How To Self-Produce A Photo Shoot (Part Two of Six)
Last week we talked about self-producing a photoshoot, coming up with a concept and creating a mood board. Click HERE if you missed the blog post. This week we’re going to share our tips for finding a wardrobe stylist and talent.
Clothing is a crucial component of Fashion and Editorial Photography so its best to work with a Wardrobe Stylist. They will:
· Purchase and/or borrow items such as clothing, accessories and/or props that match the concept in mind.
· Dress the talent in an organized way.
· Check for wardrobe malfunctions during the photoshoot as well as wrinkles in clothing, or anything else that may be “out of place.”
· Ensure all items are accounted for at the end of the shoot and return items if necessary.
Tips for finding a stylist:
· Use the hashtag #fashionstylist or #wardrobestylist on any social media site.
· Contact local agencies and colleges to see if a Stylist is available and make sure your expectations are clearly known.
· If all else fails, you can always style the shoot yourself, however that’s another element to worry about.
Having a stylist is also like having a second pair of eyes. They can offer suggestions, solutions and/or bring things to your attention. It’s a team effort.
You now have your stylist booked, so what’s next? Decide how many models you want in your photoshoot, as well as their gender, age and ethnicity.
Tips for booking talent:
· Search social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram or Model Mayhem. If you’re using your own model, make sure a model release form is signed. This lets everyone on the team use the photos for the uses stated in the release, and it saves you any
headaches should there be any issues down the line.
· Call your local modeling agency. Explain what you’re doing (i.e. portfolio building, submitting for publication, etc.) and would like to know if there are any models available to test with. The agency will have a say on how you can use the photos
(if no fee is involved), so you’ll want to confirm the details right away.
· It’s best to go through the agency directly, rather than contacting the model. If you try to skip through loopholes, you can ultimately end up blacklisted by the agency. The agency will let you know if it’s OK to contact the model directly, after
you’ve spoken.
Stay tune for part three as we’ll share our tips for finding a hair and makeup artist, as well as choosing your location.
Talent: Rosey Campbell of Maggie Inc. / Wardrobe & Prop Sylist: Asha Holmes
We've received our first business review and we couldn't be more happier! ⠀
Client experience is one of our TOP priorities. We're grateful Diana and her company trusted Amy Rose Productions to execute and capture their vision. Thank you for taking the time to send this. We're looking forward to the next project! 🥳⠀
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How To Self-Produce A Photo Shoot (Part One of Six)
Chelsea and I have self-produced many photoshoots over the years so we wanted to share our top tips and findings, when working with a team. Today we’ll be talking about creating a concept and mood board.
Everything starts with an idea so you have to decide the purpose of your photoshoot and ask yourself, are you:
· Portfolio building?
· Selling images as stock or planning on submitting them to a publication?
· Trying to appeal to a certain audience/client by selling a specific lifestyle/product (fashion) or telling a story (editorial)?
· Just experimenting?
What narrative do you want your finished photos to express? What world is your character situated in?
· Pull from other art forms such as a memory, song and/or movie. You can always jot your ideas down on paper or in the notes app of your phone when brainstorming.
· It could be something as simple as an adjective like “happy” “vibrant" or "nostalgic". You can then revisit these ideas at a later date.
You’ll now want to create a mood board, once the concept has been figured out.
Mood boards are essential because it helps guide the entire team towards your vision. Imagery can be pulled from Pinterest and/or Google to name a few. They’re a great resource for photo inspiration as well as on-line and/or printed fashion magazines.
Below is an example of a mood board created called “Photoshoot – Fashion Men.”
You can also check out my other Pinterest boards here for more ideas: https://www.pinterest.com/MShanahanPhoto/
The mood board can include images of the desired overall mood, color palette, style, model poses, lighting, location, clothing and hair/makeup.
At times, Chelsea and I already have a particular model in mind, so the photoshoot will be built around the talent. Other times we’ll create a theme/style first and then revisit it at a later date when the right person or setting arises.
This series is split into six segments so stay tuned over the next few as we’ll share our tips for finding a wardrobe stylist as well as talent.
PRO TIP: Try using a full size monitor on your photoshoots. Read below to hear how it enhances the client experience.
Clients absolutely LOVE having the option to see the images captured on a full screen. It doesn’t matter if you’re working in the studio or on location. ⠀
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One client was so excited when she saw our capture station on location and said “It’s so nice not having to look at the back of a camera or a laptop.” This was an eye opener for us because we’re used to shooting on a monitor and didn’t realize how much of a benefit this was for the client experience. ⠀
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Having a monitor really gives them a sense of what the image is going to look like, as far as angle, composition, depth of field, exposure, text overlay, crops, etc. ⠀
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Here are some of our go to shooting setups:⠀
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* In studio and On Location: 27” iMac computer with the RocknRoller Equipment cart (the shelves are a must have). I have to say this cart is the BOMB! You can also use it to transport your equipment when on the go and it holds up to 500 lbs.⠀
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* In the field: 15” Macbook Pro with the SKB Laptop Case. Have you ever been on location on a bright sunny day with no shade? Because of glare, you can’t fully see what the image really looks like. This has a built in hood so you can actually see what you’re capturing (queue the opera singer). It’s the cats meow. Attach the leg support of your choice and voila, you and your client are ready to go.⠀
Where does the business name comes from? and Who is Amy Rose? ⠀
It all started while road tripping to Vermont. Several names (that’s an understatement, it was actually over 50!) were tossed around such as "Dare to Dream”, "Imagination Nation” as well as Chelsea’s favorite “Capture Queens.” 👑⠀
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The names were original but they were lacking the personal connection that we wanted to have for the brand. After several hours, we knew we wanted to have “Production(s)” at the end of whatever name was decided. We also wanted a versatile name that could be abbreviated and grow as we add on different branches to the brand, such as workshops (coming 2020).⠀
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As the search continued, we came up with other names such as Smoke and Mirrors Production and Legendary Productions. The names still didn’t have that personal touch and we knew we needed something more meaningful. ⠀
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Finally we reached that “ah ha” moment and thought, “How about our middle names?”, which are Amy and Rose. This had the personal connection to both of us, my middle name being Amy and Chelsea’s is Rose. We also felt that is was catchy and rolled off your tongue. ⠀
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Amy Rose Productions is both of us, our talents, expertise and commitment all in one. ⠀
Queue the sappy music!⠀
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Photo by: @sarasbucketlist
Photo Assist: @srsly_styld
Amy Rose Productions is Here!
Amy Rose Productions is Here!
“Humble beginnings.” We’ve all heard that familiar quote a million times. How about a new spin on it? She was humbled by her beginnings. That’s exactly what starting a new business venture with a partner has done to me. I built my photography career working for corporate in-house studios, and I was accustomed to having a team and company capital at my disposal. I was lucky. I managed some incredible groups and worked with some of the finest talent in the industry. But 13 years into it I was an unfulfilled stress bomb: a senior manager tired of revolving corporate managers determining the future of me and my team. I couldn’t do it anymore, so I had to make some drastic changes.
Missy’s story is similar to mine and by chance ends up coming full circle. She started her career in corporate communications, working at a cubicle for 14 years until she realized how unsatisfying it was. Secure, yes. But satisfying? Not so much. But she loved photography. So even though she didn’t have an upbringing that valued creative work, and she didn’t know anyone who worked in a creative profession, she decided to turn her love of photography into a career. She quit her boring corporate job, went back to school, studied her ass off, and launched her own freelance business. She worked doing freelance and contract photography for five years and then got a job at the corporate studio where I was working.
Missy and I worked alongside one another and were quietly impressed by each other’s drive, work ethic, skill, and fun personality. We became dear friends. Our after-work cocktails turned into pool parties, vacations, and creative productions. When it came time to leave the corporate studio, we were both thinking about starting our own business. We didn’t talk about it for a while, but when we finally did, we looked at each other in shock. She’d been envisioning starting a business with me, and I’d been doing the same about her.
Hello future!
We didn’t know how much work it would take – days, nights, weekends. We didn’t have corporate capital or a team to draw on to build this business and studio. But we had a vision. And we had each other.
Flash forward six months later and we’re launching Amy Rose Productions! Missy and I are so excited to share our studio and talents with the creative community. It’s been a busy six months. We’ve spent many hours furnishing the studio, acquiring equipment, researching the market, building the brand, combing through contracts, designing the website, and creating the social media accounts. All the while taking on freelance and contract work. The best part was doing the studio renovations and installing the CYC wall. We love seeing our vision manifest in 3D, and we’re committed to giving our clients the same thrill. One of our goals at Amy Rose Productions is to ensure our clients come away with an unparalleled, superior experience and product.
Come behind-the-scenes to view the studio transformation from the raw space to what it is today. Enjoy the captures, stay tuned for more news, and we’ll see you soon!
xo Chelsea
