044 - 9 Steps for Planning your Next Styled Photo Shoot
Styled shoot. The term is heavily used in the wedding photography industry to describe when a photographer arranges a photoshoot to build portfolio shots to speak to a specific clientele. These styled shoots can involve many steps and people, but they are an integral tool for photographers to find clientele and to show off what they can do. Today we’re going to give you nine steps to help you plan your next or your first styled photoshoot.
Before we get into the steps, though, I thought I would tell you why styled shoots are so important. So styled shoots are borrowed from fashion photography and implemented in wedding photography. They can help you show off a new style, dive deep into a new concept, connect with venues and other vendors, and can help you embark on a new photography path. With all that said, styled shoots aren’t just for the wedding industry anymore. They can be integral for anyone looking to do any type of photography. Are you looking to work with brands? Do action-adventure work? Then you can also set up a styled shoot to show off how you would create images. In fact, doing a styled shoot may be the only way you can get regular paying jobs from brands or adventurers because they first need to trust you can create the work. And a styled shoot will give you the shots you need for your portfolio.
Alright, so how exactly do you go about setting up a styled shoot?
Step 1: Choose a Concept
This is the critical stage where you decide what it is you are going to photograph and why. Most wedding photographers will set up a styled shoot to represent their brand or a new style they want clients to see. So think about what you want to show off in your photography in the concept. Do you want to do a rock climbing shoot with women in lingerie (this is an actual advertising photoshoot that happened with professional climbers)? Or a backpacking wedding? Maybe a unique car shoot. Let your creativity run while keeping in mind the purpose of the photos in the end.
Step 2: Put Together a Mood Board
Once you’ve chosen a concept, start putting together your mood board. Mood boards are significant for understanding the style, location, outfits and feel of the shoot. The mood board is where you bring together your concept and start putting together images that represent it. Look for photos that feel right for the shoot (airy, dark, bohemian, high fashion, etc.), the type of location you’d want, colour scheme, lighting, mood, and of course, the theme. You can even include specific types of shoots (poses, details, etc.).
I would suggest using Pinterest for this as you can easily find and save everything in one location, and it is super easy to share with any other participants in the shoot. There is also a ton of content on there that can serve as great inspiration. Just don’t get lost in a Pinterest hole!
Step 3: Start Putting Together Your Team
Styled shoots require a few people to pull off. At the minimum, it’s you and your model. But typically, you will also want an assistant, a makeup/hair stylist, and an additional model for some diversity in people, poses, and shots. This can be a daunting task, as you are now starting to ask people to put out their own time to work on this project with you.
Before asking someone to get involved, do a few things first. Take a look at their work online and make sure it matches up with your concept and aesthetic. Look at who their target audience is and make sure the styled shoot and the photos it will produced will benefit them and their portfolios. Finally, put together a comprehensive email that includes the concept, a link to your mood board, and some details on how doing this styled shoot will benefit them.
Alright, so let’s quickly talk about the people on your team and how to approach them, starting with your model.
Models are paid to look great in videos and photos. And getting great ones for your styled shoot can be expensive but well worth your cost. That being said, if you are on a tight budget, you can get people to model for free. Here are a couple of ways. Put a call out on your own personal social media, looking for people to model in exchange for the picture usage rights. Often, someone is looking to get into modelling or a friend of someone’s, and you may get lucky and find just the right talent who is available the day of your shoot. Another way is to call up a local modelling school (if there is one near you) and ask if any students need tests done or are looking for portfolio work. They may be able to help you out. Finally, if you have some photogenic friends who fit the style you are looking for in this shoot, they may be able to help you out. The key here, though, is having friends who look good in front of the camera. Styled shoots are there for you to show off your work at its very best, and you can’t have people who feel uncomfortable in front of the camera. One of the keys to all of these efforts is to make sure you ask, not demanding or assuming, but merely asking if anyone is interested.
Alright, the stylists now. Stylists can also be incredibly expensive, but the truly great ones are once again worth it. However, if you are shooting on a budget, you can find some stylists who will work for the usage rights to the photos or who will charge just a minimum kit usage fee (the cost of their makeup and whatnot) along with the photo usage. An excellent place to look for this is beauty schools, where students need to practice their craft. The key here again is to make sure you are asking and not demanding.
Finally, your assistant. This can be anyone you know who is willing to come and help you take photographs for the session. Someone who can hold a reflector, carry some gear, and just generally be helpful on the day. I love having my wife along for shoots because she is so attuned to specific little details that I may miss, and she will frequently let me know. It’s great to have an assistant who can help out with the small things.
Step 4: The Location
Once you’ve started putting together your team, you need to find a location to do the shoot. Typically, and especially for the style of photography most of us do, these styled shoots will take palace outdoors. You need to choose a location that is accessible for everybody involved in the shoot. And one that also matches your aesthetic. I love using Google Image searches to find beautiful locations as well as Street View. Private places (like hotels, some gardens, convention centres, etc.) may be willing to provide you with space for free for the use of the images in their advertising. Others may charge you a nominal fee. Public locations may sound cheaper, but there are a couple of things to think about. Are you allowed to run commercial photoshoots there, or do you need a licence to shoot? Check with the local government because you may need a permit. Are there going to be a lot of tourists or other people to contend with? It may not be a bad thing, just something to think about. Is the location actually on public land, or is it private land? Double-check where you are going.
Step 5: Put Together a Timeline
This is a critical if often overlooked, step. Have a full timeline for the day of the shoot.
Include where and when everyone needs to arrive. Allow time for travel into locations, hair and makeup, outfit changes, redoing some shots, and food and water breaks. Then send this out to the whole team to make sure everyone knows what is happening.
Step 6: Put Together Your Shot List
It’s so easy to get carried away when shooting and just leaning into the moment shooting everything. Or, you can simply forget a shot that you need to get. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself when you have many other things to think about and create a shot list. Shot lists are a general list of the type of images you want and need to get. Think about specific details, poses, etc. This isn’t exactingly detailed; it’s just there to make sure you don’t finish the shoot and then think, oh no, we needed this one shot.
Step 7: Arrange for Food and Drink
This is also often overlooked, but I always make sure to have something small for people. Bottles of water, some little snacks. Nothing remarkable but something to keep everyone happy and chipper throughout the whole shoot.
Step 8: The Shoot!
Finally, you arrive on the big day. Relax, have fun, and enjoy this fantastic project that you’ve put together.
Step 9: Delivery
This is one of the final steps. Edit up the images and get them out to your team members. If you are shooting for everyone’s portfolios, then let them know it’s ok to share on social media and ensure to tag everyone involved. If you are submitting the images to publications (magazines, blogs, etc.), get those off quickly and make sure everyone knows they can’t post them on social just yet. A lot of publications will want first publishing rights for some shoots. So make sure you don’t miss an opportunity by sharing stuff early. Once you do get published, share that everywhere!
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