important when taking pictures.   If you are taking a photo of the face of the nail, say for nail art, you want to see the detail of the work only rather than a whole picture so the light needs to be behind the camera.  If you are photographing the side of the nails to show off the curve use a light source from the side facing the free edge of the nail.  This is good for creative or competition photos.

Background The background for your photo is one of the most important things after the nails themselves.  Ideally the background should be quite simple.  Pale hands on pale background, dark hands on dark background are the general rules.  A pale hand on a black background will make the hand look almost white.  Fussy backgrounds tend to take the viewers eyes away from the object.  If you are entering your photo into a competition or want to use it as a poster it’s a good idea to have the background complimenting the nails. Such as wedding nails with confetti in the background or perhaps the hands held up with a church door in the background.  Try to be creative but remember the viewers eye has to be drawn to the nails. 

Detail. A close up photo will show off your work beautifully but be very careful.  As you would expect every detail of the nail art to show so will any flaws in the skin and cuticles.  If you are photographing airbrushed nails be very careful to make sure that every last scrap of paint is wiped away from the cuticle and finger.  Tiny specs of paint will show up very clearly.  Even if you have managed to airbrush without getting any on the fingers it’s always a good idea to go over the fingers with a nail varnish remover or airbrush cleaner just to be on the safe side.  There’s nothing worse than finding out when the film is developed that there are tiny blobs of paint on the finger ruining the picture.  Believe me I know.  The hands can also look very dry in some lights so always make sure your client or model puts on hand cream before the pictures are taken.   When entering your photos into a competition these tiny details will be taken into account and could lose you points at the end of the day.

 If you are going to be taking a lot of photos get yourself a ‘dressing up box’.  I have one full of feathers, scarves, pieces of material and lace, glass beads and costume jewellery, confetti.  Haberdashery shops are a godsend for photographers.  You can pick up ½ meters of different materials very cheaply, beads, sequins, etc.  Pop along and let your imagination run riot.

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