BEHIND THE LENS

BY REX A.C. SILVER

Liam Oakes is a distinguished UK-based photographer renowned for his expertise in barber, hair, and fashion photography.

His portfolio showcases a wide array of styles, from classical barbering to avant-garde hairdressing, highlighting his versatility and dedication to the art form. Liam is particularly appreciated for his creative flair and technical excellence, with his work frequently appearing in prominent hair and barber magazines.

Liam Oakes’ work has culminated in his clients achieving numerous wins and finalist nominations in Barber and Hair awards in the UK.

Oakes has cultivated a unique style that instantly distinguishes his work—a quality he finds both flattering and occasionally challenging to manage. However, this recognizable style also serves as motivation for him to continually strive for more and experiment with new techniques.

His style is characterised by its dramatic lighting and composition, which perfectly accentuates the textures and shapes of hairstyles. His ability to capture motion and emotion, ensuring that each photograph tells its own story, sets him apart in the field of hair photography.

Oakes approach to photography cleverly blends traditional techniques with modern aesthetics, making his work timeless and innovative. This combination ensures that every detail, from the hair texture to the model’s expression, is captured with precision and artistry.

His collaborative projects often involve intricate setups with makeup artists and stylists, creating comprehensive looks that set trends within the beauty industry.

Oakes’ influence extends to high-profile branding and promotional campaigns for global brands, hair salons and barbershops, where his images help define the businesses’ professional identities.

His ongoing involvement in the photographic community is marked by regular exhibition features and numerous accolades, underscoring his significant contributions to photography and the hair industry.

“If people can instantly recognise your work, you’re not being creative enough”

What did you start shooting when you started with photography?

I first started photographing live music, band promos, and BMX. As time went on, I started photographing people, creating, and getting creative. I photographed my partner, friends, and test-shooting models. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, but I soon found my passion for portraits and hair photography.

When did you think you were first interested in shooting Hair?

That was about ten years ago, it was a start-up men’s grooming brand called Apothecary87. They were launching their first beard oil products and needed a photographer, so they got in touch. At this point, I had done no hair work whatsoever. I helped them grow into a global brand. I helped them grow through my photographic and social media work from making beard oils in the kitchen to a large premises and warehouse selling globally, with over 250k social media following.

That’s where I met most of my connections with Hair. After about three years, I left the brand and went completely solo. I realised I was good at hair photography and that I enjoyed it.

Explain the scope of work back then and how it’s changed…

Seven years ago, people wanted pro shots for their social media, now they have high-tech phone cameras.

My work has shifted entirely to competition submissions, editorial collections, advertising campaigns, product launches, and other similar projects. That initial ‘from the ground up’ experience was instrumental in how I learned my craft and developed my approach to hair work.

I am grateful to have been witness to the transition of continuously better images being delivered… alongside the growth of social media as it has evolved in real-time. It is undoubtedly a turning point in history that will be marked, especially for hair and fashion.

Do clients come with set ideas, or is it a collaboration from the get-go and how does the creative process start when you are charged with realising someone else’s creative vision?

I like it when a client comes to me with an idea and we can elaborate further into the idea and come up with something innovative and fresh. Sometimes my client will leave the entire aesthetics up to me which is also good as I get to create something new and can really get my creative juices flowing. There was a point in my career where I felt my work was all looking to similar and recognisable.

When you say ‘similar’, are you saying you were starting to get a signature look that is recognisable as your work?

I think that was it. I had my signature look and go-to lighting setups, which I did all the time.

People would open a magazine and say, Oh, that’s Liam’s work…that’s Liam’s work….. And I loved that of course….. it’s fantastic people recognise your work, but then it also means that if people can instantly recognise your work, you’re not being creative enough.

You need to push yourself more. You need to keep pushing forward, changing things, and coming up with new ideas, new concepts, and new techniques. I try and think about doing things that I’ve not seen being done before.

You know, you want to be the leader in the industry. You don’t want to copy other people’s work.

Tips for our barbers in Australia who want to shoot their work and work with a professional photographer?

Be confident in your skill set, have a positive mindset, and believe in yourself. I’ve done photo shoots for clients before, and I have had to encourage them to enter the photo shoot (in awards). Then they ended up finalising!! They weren’t even going to enter.

Believe in yourself and 100 percent believe in your abilities. Don’t be afraid to talk creatively with the photographer about your ideas, mood boards, and other similar things. Collaborate before you go in. Definitely don’t wing it. You need an idea, a theme, and something that ties everything together. The models and the clothing make a huge difference.

You have some kitty in the budget left after the cost of a photographer; where is it best spent?

Priority-wise, it would be models. And then second to that, it would be a stylist. For barbering, I always recommend not to use makeup. It shows up in the pictures. Okay, Unless you’re going to do something avant-garde, of course, then it’s gloves with the makeup.

For those fascinated by the intersection of photography and hairstyling, Liam Oakes’ work is a source of inspiration. It demonstrates the profound impact of visual storytelling in photography. His latest projects and career updates can be explored through his professional website and social media platforms, where he continues to share his creative journey and inspirations.

liamoakesphoto.com @liamoakesphoto @rex.a.c.silver