Our Fashion Photography Shoot in Coffs Harbour

With West Indies Wear

As we came to the end of our two day photo shoot with West Indies Wear we were all pleasantly exhausted, skin tinted pink from the summer sun and a little crispy from the relentless north-easterly winds.  Kim, owner of West Indies Wear came over to me with tears in her eyes.  She told me how incredibly happy she was to watch me shoot the final images of that campaign – the golden afternoon light illuminating our model Paige so beautifully in the gorgeous pieces of clothing Kim had designed.

A lot of work had gone into making this happen and we had finally reached the climax.   It was wonderful.  Kim and I had began planning the shoot months earlier, but Kim had been working on the collection for much longer.

Kim’s emotion reminded me what a special role I play in making people’s dreams come true.  What an amazing positing to be in!  I can’t think of anything more wonderful than being able to do that – whether it’s helping a model launch their career, a fashion designer like Kim sell the products she’d poured her heart and soul into, or anything in between.  What a privilege to be part of those journeys!

Fashion Design – A How To Description of Kim’s Journey

It was a big deal for Kim from West Indies Wear to book a photo shoot with me.  She has always shot her fashion campaigns in the Caribbean (where she used to live on a sailboat with her family), but due to a change of circumstances this was no longer an option.  We bonded over stories of the Caribbean – the paradise where you feel like you’re in a postcard but before you know it your boat has been taken over by pirates or you find yourself off the coast of Colombia with men in balaclavas waving guns in your face as they yell at you in Spanish before you had the chance to learn the language adequately (I’ll save that story for another blog post) 🙂

Kim called me last year and nervously asked if I thought we could get a “Caribbean look” if we did a photo shoot on the Mid North Coast.  Up for a challenge and ever positive I said yes, and straight away began researching locations that look tropical between Taree and Coffs Harbour.  I also started searching for models and styling ideas.  I met with Kim in Coffs harbour and over brunch we scrolled through all our ideas, collaborating and solidifying our plans.  We both walked away feeling super positive and excited about the upcoming shoot…..whenever the sample garments arrived from overseas.

You can read more about Kim’s journey to this photo shoot on her West Indies Wear blog post.

Fashion Photography in Coffs Harbour

Day 1 of our two day shoot was in Coffs Harbour.  Kim had suggested a couple of locations which I went and checked out, then researched the direction they were facing (for wind) and weather forecast.  We started on the beach at sunrise with three models, then as the sun got too high we headed for the golf course.  After a long lunch break we spent the afternoon at the Coffs Harbour jetty, making the most of the shaded area underneath and then the open beach and jetty towards sunsets.

Fashion Photography in South West Rocks

Day 2 of our two day shoot was in South West Rocks.  I knew a collection of great locations in the area already but I revisited SWR to check out the wind protection and how the water was looking.  On the perfect sunny day when I visited the water and wind was calm and it looked exactly like the Caribbean, at the main beaches.  But a few weeks later (which we had to wait for due to delayed clothing sample deliveries and model availability) the Summer north-easterly winds had kicked in.

Thanks to weather forecasts we were able to plan the shoot day to score the only sunny day of the week, but there was no escaping the wind.  We worked with it, sheltering behind rock formations, and shooting in some secret protected areas I’d scoped out.  I also used a lens filter to cut through the glare/reflections which did a lot to make the chop in the water disappear and look tranquil.

Fashion Shoot Locations Mid North Coast NSW

There are so many beautiful locations to choose from here on the Mid North Coast.  Even just in Crescent Head we are spoilt for choice, then we can head either north (Hat Head, South West Rocks, Coffs Harbour) or south (Port Macquarie, Bonnie Hills, Taree)  from here and have everything from rainforest, bush, empty beaches, cliffs, rocks….it’s awesome.  I love scouting for locations on my weekends and discovering the new places my clients suggest for shoots.

Fashion Models in Coffs Harbour and the Mid North Coast

Finding models up here on the coast can be a challenge.  Gone are the days of living in Sydney and Melbourne where you can scroll through agency websites looking for professional models with the exact look that you are seeking.

It is possible to still work with these agencies, but my clients often decide to instead look for local models (or aspiring models) themselves to save on the cost of going through agencies.  Each of the models we worked with for the West Indies Wear shoot were either inexperienced or had very limited modelling experience.  For this reason, the shoot took longer than it have with professional models who know how to move for the camera without so much guidance from myself.

Kim had searched through her personal contacts, facebook and instagram.  It took her a bit of time to contact all the girls and organise shoot dates around their other commitments, but we are both stoked with the outcome.

You can see more of my fashion photographer in my Surf Lifestyle Folio and Eco Lifestyle Folio

To see Behind The Scenes photos visit our Facebook BTS Album