Photo shoots are extremely beneficial as a modern day business owner. Not only do they produce high quality, professional photos to use for content, but they also are an amazing opportunity for collaboration. Bringing together photographers, hair and makeup artists, and women of all different businesses creates outstanding images and real world connections. This week we are talking about photo shoots, and why you need to have one.

Collaborating with other entrepreneurs on a photo shoot is a great way to connect with other boss babes and also create some amazing content to use when promoting yourselves, and eachother! The most obviously reason for having a photo shoot is to create images that can be used for socials, graphics, websites, and more! But why is it so important to have photo shoot images? Photos from a shoot are well lit, staged, and beautifully edited to create professional, clear imagery. Having images like this mixed in with your regular feed is a great way to diversify your content and make your online presence look professional and polished. Instagram is a competitive platform, with more and more businesses curating beautiful photos for their feed. Having high-resolution photos pushes your content to the next level. Before finding your photographer and studio, you need to narrow down the direction and mood for your shoot.

A few ways to get inspired for your own photo shoot is to scroll through Pinterest or Instagram and save photos that get your creative juices flowing! A few questions you can ask yourself to get started are: Is your shoot going to take place outside or in a studio? Are you going for a light and airy mood or an ominous and moody vibe? Is this a solo or group photo shoot? Do you need to provide any props? Envision what you’re going to wear, what your hair and makeup will look like, what background you’re looking for, and create a mood board full of similar looks! You can reference this mood board when explaining your vision to the photographers, make up artists, and hair stylist that will be working with you on your shoot. Knowing your color scheme, beauty inspiration, and location sets the tone for how well your images will represent your brand. Now it’s time for the “shopping” part of a photo shoot.

First item on the list: a photographer! Shopping for a photographer is a crucial step in the success of your photo shoot. Every photographer has a unique shooting style, and editing style, which is why you need to ensure that their style matches what you’re trying to create. Start searching for a photographer by exploring their Instagram feed or flipping through the portfolio section of their website. To find photographers in your are, consult with fellow boss ladies (aka your Hustle + Charm sistas!) or search local hashtags on insta. You can also use this same method to shop for your makeup artist and hair stylist that you’d like to use for your photo shoot. Once you’ve found your photog, it’s time to shop for the rest of your shoot.

In order to make the most out of the time you have with your photographer, it’s important to get a variety of shots. You can do this by utilizing wardrobe and set changes. When shopping for clothing and accessory options, reference your mood board to make sure you’re remaining true to your theme. Change your outfits and the items around you during your shoot to give you a set of diverse images that you can use more widely across your socials. This way, your photos don’t look too similar or appear like they’ve all been taken on the same day. You can also diversify your images by using a wide variety or poses and different lighting styles. Choosing a venue that has multiple spaces available to shoot in helps to create even more assortment between photos. There are plenty of spaces like this in Winnipeg, many of them for a minimal cost or even available for free!

At Hustle + Charm we love a good photo shoot because we are all about content, collaboration, and fake laughing to get a really good candid. One of the benefits of being a part of our tribe is having access to photographers, makeup artists, hair stylists, and other boss babes that can help turn your photo shoot inspiration into reality! Follow these tips in preparation for your next shoot, and let us know how well it goes.

*All images featured in this blog post were created by Hustle + Charm Members.