In the age of Instagram influencers, selfies and the high-definition red carpet, the idea of “styling” models and images has become ubiquitous. But what does a professional stylist actually do?

A wardrobe or prop stylist, working with a creative team that usually includes a photographer and art director, conjures a vision and then brings it to life. The final result — whether seen on a person, a billboard or in a fashion magazine — is coordinated to convey a brand message or tell a story utilizing clothing, hair, makeup, accessories and poses. Done well, the effect is effortless — and memorable.

Natalie Smith’s advanced fashion styling class at City College of San Francisco is one local avenue for aspiring stylists to explore the field. Smith — a freelance fashion show producer who co-produced the Macy’s Passport fashion show for 21 years — has been teaching the styling course at City College since 2012. Last semester, Smith charged her students with creating a four-page editorial spread, to run in a journalistic publication with the purpose of conveying a story and resonating with a non-fashion reader/viewer.

“You may wear many hats such as Art Director, Prop Stylist, Hair/Makeup Stylist, Photo Editor,” the assignment warned. Additionally, students needed to include one female and one male model; a DIY prop or accessory; a mood board to illustrate the story concept; a timeline and budget; and a credits list. The grade was based on “how well (the) editorial spread conveys a succinct fashion story and your overall presentation.”

Here are six standouts that offer a window into how these students see the Bay Area, and excerpts from their accompanying write-ups of the project.

YELIZ DENIZ

Title: Burning Man Style

Inspiration: “Burning Man has a very unique and creative fashion style. If you thought festival style was impressive, you’re about to see that Burning Man is a completely different ball game — from goggles to glitter and striking stomping boots.”

Behind the shoot: “I decided to create my glitter hats for Burning Man last year, and I made 10 of them (with) many different color of sequins.” Deniz and the male model’s outfit were black, and because the weather wasn’t sunny, the pictures were edited to emphasize cool colors and make Deniz’s hats pop. The photo shoot location was Baker Beach, site of the first Burning Man in 1986.

Models: Yeliz Deniz and Kent McAleese

CARLIE LOUISE WILLIAMS

Title: Movement in the City

Subtitle: “The city is always moving, and so are we”

Inspiration: “Amid the hustle and bustle of the city (are) the people that are vital to creating and maintaining its character; those who inspire others with their poise, with what they wear, and with how they move. They are always hopping from one bus stop to another, whether to run a simple errand, go out on the town, or accomplish something great. In what most would call a bus ride to be mundane, there are a few gems that shine bright on what San Francisco is all about. They are artistic individuals that live and breathe the city. They work through the trials and errors of living in the concrete jungle, and they do it with undeniable style. It is those individuals — the ones that catch a person’s eye on a crowded cable car —that fulfill the unique, expressive and artistic charm that is San Francisco.”

What she learned: “I learned that you should make sure your model is not wearing the clothes that you plan to return while she is getting her makeup done! I also learned that planning earlier than later was the perfect choice, because the rain delayed our itinerary significantly. Another major thing I wish I had thought of sooner was to submit an application for a permit to shoot on BART.”

Models: Thomas Demauriea Goward and Candice Liang; makeup artist Imani Goodwin

NINA VO

Title: Transvisual

Subtitle: “Self-Love. Be Your Own Person.”

Inspiration: Trans beauty empowerment. “I was listening to my wonderful professor Ardel Thomas lecture about the historic moments in the LGBTQ’s movements. It was the beginning of all the gay rights and movements. However, those stories were slowly forgotten by the younger LGBT. I was so moved by the lecture and decided I needed to do something to share this to the public. What can I do? Then, I saw a CCSF alumni’s works featured on i-D magazine. I thought to myself, ‘If she can use her skills to explore her cultures to the public, I could do the same to my community, too.’ Hence, this project came into shape. ... We are not professional but we did what others can’t: We give the community a chance to shine, the visibility to the public eyes and surpass our limitation (and objection).”

About the look: “An in-your-face contrast of beautiful humans against the broken politic, the chaos and the laws.” Shot near Aunt Charlie’s Lounge.

Model: Alida Pepper

OLESYA FEFELOVA

Title: A Day in the East Bay

Inspiration: “You wake up in your snug bed, and it is another sunlit morning in Lafayette. While you are making breakfast, you are joyful and happy. You take BART to go to work or grab your puppy and drive to Paso Nogal Park to hike among its beautiful wooded hills or simply enjoy a stunning view of the bay. Everything is possible in East Bay! Someone might think that the city and the Bay Area are the same thing. Only living here you can tell the difference.”

Behind the shoot: “I was not just a stylist, but also a photographer. My photographer agreed to be a model and she retouched the pictures after. The most challenging (element) was to find the locations, find time convenient for everyone, teach my dog how to pose and to make it all work at the end.”

Model: Eugene Vasilenko

MADRID QUESADA

Title: Back to Work

Inspiration: “I wanted to bring back the old San Francisco feel. I began to look at photographs from the 1900s through the 1950s. I especially fancied the workwear of men’s clothing during that time and wanted to show how those cuts and silhouettes are still relevant in today’s fashion. There is something so beautiful in the construction of older/vintage clothing. I liked showing the longevity of durable clothing and how both men and women can incorporate those styles into their daily attire even to this day.”

About the look: “I decided to pull clothing that had a timeless feel. For the DIY element I utilized a newspaper of The Chronicle to make a lunch bag as a prop for the workers to bring in a fun interaction. All the clothing was either pulled from my own personal archive or bought from Goodwill. I wanted to show how you can still be fashionable and budget-friendly with spending only a grand total of $88 on needed accessories and clothing. The clothing included local brands such as Gap, Levi’s, Timbuk2 and Banana Republic.”

Behind the shoot: “We were scheduled to shoot Nov. 19 from 3-5:30, and that’s exactly how it went. Because everything was so well planned out and prepared ... the schedule went just as planned. I made sure to give myself and my team plenty of time to understand and explain the feeling I wanted so that everyone was on the same page.”

Models: Lianesse Quesada and Geoffrey Quesada (stylist’s sister and father); makeup artist Lolita Mendez.

LUIS GUERRERO

Title: Fun & Adventure

Inspiration: “I started noticing more women between (their) 20s and 50s are wearing clothes and accessories that are more comfortable. I see boots, warm sweaters, comfortable pants and sometimes elegant and business wear for meeting up at a cafe during wintertime. They like getting together to stop by for coffee, talk about different subjects and walk together outside to take pictures of themselves.”

Behind the shoot: “One of my models knows signs (Guerrero is deaf) and helped with interpreting for me, and she was able to share and communicate messages between me and my photographer. Most of the time, I used my phone to communicate (via text) with my photographer during break time.” The models did not want their names used.

Laura Compton is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: lcompton@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @lauracompton