Is it rude to say “No” when your nail artist, tattooist, hair stylist, makeup artist, ect, asks to take pictures of their work they did on you? Why or why not?

33 comments

  1. Not really. Just be sure to do it nicely and not hurt anyone’s feelings.

  2. I think that if they’re asking for identifying photos (hair/face) then it’s absolutely not rude. If it’s mani/pedi then it’s not identifying so whilst not rude….it would seem petty/pointless

  3. So, I don’t know about rude but you do have to be careful. I got my hair cut and styled once and they asked if they could take a picture to demonstrate the style for other customers. I said, “great!” Next thing I knew my picture was on their website and promotional materials. I never signed anything or said it was ok or anything like that. So, just be careful!

  5. No it’s not rude. They can ask don’t mean you’ll say yes. You paid for a service not for them to take a pic.

  6. No, it’s not. You are already compensating them for their services, and that’s where your obligation to them ends.

  7. I work in one of those industries and always give clients the option to say yes or no without making them feel bad for not wanting their picture taken, or I suggest that I can block anything identifying out if that’s what bothers them. I like to have pictures for my portfolio.

  8. I don’t think its ever rude to refuse to be photographed. No matter what part of you it is.

  9. Not rude at all so long as you’re polite about it. Not everyone likes to have their picture taken and/or put up on social media.

    I do the same with my hairstylist.

  10. You’re paying for a service to be rendered. Once that service is complete and paid in full, you aren’t obligated to do anything further. If that is a requirement for them, it should stated beforehand.

  11. I don’t think so.

    Even if it’s not necessarily identifying, some people don’t want their image used anywhere, even for other customers on an internal basis.

  12. You should be free to say no if you do not want to… but if thats your mindset then let them know before, because it is normal for them to want to promote their work…. often people select these artist because they saw their work somewhere… if you didnt tell them before and then say no when they ask… it might not be rude but i feel its a bit unfair, still up to you, and saying the kindest way possible doesnt hurt:)

    Anything thats shows the face is a different matter of course.

  13. If someone asks you a question, you’re welcome to talk it at face value. “Can I do x” can be answered with “sure” or “no thanks.” It’s not rude to be honest like that.

  14. Not rude. I paid them for a service, not to serve as marketing collateral. Unless it’s explicitly part of the contract, it’s actually your right to say yes or no.

    My friend had a wedding photographer who shared her photos with vendors and on social before my friend approved the edits. Photos of her nieces, family members and her dress were put on the internet before she even had a chance to share them herself. She was rightfully livid. The wedding photographer said “it’s in the contract i can share photos” – the contract was marked null and void by my friends lawyer for being excessively broad.

    It’s a shame for the photographer because she was a small business, and my friend worked at a huge fashion title that could have launched her career. Instead my friend shared the photos with no credit or mention of the photographer. A lesson to be learnt on all sides.

  15. Absolutely not. You’re paying for the service already. I’d find it weird if there’s an expectation that you also have to be free advertising for them.

  16. Do they normally ask you if they can take photos? Most people I have been to just take their phone out and take photos without asking.

  17. I don’t think it’s rude, it’s your body. But if my tattoo artist DIDN’T put my tattoo on their instagram, I’d be upset lol

  18. No. I say no all the time and just tell them it’s because I like to be private.

  19. It’s not rude! Considering it’s not going to cost you anything if you don’t have a problem with it, then yes, you can go ahead and do it, but if you simply don’t feel like it or don’t want to have your picture taken, then it should also be fine.

  20. Not at all. There are lots of people happy to be on social media so I’ll let them be photographed. I get where service providers are coming from that they want to build a portfolio of images but I’m not interested in being part of that.

  21. As a hair stylist , no it’s not rude. We understand that sometimes your appointment takes a while and you just want to leave when it’s over. If you do agree it’s nice for us because we always love proof of our work to share with others.

  22. I’m not okay with pictures of me being shared on the internet. I say no. People can think it’s petty. I don’t much care.

  23. If they hide your face then I’m okay with it. You can say no if you are uncomfortable

  24. Hair cuts are a bit rude because they’re identifying. I have absolutely no problems with tattoo artists taking pictures of the work they’ve done on me whatsoever. Show that bish off and let everyone see your hard work, repost my IG stories when I show them off for Harry Potter days, do it!! I’ve never gotten my nails done professionally, so I can’t speak for that.

  25. No, it is entirely your choice to consent to your pictures being used/posted. Not rude at all!

  26. There are lots of reasons people don’t want their photos online.

    In the days before internet, my mum’s friend was estranged from his family and had some professional portraits done, including one of him and his step kids.

    The photographer put the picture in their shop window without asking. Someone saw it. And the friend got loads of messages from family, why is he back in town and didn’t tell anyone? How could he have kids without telling them? Etc etc

    I gather it caused a lot of stress when he just wanted to be left alone.

  28. Not rude at all. I was taken aback by the receptionist at a hair salon. They asked for my permission to take a photo and asked me to post it on my Facebook for a discount. However, the receptionist asked for my phone and did it herself; she used my phone to send the owner a friend request and tagged him. It was rude and made me uncomfortable.
    I pay them for a service; I don’t pay them to be used for a marketing purpose

  29. Im a tattoo artist, and always take photos of my work. I’m more than happy to not put the pics online if the client asks but I need the photos to be able to show people examples of my work so they know what I do and what style/quality theyre booking in for

    Everything I post goes up anonymously as it were – the most the caption gets is a first name if theyre a regular but I never tag anyone
    I will definitely be more mindful of what images I use in paid advertising in future, lots to think about from everyones responses!

  30. It’s never rude to say no. For whatever it is.

    If it’s rude, then it means that no isn’t an option, and it became an obligation. So one needs to be clear beforehand that it’s part of the whole contract. In this case, the contract should be you got a haircut, they got you money and your picture. If you don’t agree with the picture, you don’t get the haircut.

    Oftentimes, the contract is just you get the haircut, the artist gets money. Everything else is an option that everyone can say no to.

    That also works both ways, by the way. If you ask for something else that wasn’t in the initial agreement, they also can say no, and it isn’t rude nor bad business practice.

  31. We’re in a very small community. My stylist takes photos of the hair at an angle that doesn’t identify face or body so people cannot tell who it is. I think how she does it is classy and because the focus is only the hair it makes her skills look good. She does always ask permission, she’s careful about that.

  32. I’ve said no to pics for laser hair removal, I don’t really want pics of my bikini area etc floating around in the world. They seemed really surprised like no-one ever says no…idk why anyone says yes.

  33. I’m fairly heavily tattooed, and I always feel honored when the artist (or hairdresser, for that matter) wants to take and post a picture. I love knowing that they’re proud of the work they did on me! That said, they have always asked first, and if they didn’t, I would be more than a little uncomfortable. It stops being their intellectual property/idea to do what they want with once they’ve put it on your body. Then it’s a matter of personal autonomy. I’d be upset if a photo of me in a restaurant ended up on their website without my knowledge too. Same thing, IMO.

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