How to shoot a lookbook that a brand can actually use

By Mariya Harley · London · updated August 2026

The three-frame rule per look

Full length shows the cut and the proportion; a mid frame shows how it is styled; a close frame shows the fabric and the finish. A lookbook missing the close frames looks cheap, because fabric is what a buyer is assessing when they cannot touch it.

Consistency is the whole job

Same light, same background, same camera height across every look. A lookbook is judged as a sequence: one frame lit differently breaks the series, however good it is on its own. Mark the floor for where the model stands and do not move the camera between looks.

Sequencing and timing

Order the looks from lightest to darkest, so exposure changes move one way. Allow fifteen to twenty-five minutes per look including the change — under fifteen and the last looks get four frames each. A half-day of four hours realistically covers six to eight looks properly.

Preparation that saves the shoot

Steam everything the night before; creases cost more in retouching than in ironing. Bring clips and pins — garments are photographed on a body they were not cut for, and a clip at the back is standard practice. Shoot a colour reference card at the start so the fabric colour can be matched accurately later.

What the brand needs afterwards

Verticals as well as horizontals, at least three frames with clear copy space, and a consistent crop across the set. Agree the usage rights in writing before the shoot — what the images may be used for, where, and for how long is a commercial term, not a technical one.