If you’ve been blogging for any amount of time, you know how crucial it is to have good photographs. It’s how you present your business to the world, it’s how brands pick you for campaigns and it’s how followers decide if they’re going to follow you or not.
A lot of work goes into a blog photoshoot. You need props (see our 8 favorites), outfits, a photographer (here’s how to find and work with one), locations, editing, the list goes on and on. Today, we thought we’d share the essential tips that help us when we’re preparing for a blog photoshoot.
How To Prepare For A Blog Photoshoot
Find inspiration!
Whether you draw inspiration from Instagram or Pinterest, save photos on your phone to get inspired by. Also, share these with your photographer so they are aligned with your vision. It’s best to be on the same page.
Determine the amount of time you and your photographer can shoot for.
Having clear start and end times is key to good communication. I have found that I can squeeze in 5 or so full outfits in an hour with my photographers. Yet, I try to get multiple blog posts and pieces of content for Instagram that go beyond just five looks.
Scout a location that works for your photo story and aesthetic.
Keep in mind where you’ll change! And yes, many bloggers and influencers are just changing in their cars. That is the reality of the influencer industry. You can always try a changing pop up tent like this!
When scouting a location, you may want to find a place that has various backdrops so you can get a multitude of looks and vibes for your shoot. Taking every single photo in front of the same spot will get old quick. Switch things up and try different angles of the same spot, and find locations that have lots of options nearby.
Keep lighting in mind.
Depending on your personal brand and vibe, you may or may not want to shoot in direct sunlight. So be mindful of the time of day you’re shooting at and where. Dusk and dawn are great times to shoot that have softer light that can help to keep your photos looking more consistent. And overcast can help create a more consistent look and won’t be harsh creating lots of shadows that may make it difficult to edit. If you’re planning to shoot somewhere new, check out the location at the time you plan to shoot to better prepare.
Come up with the content you need to shoot for and create an initial plan.
If you’re a fashion blogger, laying things out is helpful so you can see what flows into the next look easily. For example, you may be able to style your jeans 2 different ways and there’s no point in taking them off and putting them back on. Maybe you want to shoot in two locations, is there a set of things you want to shoot at location A versus location B? Keep it all organized so you can create a plan.
Don’t forget about the sponsored content you need to shoot! I like to always do this first to ensure we get what we need and don’t feel rushed.
And if you’re a food blogger working with a photographer, or just having a big shoot day, you’ll want to come up with a plan on what you want to shoot with which props. The more organized you can get, the better!
Create a shot list.
No matter what your content vertical is, a shot list is KEY! Make a list of all the things you want to shoot down to the detail shots you need to get.
As a fashion blogger myself, I recommend putting your shot list in order of how you’ll style your looks. Arrange things in an order that’s most efficient (like those same jeans back to back!). Also, I like to put notes on my list to remind myself to swap out earrings or add a different lipstick. This can help me stay on top of everything as it somehow always feels a bit frantic.
In my shot list, I also like to put any notes like “get a video of this” or “get a close up shot of the packaging”. You don’t want to get home and realize you forgot something. So making a detailed list is essential.
This is also why I always put the most important content first. A shoot can easily take up more time than you expect, so knock out those crucial content pieces first.
Think outside the blog post.
I like to maximize my time when working with photographers. Can you create a fun photo with some of the items you’re packing for your shoot to create all new content? For example, if you’re shooting a bunch of looks with sweaters, can you stack them nicely and take some fun photos with them as additional imagery for your blog or social channels? And maybe use that content for a sweater guide, or how to care for your sweaters and so on. It can take just a few seconds and you’ve created a whole new bit of content for your blog and social channels. I am always trying to think of stock images or fun photos I can take that can be used beyond the specifically intended look.
Always thinking about making extra content will allow you to maximize your time and also provide you with lots of options. I have used photos from many years ago in blog posts or newsletters or social posts. And this is all thanks to over shooting and thinking outside that one outfit or one recipe I’m making. You can even plan a photoshoot to do just that. I’ve done photoshoots of just being at home to get lots of stock home content. Or head to the airport with a suitcase to snap a variety of stock travel photos you can share.
How do you prep for a blog photoshoot? Share with us in a comment below!
