The Magic Behind Styled Shoots

Styled shoots offer a platform for photographers and vendors to unleash their creativity, collaborate with like-minded professionals, and create captivating content. Whether focused on weddings, portraits, or other themes, these staged shoots provide an opportunity to showcase artistic visions, experiment with new techniques, and attract potential clients.

In this blog post, I want to delve into the intricacies of styled shoots, highlighting the planning process, the role of vendors, the importance of budgeting, and the benefits of hosting or attending these events. Let’s dive right in!

What is a styled shoot?

If you’re not familiar with photography, you might be wondering, what is a styled shoot? A styled shoot is a staged photo session with a designated theme. This is a great opportunity to collaborate with other creatives in your town like vendors, makeup artists, party planners, and decor! I love the chance to work with venders I follow and admire. 

While styled shoots usually fall under the wedding category, it doesn’t have to be. In fact, these days I shoot a lot of styled portrait sessions. These could be maternity and even couple sessions. 

When I’m not shooting, I love to plan smaller styled shoots to get creative. This allows me to create the content I want to bring in and show future clients. Over the years, I’ve honed in my skills and love getting to photograph more whimsical/romantic shoots.

What goes into a styled shoot?

Styled shoots take a lot of planning, but it’s totally worth it. The great part of hosting is you get to determine the details. I am the one who determines how many stations, the type of station, what the models are wearing, the accessories, props, color pallete and more.  

But here’s the secret ingredient that takes the styled shoot from good to phenomenal: the incredible vendors who jump on board! They are the true rock stars who bring their expertise, passion, and unique flair to the mix. To make sure everyone’s on the same page, I like to create a mood board. The vendors take those ideas, infuse them with their own magic, and create something absolutely breathtaking. It’s an enchanting process!

Budgeting for styled shoots

Before securing my vendors, I determine my budget. Styled shoots can get expensive when you begin to add additional people into the mix. While some venders are willing to trade their time for photos or offer a discounted rate, others may charge their normal rate. However, that is up to each vendor. 

Once everyone has jumped on board, I total up the cost and determine how many photographers I want to open the shoot to. To help cover the cost of things, I do open my styled shoots to other photographers. Each photographer purchases a ticket, and that money goes back to cover the event costs. 

Why host or attend a styled shoot

Styled shoots are all different, and they can have different goals as well. Something that’s extremely important is to create specific content for specific purposes. Whether you’re looking to attract new clients, foster those fabulous vendor relationships, or make a splash with your work in publications, styled shoots are the key to unlocking your creative dreams!

But let’s not forget the cherry on top: the pre-shoot excitement! Before the styled shoot, I love to let my imagination run wild. I brainstorm new poses, dream up captivating prompts, and experiment with awe-inspiring techniques. This way, I can bring that extra sparkle to my client sessions and ensure they get a truly magical experience.

Are you interested in taking part in a styled shoot? Me too, babe! Contact me using my form, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. I hope you learned something about styled shoots!