Most crew members are essential if you want to get the most out of your content, though manpower can be scaled up and down for a variety of reasons.

Crew members will often request to have an assistant for efficiency and speed on the day.

On a fashion shoot the stylist is essential! They’ll organise the outfits and work with the brand to decide what outfits are shot, in which order and which should be shot together. If the shoot is for a fashion brand, the brand will often provide their own stylist.

The stylist and their assistants are also responsible for making sure the clothes are steamed and looking great before being shot, as well as dressing the models.

Most fashion shoots will choose to shoot their clothes on models. Whether freelance or from an agency, great models should know how to post and move for the cameras, both photo and film.

A great make up artist will work with the brand to create looks which compliment the clothes and the brands style. It’s important to get a great make up artist as there is no guarantee that imperfect make up can be fixed in post production, and it’s very unlikely to be fixed in any video.

For bigger shoots, the make up artist or brand may be able to get a sponsor to help offset costs of assistants.

The hair team work alongside the make up team to create the hair look. Great hair stylists will work with your references to create something that resonates with the clothes and brand’s style.

The hair can also become a centre of attention itself, with hair stylists creating intricate, artistic designs using hair and accessories.

There is also the possibility of getting sponsors for the hair team on larger shoots.

It’s really important that enough time is given to hair and make up to prepare, it usually cannot be rushed and you don’t want to fall behind schedule!

The one everyone knows: the photographer. They work with their assistants to create any necessary lighting setups which will flatter both the models and the clothes.

They’ll then discuss their references with the models and direct them whilst they take the photos.

Sometimes they’ll edit the photos themselves, whilst other photographers prefer to colour the photos and then call in a retoucher.

The videographer captures the fashion film, a relatively new essential. This is used on the online store and social media to create movement and draw attention. It can also be used to tell a story and create a mood which represents the collection.

The videographer will usually edit the videos himself, though some prefer to offload the footage to an editor.

Whilst not always used, a set decorator is a great way to add a little extra to your shoot.

They’ll know exactly what is needed to bring your photos to life, in terms of props and decoration. It really makes the difference!

There are now so many ways to capture behind the scenes (BTS) content.

Depending on the budget, a shoot could have a social media content creator to make stories and content to post upon the launch, and also a BTS videographer to create a professional BTS video of the shoot.

Finally, assuming the shoot is for a brand, someone from the brand themselves should always try to attend the shoot, either in person or via a video call, just to make sure they’re happy that the content being created is to-brief.