When you are promoting a fashion product, it’s best to have an idea of how to do a fashion photoshoot. Here are some fashion PR tips for capturing evocative shots that fit your brand and resonate with your target audience.
It all starts with a solid plan
There are plenty of awful clichés out there about preparation. Failing to plan is planning to fail. Preparation is everything. You get the picture. Yet a solid plan really is the foundation of a successful photoshoot. That starts with knowing what constitutes a successful photoshoot in the first place. And it ends with making sure you receive a set of evocative, brand-focused images in the right format and in the correct dimensions for the platforms you are publishing on. In between there is an awful lot to organise: everything from choosing a model to arranging travel plans for your photographer.
It’s not easy. Which is why you should read this:
How to plan a photoshoot: 10 things to consider carefully
Get with the product
This falls under the branch of planning. But it deserves its own paragraph, so here we are. Remember that this is a fashion photoshoot. Always, always keep the product front and centre in your mind. That – and the lifestyle behind it – is what you are promoting. Are there any particular shapes or colour palettes that you can anchor into the story that you are communicating? Is there a certain tone or feeling that runs through the visual aesthetic of the brand? Figure out what the product is, what inspired its creation and find a way to tell its story visually in a way that captures the imagination of your target audience. It sounds hard. In some ways it is. Again, that’s why you need this article:
>> How to plan a photoshoot: 10 things to consider carefully
Shooting on location? Make sure you have permission.
The location of your photoshoot should have been decided well in advance of shoot day. But if there’s one thing to reinforce it’s to make sure you have permission to shoot at your chosen location. Failure to do so could cause big problems down the road.
Let’s say a local council or even a homeowner calls you up on using a certain backdrop for your marketing content. They have every right to ask you to cease using that image if you haven’t been granted permission. They could even take you to court. That could ruin an expensive photoshoot, even a whole marketing campaign, in an instant.
Yes, you may get charged for permission to shoot at certain locations. You may even have to acquire a licence. But doing so gives you total creative freedom. Best of all you get peace of mind that you are not going to run into problems down the road. Permission is project critical. Make sure you obtain it.
Have room to be reactive
A well-planned photoshoot will have a clear roadmap of how each photo will look and which one you will be moving onto next. That’s how you can help to guarantee efficiency on the day. But make sure you give yourself room to manoeuvre between takes. Sometimes what works on paper doesn’t work in practice. And while it takes a discerning eye to notice when something isn’t working visually, you have to be prepared to step in and change things on the fly if you feel the product or brand isn’t being accurately portrayed. You might be surprised at the difference a little spontaneous creativity can make. Not just in terms of reenergising your team on the day. But in the final result of your photography too.
Make sure everyone knows what happens next
Having the photos taken is one thing. Actually having them delivered on your computer, ready to use, is quite another. There has to be a plan for what happens after the photoshoot. How long does the photographer require for post-production? When can you (or your client) expect to see the first wave of images? And will the images be delivered in the correct format and optimal dimensions for use on the platforms they are intended for? Your images should arrive ready to use. That’s your job to coordinate.
Get some professional help
We don’t miss a beat when it comes to planning and orchestrating photoshoots. And we have relationships with modelling agencies, makeup artists, stylists and photographers across the UK and Europe. If you would like to see what we could do to elevate your brand, please get in touch.
Read this next:
How to find models for a photoshoot
How to plan a photoshoot: 10 things to consider carefully