How to Prepare for a Successful Fashion Shoot
I had the pleasure of speaking with Cara Heath of Cara Heath Photography to glean an insight from an industry expert on what it takes to host a successful fashion shoot. A master of her craft with a rich portfolio and clear aesthetic, Cara shares with you top tips on preparing for working with a photographer and details what to expect.
Thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to talk us through your experience. Please introduce yourself, let us know what you do and where you’re based:
Hello! I’m Cara. I’m a creative product and Fashion photographer based in Cardiff, South Wales. I’ve been freelancing as a photographer since 2016, But I also worked in house as a photographer and graphic designer for brands Spectrum and Miss Patisserie. I also worked at Peacocks as a creative co-ordinator for their fashion campaigns. Where I art directed and project managed shoots for them abroad and mainly in London.
What range of photography do you do?
I tend to shoot a lot of fashion and accessories, I love the energy of working with a team in the studio. I also shoot a lot of still life, which is more low key. Just me shooting by myself in the studio! I have also wandered into other avenues, I recently shot an album cover for an artist- I love variety.
How would you describe your photography style?
Colour palette focused, light and feminine
For those who are new to photo shoots, what tips would you give to help them make the most of the experience?
Create a mood-board! [try Canva for free] Even the most successful photographers still use one. Its good to reference back to what you want to achieve on the shoot. As it gets pretty hectic!
Make a shot list, or a priority list of what are the important ‘hero’ shots to get and what are just nice to have. So you make sure you have time to spend on the really important ones.
When selecting your team, their talent is important but you also what to consider these people as your co-workers. Its important that people are punctual and have a good attitude. There isn’t anything worse than a model that turns up very late. It puts the whole team on the back foot!
If your using a stylist, make sure you meet with them and the photographer before hand to talk through different looks and have back-up. Sometimes things don’t turn out how you imagined them! If you aren’t using a stylist, remember to bring a steamer with you, pins and clips just incase they don’t fit the model.
Shooting on location comes with a lot of challenges. How do you prepare for this?
The risk when shooting in this country [UK] is that you definitely can’t predict the weather! I would make sure the location has a couple of spots where you can shoot undercover if necessary. You and the photographer should do a recce of the location before so you can also see where the sun is coming up from and what time it is setting so you know what time you need to get to location to get the most out of your shoot day. If you are just using natural light you might want some portable studio lights in case its a grey day!
Could you talk us through an example of how you like to work with a client?
When a client approaches me wanting to shoot their new collection. We firstly have a meeting to talk about their brand, collection and any preliminary ideas they may have. I then go and create a moodboard, which I present to the client for further feedback. We will also discuss model options, MUA [Make Up Artist] and hair ideas and possible location or studio shoot ideas.
I then book the team we have decided on for our shoot date. I send out a call sheet before the shoot which details times and locations and also everyone’s contact information. After the shoot, the favourite shots are selected to be retouched. Delivery time is usually 5 working days after the shoot.
Sometimes clients approach me and have no idea what they want their collection shot like. They can be intimidated by organising a shoot. As I have worked on the production side of photoshoots, I also offer the service of organising the whole shoot for you so the client doesn’t have to be chucked in the deep end!
Even if you aren’t ready to shoot and just want to discuss how I can help you in the future, feel free to get in touch with me.
What are you working on at the moment and what does the future of Cara Heath Photography look like?
At the moment as well as client work. I working on a still life series that is very colour palette based- I like to work on my own ideas too to keep my mind fresh and ticking!