Sustainability is a big topic, especially among Insta-influencers and their followers who want to make a difference in the world.
As a photographer, I work with many brands and individuals who want to showcase their eco-friendly habits online. In some cases, this can raise awareness for a particular issue, such as fast fashion, but often it’s just to show that these people are embracing “green” habits in their daily lives.
This guide highlights eight ideas you can consider for sustainable fashion photoshoots, from showcasing the impact of fashion waste to finding green locations.
Why Sustainability Draws Instagram Followers
Fashion is about trending styles, vibes, and looks that turn heads. But increasingly, it’s also about making ethical choices and supporting brands that do the same.
Social media users are becoming more aware of which brands follow sustainable practices, with engagement often significantly higher for companies that showcase their environmental responsibility.
As a photographer, embracing sustainability is a great way to have fun with a photoshoot while knowing that the client is likely to use them to promote something eco-friendly.
Topics like fashion waste, ethical manufacturing, and sustainable material sourcing are all big talking points likely to drive conversations on Instagram.
But you can also lean into lighter subjects, such as reclaimed or upcycled garbage, recycled fabrics, or clothes that represent other environmental topics, such as picking up litter. Use my ideas below for inspiration, and take a look at this collection of quotes to use as social media captions to help elevate Insta posts even further.
1. Fashion Ruined by Waste
Fashion waste is a hot sustainability topic, with tons of apparel and fabrics ending up in landfills each year. If your clients want to address this problem, you could work with the idea that the fashion itself has been ruined by waste.
Get your subject to wear a flashy outfit, or if you’re working with a fashion brand, something that highlights their latest range.
Now, it’s about hiding or ruining that outfit with waste and trash. Pile (clean) plastic wrappers, old grocery bags, and other items of garbage around them so that the outfit can only just be seen.
You can have them look outraged or puzzled, or simply sad. I like to take photos of the model posed in the outfit, then the same pose with garbage around, to represent the problem waste is causing to both the fashion industry and the whole world.
Avoid garbage with sharp edges like tins or broken glass, as this is a safety hazard and could cause injury to your models or damage to the clothes.
2. Drowning in Fashion Waste
Another way to highlight the damage fast fashion and fabric waste is doing is by literally surrounding your model in clothing.
For this, see if you can get your subject(s) to bring in some of their own clothes, or you can provide the additional clothes. You don’t need a massive pile, as you can create the impression of this with boxes or a frame with garments draped over them.
The reason you want to use clothes you or the model owns is that buying clothes specifically for this photoshoot contributes to fashion waste and undermines the whole point of the topic.
Position your model either sitting on a huge pile of clothes, sliding down them, or “drowning” in them with only their head or upper body showing.
It’s a powerful way of showing the damage that reliance on fast fashion can do to the environment.
3. Promoting Recycling with Simple Motifs
If recycling is the sustainability topic of choice for your fashion client, consider working with simple symbols and motifs. The classic recycling arrows on a green t-shirt, for example, offer a powerful and fast insight into the brand mindset of the Instagram influencer.
Consider several models in matching t-shirts, or if the client wants to showcase particular outfits, have them hold signs with the relevant symbols on.
You don’t just have to use this approach for recycling. Any topic that’s easily represented with a single symbol or logo can make a big impact on a high-contrast photo.
To create this contrast, I usually work with white or bright backgrounds that really make the models and their logos “pop” by comparison. If you’re on location at an event space or outdoors, look for a white or pale wall, or bring a sheet to create a mini-studio.
4. Highlight the Benefits of Fashion Donation
One of the top remedies for fast fashion is donating clothes when you’re done with them. Rather than ending up in a landfill, the garment gets a fresh lease of life.
The type of client you’re working with will determine exactly how you pose models or frame this type of shot. A non-profit involved in clothing donation may appreciate a simple shot of one person handing clothing over to another.
You may want to incorporate the organization’s logo or something that represents its values. This is where great client-photographer communication comes in handy.
For an individual highlighting their own practice of donating clothes, a shot of them walking into a thrift store or donation center is an authentic moment of genuine altruism.
I once had a client stand by a full wardrobe and then an empty wardrobe, showing how donating clothes is also a great way to reduce clutter.
5. Fashionable Litter Picking
Picking trash up off the streets or beaches is a time-honored way to give back to your community. It’s also a great photo opportunity for brands wanting to showcase their corporate responsibility, or for influencers wanting to connect more deeply with eco-conscious followers.
You can lean into the fashion aspects of the photo by having your models choose outfits that represent them or their brand. Outdoorsy, rugged looks are often great, but casual jeans and shirts are also ideal for street or beach shots.
Props are essential for this type of shot. If the subject is genuinely picking up litter, then they’ll already have a bag and some sort of tool for safely retrieving pieces of trash.
If the shot is taken in a studio, source trash bags and litter grabbers before the photoshoot. Hats, sunglasses, and other accessories are also ideal for creating a feeling of being outdoors, even if you’re not.
Litter pickup works well with multiple people. Consider one person standing or reaching for something, while another is crouched down with a bag, to add layers and interest to the photo.
6. Showcasing Fashion Upcycling
Instagram followers love a good craft photo or video. If your client is a savvy upcycler or even makes their own fashion items from scratch, capturing that is sure to get them some extra followers.
The key to these shots is showing the subject in action. Have them actually working on their latest creation while you take photos from different angles.
A close-up of the subject’s concentrating face is a popular choice. Try to frame it so you can still see what they’re creating.
A longer shot of two people working on something together can also be very impactful, even more so if you can clearly see that the item was repurposed from something else, such as a pair of jeans being turned into a vest.
I work closely with the client to set the tone for these shots. I’ll have them laughing or smiling as they work, if levity is the goal, or opt for more serious facial expressions if the post intends to dive into dissecting the topic of fast fashion.
7. Encouraging Responsible Energy Usage
Another hot topic for sustainability is reducing your carbon footprint, and a top way people can do this is by reducing their power consumption.
Photos that reflect this can help brands or influencers either highlight their own values and environmental goals or raise the topic as a talking point.
Consider having a model walking among sheets or garments hanging from a clothes line. This is a simple yet impactful representation of the benefits of skipping an electric dryer every once in a while.
These types of shots are best done on a sunny day, outdoors, with a light breeze to create movement in the fabric.
Have your model move through the garments or sheets in the direction of the wind to create fluidity that moves from one side of the shot to the other.
Consider the use of color carefully for your shot. If your model is showcasing a particular outfit or look, try to source sheets in contrasting tones to allow your subject to really stand out.
While green is a common shade for environmentally-conscious shots, neutral tones will allow your models to “pop” on camera, and sunny tones like orange and yellow will highlight the brightness of the day.
8. Embracing Green Locations
An impactful way to get your followers thinking about the environment is to take shots outdoors or in green, lush locations like hot houses or botanical gardens.
The use of plants as backgrounds and borders effortlessly creates a connection with nature that will resonate with eco-minded followers. Depending on the space you have access to, you can play around with shots from different angles, such as a model seen from above, framed by the plants at the side of a path.
Other ideas for using the natural verdancy of a location include models leaning against a tree, trailing their fingers through flowers, or running across a field.
Of course, outdoor environments don’t have to be green. Consider a photoshoot on the beach at golden hour, with the ocean as a natural backdrop.
Other natural locations could include a walk by a riverbank, a trek into the mountains, a boat trip on a lake, or a picnic in a woodland glade. Each of these locations offers chances for fashion brands and influencers to show off their favorite looks while highlighting their love of nature.
Top Tips for Holding Sustainable Photoshoots
If sustainability is your goal, make sure it’s not performative while you work. In other words, try to incorporate some sustainable practices into your photoshoot.
I like to make sure I work where there’s a water cooler and encourage subjects to bring refillable water bottles rather than buying single-use plastics. Similarly, if it’s going to be a long day, I’ll try to source meals and snacks locally to lower my carbon footprint.
Don’t drive if you can walk, unless of course you have simply too much gear to carry on foot. If you have to drive, see if you can give your clients or models a ride so you’re not contributing as much to air pollution.
Also, lean into the practice of “leaving only footprints.” If you’re working in an outdoor location, particularly if it’s a natural environment, don’t leave anything behind and take steps to avoid damage to the area.
Other tips for sustainable fashion photoshoots:
- Minimize your energy consumption where possible.
- Avoid trekking through protected outdoor areas or taking dogs or other animals into the woods during bird-nesting season.
- Use natural daylight instead of high-powered bulbs.
- Ensure your poses and props match the ethos and values of your clients.
Not all clients will be enthusiastic about sustainability, but I’ve found that many are now leveraging it as a way to improve their own branding and to gain more followers on their social channels.
Final Thoughts
Showcasing sustainable fashion topics is a sure way to grab some extra attention on Instagram and similar platforms. If you work with fashion clients, non-profits, or eco-friendly organizations and influencers, discuss their goals and values, and let those drive the direction of your photoshoots.
Source props and accessories ethically, and make sure you’re using outdoor areas responsibly. Take all trash and gear away with you so you don’t become part of the problem.
With the right mindset, you can make all your photoshoots more eco-friendly and perhaps attract more environmentally conscious fashion clients who appreciate that mindfulness.
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