How To Brief A Model For A Clothing Photoshoot
One of the most important aspects of any model shoot is how your model poses, acts, and conveys your brand. Facial expressions, stances, actions, and even the eyes communicate to your customers, so getting these right is essential for your brand.
It all starts with a solid brief. This is the information you provide the model and photography studio in advance of the shoot. Here you should explain all aspects of the shoot to communicate what you are hoping to achieve, and part of this should be instructions on posing for the model. Here’s our top tips for getting the best out of your chosen model, along with some ideas for poses.
Before The Shoot
Putting the time into planning a model photoshoot pays dividends on the day. From booking the right models for your shoot, to planning hair, makeup and stylists - it all saves time and stress on the day.
Booking Your Models
There is a surprising amount to consider when selecting models for your clothing photoshoot. Your choice of model should tie directly with your aspirations for the project, your brand, and your customers. You should also consider your current imagery and aim to complement this.
Pay attention to how you represent a range of people in your marketing. Diversity should be considered in all its aspects, and conscious decisions made on how your brand looks to positively represent various demographics.
Be Aware Of Your Model’s Experience Level
Experienced models will be quicker to understand a brief, find the best poses, and work with the photographer more effectively. Less experienced models will need frequent direction, which can hinder the photographer from focussing on the composition of the image. There is likely to be budget considerations, however, balance this with the value an experienced model can provide.
Set A Clear Direction Before The Shoot
Making decisions ahead of time will help your model and photographer have a greater understanding of what is required for the shoot. On the day, keep the lines of communication open between yourself and your model. This helps establish trust and ensures that you are both working towards the same goal. You may choose to ask your photographer to direct your model - if this is the case, ensure you have provided the same care to briefing your photographer.
Consider Hair And Makeup
You’ll need to be sure that your model’s hair and makeup complements the style you are hoping to achieve. Often a professional hair & makeup artist is the best option if you have the budget. Your hair and makeup artist may need up to an hour to prepare the models for the camera. Their expertise ensures that under studio lighting your models will look perfect, meeting your brief and reflecting your brand's style.
Don’t Stick With One Single Pose
It can help to create a shot list before the shoot with ideas of poses that best show off the garments or that fit with the brand. This is especially important if your clothing has a specific use such as athletic apparel. However, you should still allow creativity to spark during the shoot by experimenting with innovative ideas or making adjustments based on how the model interacts with their surroundings. Try to make time in your schedule for new additions.
Natural Poses
For a natural look, avoid any forced or overly contrived poses that can be off putting and distract from the purpose of the image. Use natural poses that the model is comfortable with and don’t force anything that could be jarring.
Fashion photography is all about capturing the perfect shot of a model that shows off your clothing brand. It’s important to consider the poses that will best suit the style you’re aiming for, here’s a few more ideas:
The Walk
Ask your model to take a step as if they were walking – just ask them to hold the pose instead of walking off set! To get a natural feel, it’s often best that the model rocks onto the lead foot and then holds the pose long enough for the photographer to capture the shot. This pose works for all types of clothing, and breaks up rigid poses.
The Lean
On a wall, a prop or anything, this one is great for a more casual look, and allows your model a natural way to stand. It's a pose that sets a casual tone and will feel natural which can be great for inexperienced models. Just remember to get the lighting right as shadows may be prominent on the walls - this can be exaggerated to use the shadows creatively.
Hands In Pockets
Although this leads to a more casual look and isn’t suitable for all garments, hands in pockets is useful if the model is struggling with what to do with their hands. It works well with jeans, hoodies and casual clothing, or is perfect for demonstrating pockets as a feature of the garment.
The Over-the-Shoulder Glance
With the model’s back to the camera, they look over their shoulder. This is perfect for showing the back of a garment whilst keeping personality in the shot. Play around with the angle to see what works best for your garments. Be sure to mix this with front shots to show the entire garment.
The Casual Sitting Pose
Sitting on the edge of a chair or bench, the model has one knee bent and the other leg extended. This gives your images a relaxed feel and works well for informal garments and backdrops. Remember to consider the style of the chair to make sure the aesthetic works with the garments. For a more obvious studio feel that works well with high street fashion, use cleanly painted boxes that match your background.
Hands Near Neck, Face Or Hair
Depending on how you do this, you can show your model in a range of moods as our hands can depict anything from sadness to joy. It's an easy pose to quickly change in the moment to see what works for your shoot.
Create Movement
Add movement to the poses to create dynamic and engaging images. Stick to simple movements, and show how a garment falls during gentle walking, turning, and arm sways. Above all styles, this is most important for active wear. Encourage your model to be highly expressive and copy poses from activities the clothes are made for such as running, stretching, and yoga.
Options With Two Models
With more than one model, you can use poses that have them interacting with each other. Arms around shoulders, casually leaning on each other, and one facing forward and the other backwards are all great options. Having them stand at different angles to the camera can help to show more features of a garment in one image.
Model The Details
Have your model demonstrate the features of your garments to help point out unique selling points. This could be zips, buttons, pockets, hoods or any other feature.
Try to prepare your poses in advance to plan your shoot, and speak to your model – they may suggest some ideas too!
How To Get The Most Out Of Your Model During The Shoot
It's important to help your model perform at their best regardless of their experience level. Directing models during a photoshoot can be a challenging task especially if you’re also taking the photos. With the right approach however, you can make the process smoother and more effective. Here's our advice on getting the most out of your model on the day.
Arrive Early
Arrive on set early. This is to ensure that everything can be set up to maximise the model’s time – remember time is money! This will also help you to focus on directing your model, which is difficult when trying to set up on the fly. It is worth noting that hair and makeup can take up to an hour before a shot can be taken, so work this into your planning for the day.
Breaking The Ice
You should aim to create a friendly and relaxed atmosphere during the photoshoot. Building rapport with the model ahead of time can make them feel comfortable and at ease. Using models that you’ve worked with before helps, but if this isn’t possible, a meeting or call ahead of the shoot can be just as good.
Check Your Demeanor
Your mood on the day can affect how a shoot can go, particularly if models are involved and you want to get the best out of them. This can get difficult if there is time pressure involved in your shoot, however you must aim to remain calm when directing your model. Our photographers have vast experience of working to time-pressure, if you'd prefer, you can leave all the directing to us.
Take An Interest In Your Model
You don’t have to get too personal, but creating rapport by asking questions that aren’t shoot related at the start of the day will build trust for both parties and help build a good atmosphere. Soft skills such as communication are vital on set.
Be Yourself
Don’t act how you think a director should act. Speak in your natural way and become comfortable with your role – your model will feed off this, and any doubts could interfere with the end results.
Consider Demonstrating Poses
Try to communicate with your model by showing them how you would like them to pose. It can be frustrating when someone doesn’t follow explanations, so demonstrate the more complex poses. Then when you are using verbal cues to direct your model, be as specific as possible. Clarity in your direction will only benefit your shoot.
Provide Constructive Feedback
You will need to consider how you correct your model when they are struggling to replicate your ideas. This can be tricky, if you're too harsh you could damage your relationship with the model, but if you're too cautious you won't get the photos you wanted. Emotional intelligence and understanding of Radical Candor can help in such circumstances.
Use Music to Help You Out
The use of music will depend on the people involved. Speak with your models and any other members of the team to ensure you’re all on the same page. Be aware that music may be distracting or could hinder your efforts to communicate with your model, but can break the ice, inject some energy, and set a mood for the project.
Model Photography Services
We've helped hundreds of brands over the years with professional images that make an impression on customers.
