06. How to Prepare for Your First Professional Photoshoot

Your first professional photoshoot can be exciting and slightly nerve-wracking at the same time. You might start thinking about what to wear, what to bring, how your hair should look, whether you need professional makeup and whether you'll suddenly forget how to move the second somebody points a camera at you. Don't worry; you won't be the first person that has happened to.

Preparing for a photoshoot isn't about trying to become perfect before you arrive. It is about understanding what you are creating and giving yourself the best possible starting point. If you already have an idea for the shoot, start there. Think about the mood, the styling, the colours, the location and the overall feeling you want the final photographs to have. If you've been given a mood board, spend some time looking through it properly rather than saving it to your phone and remembering it exists five minutes before the shoot.

A mood board is there to help communicate an idea, as you might love the lighting in one image, the styling in another and the location in a third. You might like the overall atmosphere without knowing exactly why. That is all useful information because it gives us somewhere to start when developing the shoot.

Then there is the wardrobe. Bring clothing that fits the concept, but don't be afraid to bring options either. The outfit you are convinced will be the star of the shoot might look completely different once you are standing in front of a camera, while the outfit you nearly left at home ends up producing some of your favourite photographs. Shoes, jewellery and other styling details can also change an image more than people realise, so those little extras are worth thinking about.

The biggest thing, though, is not to put too much pressure on yourself to know exactly what you are doing. You are not being examined, and there is no correct way to arrive at a photoshoot. You don't need to walk in knowing how to pose, where to put your hands or how to create the perfect expression on demand. That is part of what professional direction is for.

If something doesn't feel right, say so. If you have an idea, mention it. If you want to try something different, ask. A really good shoot should feel collaborative rather than as though you are waiting for someone to tell you whether you are doing everything correctly.

It is also worth understanding what you're actually booking before the day arrives. Make sure you know how long the shoot is, what is included, how your images will be edited, how the gallery will be delivered and what happens afterwards. Knowing those things removes a lot of unnecessary uncertainty and lets you focus on the part that actually matters: creating the photographs.

So bring your clothes, your ideas, your references and your personality. You do not need to arrive as a finished model. You just need to arrive ready to create.

And once you start thinking about the type of images you want, another question naturally comes up: what kind of photography is actually right for you?