A Few Important Pointers

Just finished a lifestyle fashion shoot and it turned out quite well. As much as I enjoyed doing the whole thing, I also learned a few important pointers:

1. Practice is a must before the actual shoot. My team and I did a mock setup of the lighting the day before. We nailed the correct exposure, anticipated the worst case possible scenario and reproduced window light (ambient) as close as possible.
On the actual shoot itself, we were given 4 hours to do 3 different sets (1 outdoor and 2 indoors) and this even includes model hair styling and makeup. Because we practiced, we managed to stay way ahead of the schedule and made it look like we're pros.

2. Do not panic if something goes wrong. The ambient light was so strong and the lighting effect was a little diferent to what we've practiced. It was good I was able to improvise. I took advantage of the strong window light and asked to model to stand close to the window. By using the window light alone, I believe I was able to take images with a little bit more drama and impact.

3. Having producer is vital to the set. I am still not fully aware of what a producer should do but somebody else has to take care of the model's/client's needs. Yesterday I had to run to get a cup of water for the model whereas I should be focusing on some other aspects related to photography. Although I believe it's important to build a connection with the model (need to establish the photographer-model relationship early), some of the model's needs should be taken care of another person.

4. And last but not the least, the success of the shoot relies on having a great team. I was really fortunate enough to work with a few friends of mine who willingly assisted during the shoot. Thanks guys, you really rock!

On top of it all, I believe it's my drive and focus that made it more successful. Bringing a great attitude to the set inspires everyone, which I believe I did. I will be posting the images pretty soon.