Well my Taffetadarlings, I'm making progress raising funds for my Spring 2013 look book shoot -- thank you to everybody who has contributed so far!! I'm still pushing and I have just one week left to achieve the goal, so any help would be appreciated. And please spread the word!
Finding an affordable venue/studio to shoot in can be a difficult challenge in New York City, but I'm going to be as frugal as possible. I searched high and low to find a spot for my Fall 2012 "Modern World" runway show and even though I found a good deal, it still ended up costing $1500 for the day. But, I needed a bit more space to accommodate the audience and a small runway, so I'm able to work with something smaller for the photo shoot.
my girls backstage at the fall 2012 Modern World show
photo: Randy Brooke
As I stated in my Kickstarter campaign, a good model can make or break the shoot. However, that doesn't mean that I can hire any girl I want, I have to be thrifty since I'm working within a tight budget. But, I've been lucky enough to find talented and experienced girls in the past who, unlike Linda Evangelista, WILL get out of bed for less than 10K per day -- a lot less. And thank goodness, one thing there will never be in NYC is a shortage of (eager) talent.
fall 2012 look book shoot
Model: Caitlin Sloat
Photo: Shane LaVancher
Another way that I'm able to swing it with a small budget is the fact that I don't use a stylist like many people do. Typically, a stylist a very important asset in any photo shoot, but more so for magazine editorials where they have to pull pieces from multiple designers in order to create a story. Since I'm using solely my own pieces, there isn't much need for a stylist. Still, a lot of designers depend on stylists to come up with the right image for the book. I think I've mentioned before that I'm a control freak, so I actually prefer to handle the "image" and the styling myself. I mean, I designed the clothes, I think I should know how I want them to be portrayed.
And then there's the hair and makeup team. I know for a fact that it easily costs $100 and upward just to have one's makeup done for an event (basically one hour of work), so you can imagine what it might cost to hire people for an entire day. The good thing is that stylists and artists typically offer day rates that make it more affordable than if they were charging you hourly for a twelve hour shoot. Also, I have found that stylists and makeup artists are often anxious to participate in a fashion photo shoot because they can push the boundaries a little bit (or a lot) more than they are able to with their usual clients. So, I've been lucky in the past to find talented people who are willing to work within my budget.
fall 2012 photo shoot
amazing hair: Lucie Ducrot
fabulous makeup: Rieko Shiba
photo: Shane LaVancher
Obviously, there is still the photographer's fee (and their assistant) which accounts for a fairly large chunk of the funding, as well as book printing and lunch for everyone during the shoot. Well, now that you have a better idea of the costs involved and the break down, I hope that you contribute if you can. Click the link below to check out my project! Thank you!!
I'm definitely one of the ones who needs a stylist. You're lucky you have the skills!
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