Unit 4: Practical fashion shoot assignments
Fashion Photography notes · PTU syllabus (BSTD 208-20)
On this page
Unit summary
Fashion shoots follow a planned workflow. This unit outlines the assignments in fabric, product, outdoor and magazine cover photography and how to plan each.
After this unit you can
- Plan a shoot with a brief and shot list
- Photograph fabrics, garments and accessories
- Produce a magazine cover and video
PTU syllabus topics
- Capturing fabric textures and textiles
- product/garment video production
- outdoor shoots of dresses and accessories
- magazine cover photo shoot
- 1
Concept and mood board
- 2
Cast model, styling, location
- 3
Plan lighting
Key, fill, rim
- 4
Shoot with space for the masthead
- 5
Select and retouch
- 6
Lay out the cover
Topic 1
Planning a shoot
- 1
Brief and concept
- 2
Mood board
- 3
Shot list and location
- 4
Styling and props
- 5
Shoot
- 6
Select and edit
- 7
Deliver
| Assignment | Key points |
|---|---|
| Fabric textures | Macro lens, side light to show weave, plain background |
| Garment video | Tripod, steady movement, 24–30 frames per second, clean audio |
| Outdoor shoot | Golden hour (soon after sunrise or before sunset), reflector for fill |
| Accessories | Keep reflections out, use gradient background |
| Magazine cover | Portrait orientation, space at the top for the masthead, eye-level focus |
Topic 2
Editing and delivery
Basic edits: crop, straighten, exposure, contrast, white balance and sharpening. Export JPEG for web and high-resolution TIFF or PDF for print. Keep a back-up and label files clearly.
Key terms
- Shot list
- List of planned pictures
- Golden hour
- Soft light near sunrise and sunset
- Masthead
- Title of a magazine
- Frame rate
- Images per second in video
- Mood board
- Collage of inspiration
Quick revision
- Plan with brief, mood board and shot list.
- Golden hour gives soft warm light.
- Leave masthead space on covers.
Important exam questions
Practice questions written to the PTU exam pattern for this unit's syllabus: short answers (Section A style) and long answers (Sections B and C style).
Short-answer questions
- Q1.What is a shot list?
- Q2.What is golden hour?
- Q3.What is a masthead?
- Q4.Why use a tripod for video?
Long-answer questions
- Q1.Describe the workflow of a fashion photo shoot.
- Q2.Explain how a magazine cover shoot is planned.
Stuck on this unit?
Message SBS on WhatsApp for help with Fashion Photography, or to ask about studying B.Sc Textile at Synetic.