Top Tips

·       Double check your gear! Spare batteries, lens cloth, spare SD card, charged phone. Everything working in tip top condition?

·       Assemble your posse! You don’t have to do this alone. Bring a friend, bring family, link up with other competitors. Having a posse means you get more ideas, models to use, company, moral support, encouragement.

·       Brainstorm ideas; try more than one and see what image works best. There is no right or wrong answer!

·       Wear high heels! No, seriously, don’t wear high heels, wear something comfy. But by all means bring some high heels because that may get you “that shot” for that tricky topic…

·       Have a prop box; a pack of cards, sticky tape, post-its, clothes pegs, dice, googly eyes, Sharpie, whatever you think might help.

·       Stay hydrated! Your brain works better when it’s well-hydrated, and you’ll have more energy.

·       Check the weather forecast. It can rain in Oxford in July, but it can also be sunny. Who knows what weather we will get.

·       Embrace imperfection: try to keep on schedule or your last images get rushed.

·       Enjoy yourself!

·       Be an ambassador for photographers – if you get a negative reaction somewhere public, just move on.