Day in the Life of a Stylist
The last year I’ve been working more and more as a freelance stylist. I’ve always loved styling and it’s honestly been a dream come true for me. However, I’ve realized that most people have absolutely no idea what a stylist does, so I thought it would be fun to share a little bit about what a stylist really is and a little of what what my days look like.
Let’s start with the specifics – I actually specialize in home-wares. I style anything from little things like mugs and spoons to big things like beds and sofas. Most people I talk to seem to think stylists are some type of photographer. While we’re not photographers, we work very closely with photographers. That said, there are generally two different types of styling I do when I go into work:
One type is referred to as “flats” (some studios also call them “seamless”) these are the more basic type of product photos. We shoot them typically on a very simple backdrop, and they serve to show the customers exactly what the products look like. My job is pretty simple with this type of styling – make sure the product is clear and that the photographer gets all the angles and detail shots we need.
The second is the fun stuff – Lifestyling! Lifestyles are about building a whole little world for the products. So if I need to do a lifestyle for a blanket I set up a bed, I grab a rug, a side table, maybe a dresser, some artwork and mirrors, and of course tons of plants (cause every room needs a nice collection of plants). Lifestyling is all about helping the customer see how a product could look in their own home. It’s definitely the most challenging and most fun part of my job.
So what do I actually do in a day? The truth is that it can vary pretty wildly. I’ve had styling jobs where I don’t go in to work until 3pm and I spend the whole night fluffing artificial Christmas trees, and other days where I’ve spent hours cooking mini waffles or cat-shaped eggs (true story, bro). On an average day though I typically work 9-5 in a photo studio doing a mixture of flats and lifestyles, and drinking my weight in coffee.
It’s a fun, challenging, and sometimes physically exhausting job (especially when you spend all day moving beds and dressers around), but I absolutely love it.
P.S. You can also see a little more of my styling work over here!
