A Day in the Life of a photo Shoot : Interior Stylists Version

You see the perfectly styled shots on the pages of glossy interiors magazines and trending interiors all over Instagram. But behind every beautiful image is a long, often chaotic day (or three) that would make even the most seasoned stylist raise an eyebrow. So today, I’m pulling back the curtain to show you exactly what it’s really like on shoot day. Unfiltered, unapologetic, and very much fuelled by caffeine – lots of caffeine – and maybe a Dr Pepper or two!.

04:55 – Alarm. NO Snooze. Alarm. Coffee.

If I had a pound for every time I’ve set a shoot alarm (or 4) before 5am I’d have a whole warehouse full of props by now (that’s the dream by the way- not having everything squeezed into a small garage!)

The day always starts before sunrise because by the time the car is loaded, traffic has been battled, flowers are bought and the team has arrived, it’s already 8.30am.

But first breakfast. It’s going to be a while before I get to the shoot location and second breakfast and as I’m a coffee and porridge first thing kinda gal breakfast comes first.

05:20 Car Tetris

Packing the car is both an art and a science. Cushions are often squashed into the footwell of back seats that have been put down. Glassware mustn’t rattle, and there must always be a path to the emergency snacks. Props, plinths, backdrops, and a ton of foliage are squeezed into every last inch. I’ve often said if I wasn’t a stylist, I’d be a removals expert. Shoots feel like you’re moving house every time.

Don’t forget the tool box! Which is full of scissors, tape, ribbons and more. I bury mine under props so no-one thinks to break into my car expecting a windfall of expensive tools. They’d be dissapointed – unless they like pink hammers!

Last minute check list

tool box
Snacks – you never know when you will next eat!
Shoot drawings and shot list – on a clipboard, so they won’t get buried by props and bubblewrap and I can share the design with the team easily.
Bottle of water – hydration is key.
Directions for the location

Stylists tip. When I pull off the drive I do an emergency break to make sure all the props are settled in and aren’t going to go flying if I have to stop for real. Do all stylists do that? I’m not sure.

06:30 – Flower Market Mayhem

First stop: the flower market. We load up the blooms, and wrestle with oversized trolleys, hauling them up to the first-floor car park. It’s a workout before the workday even begins. Not forgetting to quickly return the trolley back to the stall holder before we drive-on to the shoot. It’s worth mentioning that I could drive to the flower market the day before my shoot, but as I live in South East London and most shoots involve driving past the market I do it the day of. If the shoot has more greenery than I can fit into my tiny Fiesta (don’t ask. It’s a temporary measure!) I would get my shoot courier to meet there prior to shoot day, but 9 times out of 10 I go on shoot day.

08:50 – The Set-Up Sprint Begins

We arrive at the location and the day kicks into high gear. The car is unpacked into a room we’re not shooting in and I get parked up, then we help unload the courier’s van. The set builder is briefed on what needs wallpapering, painting, or constructing.The client, photographer and assistants arrive, and I walk everyone through the plan for the day: what we’re shooting, how we’ll shoot it, and how I want everything unpacked.

The assistants begin unpacking props, ticking them off the prop hire list and flagging anything broken or missing.

09:00 – Location Arrival and Controlled Chaos

We take a tour of the whole shoot location with the home owner. This is so we can share with the photographer what we will be shooting and where before they even get their camera out. They’re often seeing the space for the first time The photographer will let us know where the light will work best for different shots and we make a plan, but first… second breakfast!

My assistant will usually use this time to take photos on their phone of how the house looks when we arrive. We’re very concious that this is where the family are living. We need to remember how the homeowner has arranged their mantle, bookshelves, side tables. We need to return everything to where we found it before we leave. These shots are usually shared in a shoot WhatsApp group.

09:30 Time to set and style

It’s photography time! I will set up the first shot. This is nearly always the longest to set up to get us in the swing of things. As soon as the first shot is styled, I move onto the next while my assistant packs away the previous set-up. It’s a constant cycle of prep, style, shoot, and switch.

10:30 – The Weird Requests Begin

“I want to do a cocktail hour moment”

“Can we shoot this kitchen range in an office set up”

“Do you have an alternative bath mat/ vase/ colour”

Shoot days always have a wildcard moment, and they rarely come with warning. Flexibility is key, and so is a solid poker face. One minute you’re styling a calm bedroom scene, the next you’re rummaging through every kitchen cupboard in the location looking for cocktail glasses, or digging into your emergency stash of props from home to make something work on the go. It’s part problem-solving, part magic trick, and always a race against the light.

13:00 – Hunger Games: Shoot Edition

Lunch is either a beautifully styled grazing board we can’t touch until the list of shots for the morning has been completed or a cold sandwich inhaled while balancing on a step ladder. There is no in-between. Hydration, however, is constant. Stylists live on tea and adrenaline.

This is why I always take snacks on a shoot. No one likes a hangry interior stylist.

14:30 – Styling Wins

There’s a point in every shoot where the magic happens. The light hits just right. The props you fell in love with work even better than you imagined. The client says, “That’s the one.” That’s the fuel that gets us through the 9 hour shuffle.

16:45 – Last-Minute Panic Shots

The golden hour is looming, the client wants just one more detail shot, and the photographer is running out of light. The broom becomes a makeshift boom arm. Someone’s holding a reflector with one hand and eating crisps with the other. You’ve styled, restyled, and shuzshed up the same throw five different ways.

Stylist tip: Always make sure you get a shot of any throw shot – be that on a sofa, armchair or bed. You will restyle a gazillion times and it will always look the best in the very first shot!

17:00 – The Great Pack Down

Once the final shot is done, the set builders return everything to its original state. Props are packed up, labelled, and prepared for return to the brand or prop hire. The courier swings by to collect everything for return the next day. My props are loaded back into my car. The location is cleaned, tidied, and left exactly as it was when we arrived.

At the beginning of the day everything comes out of the van beautifully packed. The plan going back in is to avoid a total mess. We don’t want glitter in the rug, wax on the candlesticks, or something sticky on the table – we swear it wasn’t there earlier. It’s a logistical reverse miracle.

Stylist tip: Always book shoot couriers. They come with blankets to protect props, straps to prevent boxes from flying around in the back of the van when hurtling around a roundabout, and a big smile. These guys are built different to regular couriers.

18:00 Get OUT!

Shoot locations charge a small fortune for overtime, so once the final shot is wrapped, it’s a mad dash to clear out. We double-check all rooms, fridges, and under beds for any props, lunch leftovers, or rogue vases. Those WhatsApp photos taken on arrival? Priceless for making sure everything is returned to its exact spot. And just before we leave, there’s always that familiar exchange. “I hope we left everything where we found it,” we say with a hopeful smile. “Oh, don’t worry about that,” comes the reply. Then it’s goodbye, thank you, and off into the night.

19:30 – Collapse and Debrief

Back home, the car is still half full, and the styling kit looks like it’s exploded. But the images are fab, the client is happy, and you’ve made a bit of magic with a tiny team and a lot of hustle. You know you should unpack the props and put everything away so you can start fresh tomorrow… but it’s dinner time. And that sofa never looked so inviting.

The Reality Check

Shoot days are full-on. They’re long, intense, physically demanding, creatively energising, and always unpredictable. But they’re also the best part of the job. They’re where the sparks fly, where your skills shine, and where you get to see your ideas brought to life. This is where the real magic happens—and why we wouldn’t trade it for anything.