We recently covered how to get ready for your pinup photoshoot, so it only makes sense to now have a look at what to do when the day of your photoshoot arrives. If you haven’t read that post, do so before continuing this one as there are lots of great tips and ideas in there and things in this post will make more sense. Come the day of your shoot, you are hopefully already packed with your day planned but what now?

If you have a morning shoot, make sure you give yourself extra time. I’m really not a morning person so even half an hour of extra time really helps me as I’m trying to wake up. To get yourself feeling excited, or to shake off nerves, put on some fun music and really enjoy the process of getting ready. If you have organised a professional for your hair and makeup, you’re in for a relaxed time but if you planned on doing your own primping, it’s time to start.

I’d recommend washing your face first thing in the morning and applying some skincare, even if it’s only moisturizer. This will help plump up your skin in preparation for makeup. After moistening, go make yourself some tea or coffee and a good breakfast. If you’re nervous, try to find something light like toast so you don’t feel too sick or bloated. Once you’ve gotten some sustenance, start on your hair and then makeup. Take your time and if you do mess up, hopefully you have enough time to get yourself looking as best as you can quickly.
If at any point you get frustrated or overwhelmed, lets face it, hair is a pain and eyeliner can smell fear, simply take a deep breath, leave the room for a minute and then return and try again.

Tip: When getting ready, try to already have your shoot undergarments on and something button down over the top. You don’t want to get your hair and makeup done perfectly just for you to have to pull a jumper over your head and risk ruining it. Button down shirts or dresses are your friend and if you don’t have one, anything that you can slip down your body to take off.

If you have an afternoon or evening shoot, you can go about your day as normal until it comes time to get ready to shoot. Give yourself more time than you think you need to get ready and stay hydrated throughout the day. I normally give myself an hour and a half to do full photoshoot hair and makeup; sometimes I breeze through it and other times I wish I gave myself more time. I don’t like to rush my makeup or hair for a shoot so even if I need to do it all really slowly, I adjust my schedule because I’d rather be ready and waiting then racing out the door in a flurry of stress and panic.

If your shoot is later in the day, although I’d never tell someone what they should or shouldn’t eat, be mindful of what you do consume throughout the day. Sticking to smaller meals more often throughout the day is better than a few big meals as this can lead to bloating and cramping. This is also not the day to take risks with foods that you are unsure of. I’ve unfortunately had a friend who for the first time tried a laksa soup only to realise that she was allergic to lemongrass 15 minutes into her shoot later that afternoon. And for what it’s worth, I have also gotten violently ill at a shoot, not once, but twice. Both times were so bad, that to this day I do not speak of those shoots and I am still traumatised (from one shoot, another model legit put #BeforeTheVomit on all her behind the scenes posts… rude). Getting sick happens to all of us so don’t worry.

I’d recommend already having your bags packed the night before because if you’ve realised you’ve forgotten something, you can always add it to your bags in the morning. It’s worth packing some snacks for your shoot day just to keep your energy levels up and of course, bring some water. I keep mine in a cooler bag in the fridge and then grab that on my way out (if you think you might forget, a post-it on the door can be a good reminder). If you’d like to know what I keep in my model bag, check out this post for tips.

If you are driving to your shoot, check the news for traffic conditions and adjust accordingly. This is especially important if you need to travel in peak hour traffic or to somewhere new that you are unfamiliar with. I personally hate running late especially for a shoot because you hold everyone up, it’s common courtesy to be on time and I’d rather sit in my car and wait for a few minutes than to stress whilst driving. I also like to text my photographer that I am on my way just incase something happens they will know that I was heading to the shoot location. This can also give your photographer an indication if you are to be a few minutes late or if there was any surprise traffic along the way as well. As with life, nothing will go exactly to plan all of the time so if you are late, apologise and be courteous.

Enjoy your photoshoot, listen to your photographer and let them know of any concerns you may have. Hopefully you should feel comfortable with your photographer and you can relax, take good photos and have a great time. Don’t over think the process or stress about getting the perfect shot, have fun and enjoy yourself.

I have a post coming soon about how to stay safe during a photoshoot as no matter how experienced you are, sometimes things go wrong (read about my own experiences here (trigger warning: sexual assault)). This will be posted soon and I will make sure to link it here.

Note: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions and thoughts expressed are solely my own and not influenced in any way. There are no affiliate links and I do not benefit from any link clicks or purchases made.