Shoot an effective lookbook for a clothing designer of your choice

Setting Up the Shoot

Gather as much information as you can about the brand and collection when going into a photo shoot.
Gather as much information as you can about the brand and collection when going into a photo shoot. This is a list of suggestions when setting up your lookbook. PAY ATTENTION TO THE DETAILS! I CAN'T STATE THAT ENOUGH!
Pull together inspiration images, color swatches & make up treaments (if applicable).
Pull together inspiration images, color swatches and make up treaments (if applicable) to create a mood board that will help guide the look you are shooting for. Mood boards also help the photographer get on the same page with the client or person you are shooting.
Set time, date, location, and mood details to prepare for your shoot.
Set time, date, location, and mood details to prepare for your shoot.
Share your mood board with the class in our Project section.
Share your mood board with the class in our Project section. Here is the Mood Board I created for the LFANT lookbook shoot that I reference throughout this class. We want to see the process that you went through in order to get the final product!

Shooting the Lookbook

Create a Shot Checklist to make sure you hit every detail.
Create a Shot Checklist to make sure you hit every detail. Here is my shot checklist for the LFANT lookbook shoot in Times Square. You might have different product types to work with, but the necessity to pay attention to detail and be thorough in your planning remains the same! It's helpful to have someone on set to read off the shot checklist to you!
Be prepared to adjust and make due.
Be prepared to adjust and make due. Check out this list of basic practices that you should pay attention to when shooting your lookbook.
Once you get to the location, take control!
Once you get to the location, take control! Time is money so be confident and efficient. Run through all of the shots that are listed on your checklist. Make sure to get multiple photos of each desired detail so you have choices to select from later on!

Making Selections and Presentation

Upload all of your photos and bucket them into folders.
Upload all of your photos and bucket them into folders according to your SHOT CHECKLIST. You want to make sure you hit all angles you originally planned on with yur list.
Out of the hundreds or thousands of photos you might take, narrow them down.
Out of the hundreds or thousands of photos you might take, the reasons why you keep or trash an image often come down to small details. Check out this doc for examples of photos I kept and trashed and why.
Once you have your selects, you can now arrange the lookbook.
Once you have your selects, you can now arrange the lookbook.

For instruction on potential presentation layouts, check out this PDF.
SHARE YOUR WORK! Upload your lookbook file (it can be a link to an Issuu page).
SHARE YOUR WORK! Upload your lookbook file (it can be a link to an Issuu page) to your Project page. Check out my latest lookbook publication on Issuu for more inspiration! Can't wait to see what you have put together!!

Additional Resources

Here is a list of fashion lookbook photographers that inspire my work. Check this PDF out as you go into the planning of your own look books!

All PDF files are also attached below for easier viewing!

Joao Mendes

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