I will start a set of articles about building a team/ working in a team for fashion photographers, but I first wanted to write this little intro.

You can work perfectly in the team or one-on-one with the model, both can get published, both can go entirely sideways.

Good team: everyone comes on time, familiar with the brief and mood-board, bringing their own ideas to the table, but ready to give up some ideas if they are not cohesive with everyone else’s. Models are engaged, know what to do, take directions into account. Everything goes quickly, drive and good music are in the air.

Bad team: everyone is late, both models 1,5 hours late because they hoped you will start with another model, models always on social media, the team is snacking, waiting until you tell what to do. When done, go back on social media, taking selfies, boomerangs, and such. Everyone does what they see fit — makeup has no connection to hair, MUA just does what she thinks will look good on this model in her portfolio.

Good one-on-one: model comes in on time with clean hair and makeup (nothing extra, just carefully done everyday look), clean and nice nails. The model has some ideas about expressing emotions with her body both in portrait and full-body mode. If bare skin or nudity is involved, the model gives you clear boundaries that she is comfortable with, works consistently within said boundaries. Models aren’t afraid to try something different, even if it feels a bit silly, she trusts you to show her in the best light.

Bad one-on-one: model keeps calling and writing and asking to work together, but as soon as she is in your space, she acts like she doesn’t want to be there, or model is coming intending to fill the gap in her portfolio, but she didn’t tell you about that in advance (“let’s do lifestyle, I need lifestyle” after you set up for abstract fine-art shoot), or model does not trust you and asks to show the picture, you know you didn’t get anything worthy yet, she sees how tense she looks and… starts to look even tenser.

How can we make sure beforehand that we will get a “good” case and not “bad” one — we’ll start next week:)