One very important thing that even pros can forget before a shoot is personal grooming. You're overbooked, or you just forgot that you hadn't gone for a wax in a month and uh oh, you've got to leave in ten minutes! Yikes! Hopefully this will serve as a checklist when you start prepping for a shoot. I like to give myself about an hour, hour and a half before I have to leave so I'm not rushed.
Obviously you should try to get a good night's sleep before you have to shoot/walk. It'll ensure that you're in a good mood, easy to work with. It will also reduce the dark circles and bags under your eyes (this can be helped with a couple slices of cucumber).
If you like to drink tea in the morning: be careful. I'm sure you tea drinkers know that tea is a diuretic AKA: it makes you pee a lot. It can be really annoying if a model has to pee every 10 minutes. So have a cup just don't go too crazy!
Okay so, Grooming:
- CLEAN FACE (No residue, no nothing. You are definitely allowed to take it off when you get to the location but you should be able to get it ALL OFF). UNLESS you are doing your own makeup.
- NAKED NAILS (hands and feet). Clear coat is fine but aqua blue nails are a great way to mess up a shoot. (This can be a huge pet peeve for photographers since they rarely keep remover on hand. It's not their job, it's yours!)
- Manicured hands and feet. This means buff, moisturize, etc. Your nails should be filed (they can be long OR short) or filled (if you have acrylic/gel/fake nails). Toe nails shouldn't be crazy long: no one wants to see that.
- Clean, dry hair (unless otherwise specified).
- Do I need to say bathe before a shoot? If you're a tad sweaty because it's summer that's fine but hit the shower before a shoot if you can help it. Or do that thing where you wash yourself with a sponge/cloth and a sink.
- Try not to wear perfume. If you've just come from work or whatever, that's fine but you have to try to be scent free!
- SHAVE YO PITS. And legs. And whatever else you need for the shoot. This means bikini line if you're wearing lingerie. Nude modelling generally means the whole shabam but you can always ask the photographer if you're unsure/uncomfortable going full Braz!
- Remove all personal jewelry and items UNLESS YOU ARE INSTRUCTED TO DO OTHERWISE. This doesn't necessarily apply if you have body piercings but usually applies to rings, necklaces and earrings. So feel free to leave your derm in!
- Moisturize! Your skin will look smoother ("softer") if it's freshly moisturized versus looking rough if it's dry. This isn't a huge deal if you forgot/ran out of cream yesterday but it's always a good idea to lube up.
- Eyebrows: tame those bitches. I don't mean pluck them so thin you basically have to draw them on, but avoid having pet caterpillars taking up real estate on your face. (Apparently clarification is needed on this note. Caterpillars do not mean thick brows, they mean out of control brows, ie: the dark hairs under your brows or between them. There is nothing wrong with having thick brows.)
- Belly button lint. This is mostly a joke but we all know that sometimes a little piece of fluff can get caught in there... Okay, I lied. It's entirely a joke but come on! It's funnnyyyyyy.
So that's grooming. Now dressing before the shoot. Keep in mind that if you are shooting nudes or anything where a lot of skin is to be seen, that lines from your clothes will be obvious on your skin. This is the reality of skinny jeans and tight fitting clothes so try to wear loose, comfy clothes. Wear PJs if you want, go nuts, just keep in mind what you're shooting. Bras in particular are nasty for lines (because most girls wear the wrong size, but that will be covered later) as well as thongs/g-strings. Tights, socks. Jewelry can also leave lines (friction on your skin, the camera picks up EVERYTHING... Yes, everything) as can things like glasses. I'm not saying don't wear your spectacles but try to take them off a good half hour before you shoot as skin can take anywhere from 5 minutes to over an hour to calm down. Know your skin and take precautions accordingly. :)
Your kit bag should already be packed and ready to go but in case it isn't you should grab that list and put you kit together! Pack your snacks, supplies, everything you need for the shoot (including any special additions discussed with the organizer of the shoot). This is your chance to pack any wardrobe you're supposed to be bringing.
If you have time to spare you should sit back, relax and have a quick bite. I find it's always a good idea to have something light before a shoot, sort of like breakfast. Berries and fruit are great for this, so are nuts or "healthy" cookies. Anything that won't make you feel bloated, tired or icky. Avoid dairy if possible!
And now I will share yet another Michelle Phan video, this time about bloating. She has some great tips! I personally love mint water, it's tasty, fresh and tingly (oh my!).
As always: be safe, be smart and be AWESOME!
-Nicola Sasky
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