How to Prepare for a Successful Photoshoot: Advice from a Stylist
As a personal stylist, I love helping clients get ready for their photoshoots. Whether it’s remotely or for an in-person experience, I love hyping up my clients and making them feel like a celebrity in the front of the camera.
Growing up, I was always that friend who would encourage my friends to dress up and I’d take pictures of them. This was even before Instagram was a big thing, and we’d upload them to Facebook. For my 16th birthday, my high school friends and I even did the whole Glamour Shots experience.
My love for photoshoots grew more once I had professional experience assisting on a couple of photoshoot for my fashion marketing internship and celebrity PR internships. You can learn more about my professional background and how it evolved into a career as a personal stylist on episode 2 of my podcast, Dress to Manifest.
Photoshoots are so much fun, but they can be a nerve-wracking experience. I remember the night before my very first photoshoot - when I was an aspiring fashion influencer before my stylist journey - I had a panic attack. I’d done photoshoots before, but none that required the identity shift of being the face of my own personal brand. I’m so happy I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and found a lot of creative fulfilment and confidence on the other side: I’ve done over 10 photoshoots at this point, and I have learned a lot from each one of them.
Energy reads in pictures, so the number one thing you need is confidence. There are so many things that can happen during a photoshoot day that can make us feel dysregulated, so what helps support confidence is a feeling of preparedness and readiness. Read on to find out how I help my Photoshoot Ready VIP clients get ready for their brand photoshoots!
Tips for preparing for a photoshoot:
Set intentions for the photoshoot. Reflect on how you’re celebrating this present moment and what you’re inviting into your life next. This could be personal and business milestones. This makes the experience it more memorable and special, and acts as a time capsule of sorts to look back on.
Incorporate your branding. This doesn’t always need to be about brand colors. This about how do you want to feel/ How do you want your audience to feel? What colors or styles reflect that and support your intentions?
Prepare and try on outfits in advance. Down to every item, mix and match what you want to be wearing and when. I create a Photoshoot Ready Guide for my clients with all their outfits, and you can make one yourself on Canva so that you have an idea of what you’ll be wearing in each shot or location.
Have cushion time for tailoring or altering your clothes ahead of time. You don’t want to be caught out by delays and having to quickly come up with alternative outfits that feel rushed or don’t resonate with your personal style.
Research your poses. Look up different poses you want to do so that you don’t get flustered on the day. Refer to the intentions set for the photoshoot to help guide which poses you’ll do. It’s also important to think of which pose would fit each outfit (for example, crouching in stretchier pants vs a dress or leather pants).
Create a checklist of items you’ll need the day of. For example, specific underwear for each outfit, fashion wipes, fashion tape, safety pins, pop-up dressing room or windshield cover + towels with garment clips to pin up.
Pack everything up the night before. So that you don’t have to rush the morning of. I use a garment rolling bag and put everything on hangers to pack up so it doesn’t wrinkle, and I also bring a mini steamer just in case.
Create a beautiful ambiance for yourself the morning of. Get yourself hyped up with a playlist of your favorite music that makes you feel-good (something special I do for my clients), and make sure you treat yourself to your favorite coffee or tea.
Make sure to eat and drink plenty of water. Bring water and snacks with you, umbrellas or coats in case it rains, or a fan in case it gets hot.
The art of preparing for a successful photoshoot extends far beyond just choosing the right outfit and striking a pose. It's a journey of self-discovery, self-expression, and ultimately, self-confidence. As I've guided countless clients through this transformative experience, I've come to realize that a photoshoot is not just about capturing a moment; it's about harnessing your energy, aligning with your intentions, and embracing the power of embodiment.
Above all, setting intentions and careful planning is what will lead you to a seamless, stress-free photoshoot. These elements, when combined with an ambiance of self-love and nourishment, empower you not only to shine in front of the camera but also to carry the transformative essence of your photoshoot with you in your day-to-day life. Embrace these principles, and your photoshoots will become pivotal moments of self-discovery, empowerment, and authentic embodiment.
Have an upcoming photoshoot that you’re feeling overwhelmed by? Does your current style not feel reflective of your personal brand or current stage of your life’s journey? Is the idea of posing in front of a camera daunting, rather than exciting? Consider working with me on my Photoshoot Ready package!
Together, we’ll narrow down the intention you want to bring to this photoshoot to reflect where you are in life, curate a selection of outfits that embody confidence and ease, and gather everything you need in your own custom Photoshoot Ready Guide so you can feel prepared & refer to it during your shoot! Click here to learn more here.
