Welcome back to my blog! Today we’re talking about How to Prepare for a Photoshoot!
So you’ve booked a photoshoot and don’t know what to do next. First off, congratulations on booking a photoshoot and giving yourself the best gift you can. Having pictures taken of you or for you is the best thing you can do for yourself. Photos freeze moments in time so you can hold onto them forever.
But now what? How do you prepare for a shoot so you look and feel your best in your pictures? Let me give you some tips and tricks so your pictures look the best they can and you feel good doing the shoot!
Thankfully, preparing for a photoshoot is pretty easy and doesn’t take a whole lot of time. How you feel about yourself holds all the power for how the pictures will turn out. These are the tips I send my clients to help them feel the best about themsevles.
Start using moisturizer on your hands, face, and skin about a week before your shoot. Doing a face exfoliation at least once the week of your shoot wouldn’t hurt either. Mainly, you don’t want dry skin flakes popping up anywhere. Unless you have a skin condition and can’t really help it.
Using chapstick a week before your session helps a lot too, especially living in place like Montana where the climate is really dry. Lipstick and lip gloss doesn't look good on dry, cracking lips. It’s not always easy editng that stuff out.
When it comes to picking an outfit for your shoot, avoid wearing shirts/clothes that have a big or bold logo printed on them. Avoid outfits that have too many distracting patterns on them. Unless you’re doing a shoot that's styled with bright, neon colors, avoid wearing bright neon colors.
Pick an outfit that fits you well and makes you feel good and confident. I wouldn’t recommend going out and buying a new outfit unless you know it fits you well and makes you feel good. Try to get all the wrinkles out of your clothes. If you have a lint roller, use that at least once before you leave the house.
Make sure you wear colors that go well and compliment each other. You can pick colors that match the season you’re shooting in or colors that match the location of your session.
If you’re doing a boudoir or bikini style shoot, wear loosing fitting clothes to your shoot to prevent any clothes indents on your skin.
If you have the time, maybe try out how you want to do your hair and makeup for the shoot so you’ll know how long it’ll take you and make sure you like it. If you decide to get your hair and makeup done professionally for your shoot, schedule extra time for that just in case it takes longer than expected.
If you’re doing family photos with little kids, like toddlers age, make sure you pick a time to shoot for after their nap and they’ve had a snack. If a kid is cranky or not really feeling it, it’s hard to get them onboard with completing the shoot.
Bring snacks with you to the shoot so you have some motivation for the kids. One thing I’ve noticed with kids, they can usually handle a 30 minute shoot, at most 45 minute. After about 30 minutes kids are over it.
If you’re shooting with your puppers, try to either take them for a walk or run them before your shoot so they aren’t too hyper and spastic at your shoot. Pups tend to listen better after they’ve been exercised.
If you remember, try to bring treats, a squeaker or their favorite toy to the shoot to help them stay motivated or do what we’re wanting them to do.
You want to drink plenty of water the day before your shoot and the morning of. If you can, also try to get a good nights sleep to help prevent puffy eyes.
When you pull up to your shoot, take everything out of your pockets, especially any big, bulky items. If you have any hair ties on your wrist take them off, same with your Apple Watches. Unless your photographer said it’s fine to leave them on.
If you’re using any props, pick them out and set them aside the night before so you don’t have to waste time the day of getting them together.
The last thing I tell people is to stand in front of the mirror in your best superhero pose for about 30 seconds. You’d be surprised how doing something like this will make you feel good and confident with yourself. It empowers you in a way. If you’re still feeling a little nervous about the shoot, shake it out. Haha. I know it sounds silly, but jumping around and wiggling your body helps get nervous energy out of your body and helps give you happy energy.
Spring Colors
Summer Colors
If you’re doing a fun, creative shoot all these tips listed above will help you prepare for that. Make sure you have everything planned out at least a couple days before your shoot so you have plenty of time to prepare the shoot setup or gather props. If you’re doing your hair or makeup in a way you don’t normally do it, I’d recommend practicing your hair and makeup beforehand.
Make sure you and your photographer have completely communicated on every part of the shoot so you’re both on the same page. It can really put a damper on your shoot if you’re expecting the pictures to look a certain way, and the photographer is thinking something different for your photos.
There’s no such thing as over-communicating with your photographer, in my opinion. Yes, you’re hiring them for their style, skills, and talent, but at the end of the day, these are your photos. They should look how you want them to look. The only thing we can’t control at a shoot is the weather and lighting if you’re using natural light. But if you do all these other things I’ve mentioned, you’re photos should turn out well!
Some extra things you can do to feel extra ready for your shoot is check out some poses you might like on Pinterest or Google. Share them with your photographer so you guys are both on the same page with posing. The photographer will probably send or share some poses with you as well.
Bring some water or something to drink during your shoot. Some of the poses or prompts the photographer wants you to do can make you thirsty, especially if they’re wanting you to do moving propmpts or pick someone up and spin them around.
Fall Colors
Winter Colors
If you’re shooting at a location you’ve never been to, if you have the time go check it out so you know exactly where to go. If you don’t have the time to check it out, at least look up where it is online so you know how long it’ll take to get there. Maybe leave a little early to give yourself a buffer if there's traffic or if you guys need to make a quick stop.
Don’t be scared to ask the photographer to see the photos as you’re shoot is going on. It’ll help give you an idea of how the pictures are looking and it can give you a chance to tell the photographer if you’re liking what youre seeing or not.
It’ll save your photographer a lot of time with editing if you do these tips for your next photoshoot, which will get your gallery back to you faster.
I hope this helps you feel prepped and ready for your next photoshoot! If there are any tips or tricks you’ve done for a shoot that I’ve missed, please leave them in the comments!
Have a great day! ✨
