A complete walkthrough of how to plan and pull off an editorial shoot yourself, from creating a mood board to sourcing models.

Fashion photography is one of those niches that escape strict definition, and for the most part, it is free from creative restriction. You can shoot whatever you want. However, you want, as long as you are telling a story. Clothes, accessories, and makeup indeed form a huge part of the story, but at the end of the day, you’re providing a glimpse into an imagined world through your unique perspective.

The most important part of fashion photographyis how you translate a story visually and apply your own creative style to a certain idea.

Over time you will find out exactly what sort of stories you like to shoot, and you will develop favorite lighting scenarios and subject matter—Your photos will start to take on a life of their own!

Exploration and experimentation are crucial elements of fashion photography.

Keep in mind that this is a guide based on my personal experience, not a rulebook. Feel free to use what I’ve learned to put things in order with a little more clarity, get a team together with more ease and better communication, and save yourself from future stress and anxiety caused by easily avoidable mistakes.

Create A Brief For Your Editorial Photo Shoot

The goal of an editorial shoot is to display stories and ideas in rich visuals. Editorial fashion shots are often put in magazines or online publications alongside text or an overarching theme to educate or inspire readers

What narrative do you want your finished fashion photos to express? What world are your characters situated in? You can go absolutely nuts at this stage. This is the stage where you’re free to imagine whatever you wish. Creating an initial brief is about putting your pen to paper and jotting down whatever comes into your head.

It always starts with an idea. Once you have some sort of concept, try expressing how your theme can come to life in several different ways. This initial exercise can feel random and out there—but what you’re doing is running through ideas that you’ll eventually refine. No one has ever to see this initial brainstorm, so feel free to go wild.

Once you’ve written down a few decent descriptions of what you see in your mind’s eye, try to find the common threads that run between them. Take these threads and weave them into a short snippet that summarizes the story you are telling and the characters, the scenario, and the world that your story exists in.

“Why do I have to go through all that effort before I even start?” you might be asking.

Stick with me for a bit. Brainstorming and defining a strong story and concept is a great way to create cohesion and consistency in all aspects of your project, which will benefit you and any team members you bring on board.

Having a well-defined concept will also help you find visual references for your mood board (hint: that’s our next step). This exercise will help you answer the many questions your styling, hair, makeup, and models will undoubtedly have for you; and it will help direct the overall aesthetic of your photoshoot.