Being a beauty queen requires you to be in front of the camera a lot, and often you may find yourself in many instances in which you are under prepared. But preparing for a photoshoot is relatively easy once you know how. I like to bring along certain things so I am in control.

In about a month or so, I will be handing my crown over to the new Miss Earth Singapore 2010 and I got to meet the girls a second time around at a photo shoot just recently. I thought as reigning queen I’d share with them some tips on how to prepare for a photoshoot, especially since some of them may be first time pageant contestants. I’m no expert but this is how to prepare for a first photo shoot from my personal experience.

1) Makeup
Although most well-organised photoshoots would have a makeup artist around to do your makeup and follow you on set, it’s still advisable to bring your personal basic make up kit to do touch-ups. Sometimes shoots involve lots of waiting and especially if there are loads of girls around, you might not be able to get your turn till much later. So spare yourself the waiting and do your own touch up with your own makeup.

2) Hairspray
The same goes for hairspray. Once the stylist is done with your hair, you may get just the slightest bit of flyaway hair. If it’s something you can fix yourself, why wait? Just whip out your hairspray and smooth that strand of hair away to look perfectly made up in a jiffy. Preparing yourself for a photo shoot is of utmost importance to getting good photos.

photo credits: Brad Lau Outfit: Dress Sense Raffles City

3) A gorgeous dress
Clothes maketh a man just as they maketh a photo. Getting the appropriate outfit that fits your shoot theme is just as important as getting the right hair and make up. Imagine turning up for a bikini shoot in a rocker outfit, or a high fashion shoot in a Halloween costume. If the theme is casual chic, a little black dress is always safe. But if the theme is classy, then opt for a long flowing floor length dress that best accentuates your curves in all the right areas.

4) Skin coloured/nude underwear
Now, this is a definite must have in the things to bring for a photo shoot. As much as we like lace, frills and all things cute, it’s not something you want to subscribe to when wearing a fashionable figure hugging dress. A visible panty line is not in fashion and probably won’t be for the next 20 years. Stick with a seamless thong and keep your underwear as close to your skin colour as possible. If you really must bare it all, use nipple tape or them nude sticky bras which we affectionately call “chicken fillets”.

5) Body glitter/moisturizer
A little bit of sparkle never did anyone any harm. In fact, it’s puts a little dazzle into your photos. I like to moisturise well before I step into the studio, but bringing a bottle of body lotion to the studio works just as well. Keeping your skin smooth, soft and well moisturized before and during the shoot helps even out your skin tone and give you a flawless finish. If you have a glittering body moisturiser, even better! It’s a two-in-one!

6) Safety pins
Safety pins are great for improvisation. Sometimes when outfits dont exactly fit or a seam tears and you dont have the time to stitch it up, safety pins are your best bet. No one carries a sewing kit around all the time. You might want to put a sewing kit onto your list next time when preparing for your first photo shoot, but safety pins do the trick just as well, if not faster. Safety pins also help to tuck in loose clothes ends. Used creatively, you could even change the way an entire outfit looks!

There you have it. Some essential items I must have with me whenever I go for a photo shoot. Preparing for a photo shoot may seem like a lot of work, but hey, no one ever said it was easy being beautiful. If you’ve got a shoot scheduled in time to come, I hope this list helps you. Otherwise, pray tell me, what are some of the items you bring along for a photoshoot?