An editorial session, like any other kind of photography, must have the right amount of play and forethought put into it. When dealing with a famous person, timing is of the utmost importance. A behind-the-scenes look at the picture session that the London-based photographer Ejatu Shaw did with the radio personality Roman Kemp may be seen in this video.
The following is an accurate glimpse at what a typical day on set would look like, as provided by Shaw, who discusses the process that goes into preparing and shooting a fashion edition. In the first part of her presentation, Shaw walks the audience through creating a mood board. She not only describes the categories of photographs she intends to create but also provides many illustrations of each category.
There is no requirement for a highly structured mood board, but having a half dozen basic concepts might serve as a jumping-off point when you are really on location with models.
The other portions of the film continue with the remainder of the shot, which is no surprise to anyone. The most important thing, in my opinion, is the degree of readiness that Shaw displays to carry out a photo session for a fashion magazine. There is a possibility that this will vary depending on the session and the photographer.
Some photographers like to plan out every little thing, while others may merely plan out broad ideas, or the plan may contain a particular lighting setup or color scheme. Some photographers like to plan out every little thing. However, remembering to leave some wiggle space in your strategy is essential if you want your photographs to exude an air of spontaneity.
