Spring Photoshoot

Jane modelling Digital Floral Print Mini Dress

As winter slowly passed and the Jacarandas start to bloom, Spring was finally announcing its arrival. At the same time, gorgeous digital prints and florals were making its way on runways all over. This season is not shy on colour or beautiful exotic prints, florals are sort of a big deal, and tribal inspirations are still as Magatu (Zoolander) would say, so hot right now!

New stock we ordered were finally here. We signed off each box and piled them into our warehouse. There were just shy of ten bulging cardboard boxes, bound by yellow nylon rope. It was an exciting task, we were like children on Christmas day not knowing which 'presents' to unwrap first! Organising photo shoots are the next best thing, there's no denying that it is tiring and takes lots of time and planning, but every time the results come back, it's instantly worth it!

The date for the shoot was set, and we were grateful when the sun came out early that morning, after a full week of rain. We did worry that the ground would be too soft for heels, but there is a trick to prevent soles digging in to your lawn (posted later)!

Photo-shoots involve a fair deal of planning and coordinating and not to mention luck. We planned for an outside shoot, so good weather was essential. It usually lasts a whole day, depending on the pieces and type of clothing. We have done just enough of these to grasp what sort of lighting we liked, and what worked well  for us. After all, we did not have fancy equipment and a studio to control the environment. 

We like to use lists and check it off as we go. Here are some examples of things we do to prepare for a shoot:
- selecting and hanging up garments, ensuring the correct size for model
- steaming and ironing 
- removing tags or loose threads
- match accessories 
- prep for makeup and hair (hairdryer, curlers, hairspray, cotton tips... the list goes on)
- prep camera for shoot

Applying makeup

We try to have an early start so we can take advantage of good soft lighting, and then again late in the afternoon before the sun sets. The midday sun is too harsh if the day is cloudless, and several things tend to happen if you attempt to do the shoot then. For one, your model won't be able to open her eyes due to the glare, especially with reflectors. The intensity of the midday sun also quickly burns your skin, and you begin to feel the heat within minutes. Not long and you will perspire, and literally feel drained under the sun... the outcome of the photos end up looking less than desirable. For those reasons, we choose to avoid midday, and use this time for a long lunch break and touch-ups. We like to use this time to review the photos and make any changes to makeup or hair if needed. Your model can also get a good idea of what poses and expressions look more flattering on camera.
  
We are very happy with the lighting and outcome, the photos all look beautiful! 

Thanks Jane for another great photo-shoot!

Jane modelling Silver Keyhole Chiffon Dress in Salmon

Jane modelling Lace Insert Bodycon Mini Dress