4 Things I Learned While Shooting for my First Look Book

1. Ask for contact information ahead of time

2. Bring a towel

3. Bring pose examples

4. Play music

Introduction

LSU Fashion Association Look book coming soon!

I was recently given the amazing opportunity to be the photographer for the LSU fashion association’s annual look book that showcases all of the design students’ work from the past semester. It was a dream come true for me and I absolutely loved getting to see all of their creations while bringing them to life through my camera. The theme for this year’s look book is Revival, which reflects the end of the Covid era (hopefully!) and a new beginning for us all. All pictures were shot in various places around LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge and I love how they turned out. I will attach a few of the shots below, but stay tuned on my site for an update when the full look book is ready!

Here are a few things I learned from shooting the last few weeks that I know will help for shoots like this in the future...

Get Contact Information Ahead of Time

This one sounds like a no-brainer, but in my situation I was not given anyone’s contact information before each designer’s shoot and I did not know to ask for it, which made it very difficult when trying to find each location and making sure everyone arrived on time. In one case, I ended up waiting 2.5 hours for a designer and her model to show up at the location because no one had each other’s phone numbers! Ask for contact information for each designer and model you are shooting ahead of time so you can coordinate with them and avoid any hiccups like this one. It is up to you to ask for this information as the shoot coordinators might not think to do this on their own. In the end, your photos will turn out better when you haven’t been wandering around searching for your team, and it also makes everyone a little more comfortable with each other.

Bring a Towel

Weren’t expecting this one, huh?

I brought along a towel for each of my shoots because it has been very hpt in Louisiana lately and I wanted to make sure the models wouldn’t be sweating in their photos. This turned out to come in handy a lot more than I thought as we started to use it to wipe debris off of walls, clear out backgrounds, wipe down dusty railings, lay it on steps for models to sit on without getting designs dirty, clean my camera lens, etc. We shot in mostly outdoor locations, which I think would require towels the most, but with all of the uses we came up with, bringing a small hand towel or rag to any indoor shoot as well would be ideal. Trust me-- the designers will thank you.

Bring Pose Examples

So many of the models I shot had never modelled before and seemed lost as to where to start. Experienced photographers will be familiar with the high school yearbook smile that people slip into in front of the camera when they’re nervous--so not chic. The best way to combat this is to bring along examples of poses that match the style and vibe of the photoshoot. I had created a mood board ahead of time with poses I saved from Pinterest, sayings that matched the “Revival” theme, and other aesthetic elements, but this seemed to confuse models with too much going on for them to focus on the poses. Instead, showing them raw images of poses you’ve found on Pinterest, Instagram, etc. will help them visualize what they need to do in a simple and direct way. In one instance I held my phone out for the model as she got into position so she could mimic the pose we liked exactly, and from there she added her own twists and unique take on it.

Play Music

This one may also seem obvious, but I was surprised at how many designers did not bring their own music or seemed uncomfortable when I suggested that they do so. I learned early on in the shooting process that photos taken when a model is listening to music ALWAYS LOOK BETTER. Always. Models can feel awkward and judged when a complete stranger is taking their photo in the public outdoors, especially when they are wearing a mask and can’t really see the person taking the photos. Turning on music that fits the mood you are trying to create in the images will help them to relax, feel more creative, show more emotion, and understand the vibe you are trying to create. I also noticed that shoots where we turned on music lasted much longer than ones where we did not. Without music I think models feel pressured to get a good shot and get out of there as fast as they can, when we all know that the longer the photoshoot and the more photos taken, the more likely it is that you are going to get a good photo. I would much rather take 300 photos of one model in one outfit and get one amazing image everyone loves than take 30 photos and get several okay photos that leave everyone cold. I highly suggest bringing a portable speaker for music, but as I could not find one I ended up just playing music on my phone and it worked out fine. Typing your specified mood into Spotify will also get you a great playlist that matches any look you are going for-- for example, for these shoots I used “Golden Hour”, “Indie Chillout”, and “Cheerful Tunes” playlists to create the perfect energy for myself and the models.

Conclusion

Overall, this was an amazing experience and hopefully just the first of many more look books to come! I have a long way to go in perfecting my photography skills, but I really appreciate FALSU giving me the opportunity to showcase my work and have this experience. Check back for an update on my site when the full look book has been assembled in late April!