Testing is a natural part of everyone’s career. You have to test in order to learn and adapt your skills to the latest trends, brands and styles. However, it’s easier said than done and getting a testing team together and producing a successful shoot takes time, patience and expert execution. So, here are our tops 5 tips to consider when testing:

1. Sign a testing agreement. It’s important to clarify what is going to happen after the test, when you’re going to receive the images, and really just to cover your back. Things can happen, work can get busy and you might never receive the images you were promised after the test. It’s just a way to make sure that the time you spent testing doesn’t go to waste. If you’re not sure what to include in your testing agreement you can download your own copy from our Download Centre.

2. Try to work with like-minded creatives who can see your vision. If you’re working with someone who has a completely different idea as to what theme they want the test shoot to be about it can get really tricky and awkward. You don’t want to waste your time, or others. However, if you get a great team together, you can have a really productive day, get the creative juices flowing and end up with some great shots. 

3. If you’re the one conceptualising the shoot you’ll need to do all the work. As the leader and art director it is your job to scout out the location, gather the team together, plan the storyboards and moodboards and arrange a schedule of the day. It’s your test shoot; you can’t expect others to do the hard work for you. 

4. Have a Plan B. Not to sound too pessimistic but, from experience, things go wrong (a lot!) – the weather could be awful, the model could be covered in acne, or the location might have fallen through. No matter what the problem, make sure you are prepared for anything and everything; there is nothing worse than having to call off the day after so much planning, time and effort has gone into it.  

5 SHOW UP! If someone has gone to the trouble of including you in their test shoot, the very least you can do is show up. There is nothing more disrespectful than leaving someone high and dry. This is doubly important for Photographers and Models, because without you, there is no shoot at all. Always be courteous and think of other people’s feelings, tests are a great way to build up your contact list and you don’t want to turn a friend into a foe.

We’ve made is so easy to arrange a test shoot on the site. Post your test on for free HERE & get in contact with loads of great creatives! Here’s a video to help you with the rest. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzecykmoiUo

You might also like: 
• Top 5 MIstakes When Test Shooting
• What is a Test Shoot