Photoshoot day is always a really exciting time for me! As a Fashion Designer it is one of the more glamorous parts of my job and one that I really enjoy. By the end of the day I am exhausted but super happy because everything has come together and it officially becomes a collection before taking off around the country meeting with lots of boutique stores.
So what does it take to arrange a photoshoot?
Well, in the beginning I actually worked with a Fashion producer who was great. He knew everyone and arranged everything, I hardly had to do anything which was perfect because I did not have the contacts to arrange it.
Over the years I have built up my industry contacts and gotten used to working a certain way and so now I really enjoy choosing the team myself and ensuring that everyone fits together like a team. My team.
So what are the main components that need to be sorted out?
Model
Hair
Makeup
Photographer
Studio
Dresser
Helper
First up, Photographer
Throughout the seasons we have worked with several different photographers all of whom have been great. However we got to a point where we worked with a husband and wife team and the wife was the 'trained photographer' but the husband ended up doing most of the photography and he just learnt off the wife. So, my husband decided that he was going to take a course and learn how to be my photographer and it has been great!
We work together each season, he always does a great job and he knows exactly what look I want and naturally we work together really well as a team. Now we can also use our home as the studio since we have purchased all the gear we need.
So, photographer and studio sorted, easy :-)
Helper and dresser.
These change from season to season, last collection I had a couple of fashion students and my Mum take on this role and this season my Mum and my sister are coming to help out. Both of them have done this before and are great at knowing the job and what I want from them.
Once again, easy, thanks to great family.
Model
For our last photoshoot we had the lovely Joanna as our model and she was great, I would have happily used her again but it is a bit hard when she is in Europe. I mean how dare she travel and have fun?
So I put out a Facebook post in two places, the GTC group (which was a big photoshoot collab from earlier in the year) and the Wellington Models page.
Both groups are full of great models and people wanting to get more experience.
I had lots of responses from both posts and so I started sorting through all of them and responding to as many of them as I could, and making a shortlist. After making a short list it was time for a couple of fittings before choosing the model. We met at her house, my daughter had lots of fun playing with cute little puppy and she tried on a few dresses, trousers and a jacket, just to check and make sure that she would fit the rest of the clothing.
Soph Delmuir is going to be our model for this photoshoot and she is super lovely and a great model. She modelled one of our outfits in the GTC collab so I was really excited when I saw her message pop up. On top of that she is a contestant in the Miss Universe Pageant. Fingers crossed she wins! (This past past Winters model, Ariel Pearse, won the Miss Tourism International title from the Miss World NZ pageant, so maybe we will be a good luck charm for Soph)
Model sorted - tick
Now for Hair and Makeup
I went about this one in fairly the same was as finding a model except I requested a referral or reference from those applying. This is only because the last hair and makeup artist I hired didn't show up, leaving me in a really difficult situation and nearly ruining the shoot. (read about it here) Thank heavens our model Joanna saved the day by having all her own makeup and knowing how to do it perfectly.
There were heaps of great applicants and in the end this role is going to be filled by two women, one of whom is also going to model in the campaign photos. They have both worked together before and so having a second model for the campaign shoot is going to be really great.
Hair and Makeup is all sorted
So everything is pretty much sorted, lucky last thing is the food.
It is always important to me that everyone at the photoshoot is well fed and watered. The day is long and pretty full on so we all need energy to keep us going. Plus I always look forward to having a great spread of food, it is one of the perks of a photoshoot. I love shopping online with Countdown, so the order is all done and ready for picking up closer to the time.
The countdown is on. Photoshoot, here we come!! Can't wait!
xxDésirée
This is part 3 of the Behind the Scenes - Fashion 101 series
If you haven't read part one and two, see below for links
Read part 1 here
Read part 2 here
Check out our shop