When I get asked what I do, I will often over-simplify or even slightly lie because the truth is, being a stylist is a bit confusing for most people. Perhaps I’ll say ‘Oh, I work in photography’ because that’s easy to get your head round, right? Or if I say ‘interior stylist’, people seem to bundle it in with interior designer (really quite a different job) and then usually ask for help with their lounge. There’s also sometimes (just sometimes) jokes that stylists are just there to fluff cushions or play with flowers. We wish.

So, for my own sanity I thought I’d jot down some things that the small two syllable word ‘stylist’ encompasses. Warning: it’s rather a lot.

*A rare shot where I look like I’m living the styling dream. Reality: knackered, sweaty, dehydrated, still 3 million shots to do!*

A stylist imagines, designs, produces and executes the look and feel of how a brands’ photography looks.

We hunt for ideas everywhere and keep them in our pockets for when the right brief comes along. We design sets or source locations that then need endless alterations. We produce a photoshoot from scratch - I prefer to have full control of a shoot to the point where I assemble the teams, create a timetable for the day and ensure there’s going to be food. Sometimes even baking something hearty.

A stylist knows and lives trends

We are always reading books, magazines, watching cultural shows, going to exhibitions - keeping our styling fingers on the pulse. If brands need help with creative direction and trend analysis, they can and will come to a stylist. And even better, if someone wants to develop or ignite a trend - we have the tools to do that too.

We’re usually a jack of all trades

They are often handy at crafting or art and if they cannot source a prop, they will often just make it or find someone that can. We are stubborn mules when it comes to the right props. ‘That’ll do’ will never do.

Stylists are colourists

We instinctively know our colour wheels, our primaries, our complementaries and what clashes. We all have our favourite paint brands, our most used colours, pigment tricks. We know what shoots well, we know what will look ‘too green’, we know what will make a product sell. It’s one of the most fun arms of the job actually.

We are curators

We understand what grouping of furniture, colour or objects are exactly right. We know when to take items away and we know when to add. We notice details that most would miss.

We’re keen foragers

If you ever see someone dragging a massive gnarly branch of golden leaves through a woodland, they are probably a stylist. (I have been know to stop my car on an A road after having spotted ‘the perfect’ fallen branch’)

We are the oil

Stylists will often not only have to translate a clients brief but constantly stay in communication with them and ensure that the shoot team and the client team are all working like a well oiled machine together. Lets say the in-between WD40 that connect everything together smooooothly.

We are writers

Many stylists also write about their expertise be it for magazines, blogs or for client content.

Stylists are terminator eyed

This is a phrase my husband coined. He will see me wandering around a shop and (unbeknownst to me) I am rapidly analysing everything in there - scanning like a robot over potential props silently saying ‘reject, reject, reject’ until a target comes into sight.

Social butterflies

We work with different people, teams, clients and photographers every week. We have to be good at adapting and getting to know people quickly. Its REALLY fun but also like the first day at work every single shoot.

We’re ‘Long Distance Clara’s’

Apologies if nobody recognises the Pigeon Street reference there but we do travel long distances with cars packed to the very brim with props, flowers, plants, fabric and tool kits. If you ever need a car packing as efficiently as possible, ask a stylist.

We are artists

They know (again instinctively) about the rule of thirds, the use of triangles, the golden section, fibonacci…there’s a chance they may not be able to actually name what they are doing, but they know how to lead an eye around an image as well as any oil painter.

We are accountants (eugh, I know!)

Not only do most of us run our own businesses, but we’re often juggling budgets, keeping records so that clients can see where every penny is spent. We rarely have big budgets which means we are ALWAYS looking for ways to achieve what we want to without spending too much.

Stylists are magicians

Shot not working, props not quite right? Give us 5 minutes and we can normally find a solution - whether that’s dashing outside to lop a twig off a bush, quickly drawing an image to put in a frame or by completely thinking out of the box and approaching the shot in a different way.

I once used a physio foam roller as a vase.

We often get asked ‘Oh, please will you just wave your magic wand over this?’ And of course we nod and trot over to our toolbox (coz that’s where us stylist keep our wands) and waft it around.

Not really.

We delve into our years of experience of problems solved, think on our feet and sort it. Try topping that Ai.

What do you do?