Inside a National Day shoot: one day, three looks, forty people

The day began at 5 a.m. at a heritage site in Diriyah, after weeks spent securing the necessary permits. The first golden light was the reason for the early call: the creative director wanted the mud-brick walls to glow warm before the sun grew harsh.

The team behind the camera

The final image may look simple, but a whole team stands behind it: two photographers and lighting assistants, a stylist, two hair and make-up artists, a line producer, a location coordinator, a video crew filming short clips for social media, plus transport and catering staff and six models.

• Look one: white thobes and ghutras with green accents, shot at sunrise.
• Look two: abayas with embroidery inspired by Sadu patterns, shot in the shade of the alleys.
• Look three: group family portraits in festive outfits in the late afternoon.

Managing time and heat

Outdoor shooting stopped completely between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The team moved into an air-conditioned tent to shoot product and detail shots while the models rested and the looks were reset.

The hardest thing about National Day campaigns is that everyone loves green. Our job is to show it in a way people have not seen before. — the campaign's creative director

What makes talent stand out on a day like this?

• Arriving early and being ready to switch quickly between looks.
• Patience during the waits, which are longer than most people expect.
• Listening carefully to direction and applying it without needing it repeated.
• Team spirit and respect for everyone, from the photographer to the driver.

The day ended at sunset with more than 1,800 raw frames, of which 24 were chosen for the final campaign. A few days before National Day, the images went up on billboards in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.

If you take part in a seasonal campaign, add the published images to your profile with the client and the occasion. They are among the most convincing things casting teams see the following season.