Getting ready for the
fashion shoot on Wed night (3/5) has been extremely interesting. We had a guest
speaker come to class to help us go through the steps of holding a fashion
shoot. The
most important thing to consider for a photo shoot is the theme or concept.
Choosing a theme will help to determine all other choices including model,
makeup and location. Your theme can be anything from a simple idea of a girl
playing in the park to recreating a Star War scene. Once you come up with a
theme then you can organize everything else to fit your vision. Like choosing
your model; models can make or break a photo shoot. The theme decides the look
of the model, whether they should have specific features, tattoos, piercings
etc. or even certain abilities that would be useful for the shoot. There are
also times when you do what’s called an improv shoot. This is when you start
with a model you find interesting and then come up with a theme that is
organized to fit around the model. It’s fairly easy and fun because it doesn’t
take that much preparation beforehand, however there is a lot of thinking on
the run, but the results can be fun and inspired photos or safe and boring, or
you could do two looks that are extremely different from each other. Since it’s
an improv everyone has input can bounce ideas off each other. It’s a good
way for getting portfolio work.
After deciding on a theme and choosing a model, we made sure we
had a model release. We look at lighting setups that would accomplish the final
look that we want. We study different lighting tips and tricks from fashion
photographers. We study different posing tips. Next we made a mood-board and stared at it
obsessively. A mood board is a type of
collage that consist of images, text, and samples of objects in a composition
of the theme. They help to develop the design theme and communicate to the
other members of the team. There
should be a list of various magazines for inspiration of poses and lighting.
Make sure you scout your area for the location you’re going to shoot in. Make
sure you’ve got your equipment ready, charged and sparkling clean.
The day before the shoot, message everyone
to confirm the shoot. Make sure you’ve got everyone’s number and that
everyone’s got your number and know where he or she are going and what time. In
case it’s an outdoors shoot and the weather is supposed to be bad decide on a
plan B.
Things
to remember during the shoot:
1. Make sure
to notice the little things
2. Don’t get
too trigger happy only to be disappointed by the photos because the model has
the same pose on every photo or there’s a bra strap poking out.
3. Your
makeup artist or assistant might notice some of these things and fix them, but
don’t get too caught up in the moment to forget directing when it’s needed.
4. Expression
is also extremely important so make sure you’re communicating with the model,
making everyone feel relaxed and content.
5. Your model
might look stunning with her makeup and clothes in a gorgeous location, but if
she looks awkward the picture won’t work, but don’t worry most people will get
right into it after a few frames.
6. Just
remember that you’re creating images, not shooting wildlife, although with some
models it might as well feel like it.
7. But most
of all, don’t forget to have FUN....
