4 secrets to a great photo shoot.

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of taking photos of my client Elizabeth Denton. I hauled my camera, lenses, and lighting to her friend’s apartment in Williamsburg on a gorgeous sunny day, and had a total blast directing her poses, styling the “set,” and just hanging out with another awesome human.

Elizabeth is a health coach and personal trainer, so we wanted to capture both elements of her work in clean, simple, colorful shots for her new website. And that we did! The apartment had both eastern and southern exposure, so we got great natural light, which is always ideal and brings such a fresh, gorgeous look to photographs (see some of my favorite shots below!).

Taking great photos isn’t as easy as it looks, which is why I wanted to share 4 things that are important for you as the subject to keep in mind when you get yours done.

1. The Vision. First, it’s essential to know the look and feel you’re going for, as well as the images you need for the various pages of your website. Do you want lots of white space or lots of color? Do you want it to feel like a living room or an office? Or do you want to be outdoors? Talk this through with your photographer ahead of time so that you can determine the outfits, props, setting, and shot list that are necessary to capture that vision.
2. The Lighting. As I mentioned above lighting is UBER important. It’s truly what creates those bright, vibrant, and alive feeling photos we all know and love. So be sure to choose a location that has lots of windows and natural light. You’ll also want to make sure that your photographer brings lights with her. This is key because natural light will change throughout the day, so having a backup to control the lighting consistency in your photos is a must.
3. The Hair & Makeup. Get your hair and makeup done. Period. Doing so ensures that you look polished and put together for every picture, and won’t have to rely on Photoshop to fix flaws. The hardest element to adjust in the editing process is unruly hair, so in my opinion, that’s the most important thing to take care of. I recommend using Pinterest for inspiration and using either Glam Squad or DryBar to get ‘er done!
4. The Vibe. Let’s be real, getting your photos taken can feel pretty awkward at first. From where to put your hands, to whether or not to smile, to worrying about your hair. I’ve found that playing your favorite music and bringing a sense of playfulness into the whole experience helps to loosen things up. Your energy will show through in the photos, so try to just have fun, and don’t worry about how you look. Plus, a good photographer will tell you what to do!

There’s nothing worse than being unhappy with your photos, so follow these four tips and you’ll be golden!