To shoot fashion you need energy, patience and an amazing team.  To be honest, the conceptual and set up are first, photography is second.  Everything I do is brainstormed, written out, sketched on paper – right down to poses.  Sure, most of the time they get scratched – but I’m a very prepared anal-type person.  I think photoshoots should have a backbone – they should have your style and creativity behind it – they need to define you.  Make them your own. During/before shoots, I’m a complete technical/ quality freak – it’s something I’m trying to relax on but I strive for perfection or what I believe is perfection at least. 

Usually I come up with themes but I throw them out to my team (stylist, makeup, hair) and they build off of them and bounce ideas off of me.  A team is so important. Find people who see your vision because that’s the hardest part. Nothing is greater than brainstorming an idea and then the makeup artist taking it to the next level because she sees exactly what you see but to the next level. Also, model chemistry is crucial – no matter how amazing the photography, clothes, makeup/hair is.. if the model isn’t feeling it and it’s not there in the face – the emotion is lost.