Set the trends

Plan and carry out your own fashion shoot with James Paterson’s guide…

Getting great fashion shots takes skill, but our guide will take you through all the basics for setting up your own shoot

A fashion shoot is your chance to try out different techniques and get creative while working alongside models and stylists. Fashion photography requires attention to detail, originality and technical expertise. From a creative point of view it’s fantastic because almost anything goes.

If you want to organise your own fashion shoot, one of the first things to do is find a model. You might know someone who is happy to model for you, but if you want to go one step further, consider booking a model. You could go through model agencies or contact models and stylists direct through sites like Model Mayhem (www.modelmayhem.com) and PurplePort (www.purpleport.com). Whichever option you go for, get them to sign a Model Release form. Search online for ‘model release form’ for downloadable examples.

Of course, with fashion photography it’s all about the clothes. We contacted the School of Art and Design at Bath Spa University, which teaches Fashion Design (www. bathspa.ac.uk/schools/art-anddesign). They kindly let us borrow these wonderfully creative outfits by designer Rebecca Head.