Ready, Set, Shoot: What to Do Before Your Photoshoot to Ensure Great Results
The anticipation before can photoshoot can be exciting or nerve-wracking. If you need headshots but have never been in front of a camera before, or if you want to start modeling but are still inexperienced, going into a shoot can be scary. Here are some tips for those of you who may not know what to expect before a photo shoot with me or any other photographer you don't know.
TIP 1
Your hair and makeup should be natural and comfortable, so no need to spend too much time on it. I want the focus to be on you, your features, and your natural beauty. Dramatic makeup can be fun for more creative or editorial photoshoots but go over it with the photographer first. Most of the time they will prefer a natural look.
On a rare occasion, (or in my case pretty often) acne or other blemishes will pop up at the worst possible time, usually right before your photo shoot. Don't sweat it! Small blemishes are easy to touch up in photoshop. As the photographer and editor, I won't alter your face, looks, or body shape, but I don't mind editing out a fresh pimple or acne scars. If there is something bothering you, just bring it up with the photographer, and typically they can easily fix it in post-processing.
If you are not comfortable or are worried about doing your own makeup, I work with local makeup artists, so if you give me advance notice, I can bring one with me or connect you to a makeup artist who will do your makeup for you before the shoot.
TIP 2
Posing can be intimidating. As soon as a camera is pointing at you, it is easy to freeze up and forget how to stand and move normally. If this is worrying you, find some pictures on Pinterest with poses you like or that might be flattering to you and practice them in the mirror so you can feel them out. Some poses may feel awkward when you are doing them, but through a mirror or camera, they look more natural. Once you see how they look and connect the dots, it will start to feel more natural. I suggest finding two or three poses to learn that will make a good starting position. Don't overthink it though, I will help direct you in the moment to make you look comfortable and natural, even if it doesn't feel like it at first.
Don't forget to relax and have fun. Loosen up beforehand by dancing or moving around. Sitting around stressing about how to pose and trying to memorize how to position your hands will only make you more stiff and awkward. My goal is to capture you exactly the way you are, not position you into someone your not. And I want you to feel comfortable and relaxed so the poses don't look forced.
TIP 3
Block out the allotted amount of time, plus a little extra. We won't spend all day shooting, of course, that would be exhausting for the both of us. But there's always a chance something unexpected goes wrong, or someone gets lost on the way to the location, or the most common, dreaded issue, getting stuck in traffic.
If we have to rush through a shoot, we risk not getting enough pictures or the weather changing or the light leaving and in that case, it is possible we will not get enough good pictures. So just block out a little extra time as a cushion before and after the shoot.
If anything ever goes wrong or the weather and lighting change at the last minute, we can always reschedule. But it can be hard to fit multiple hour(s) long photoshoots into your already busy lives, so I want to make sure we get as much out of the shoot as possible!
If you have any other questions or concerns, bring them up with the photographer before the photo shoot. Always better to be prepared and handle any worries or issues beforehand so you can show up to the photoshoot as relaxed and stress-free as possible. If you have any questions for me, feel free to email me at sophiemariephotos@gmail.com and I will help you to the best of my abilities!
