Guideline of a photoshoot

In order to be a real success, a photo shoot must be thought out & organized. Whether it is for a professional purpose, your social networks or a new artistic experience, your photo session can either be organized by professionals like 90 Suits Paris or be prepared by you. In both cases, here is the guideline of a photoshoot!

1. Define your goal

What is the purpose of this photo shoot? Boost your self-confidence, immortalize snapshots of yourself, feed your social networks, experiment with the modeling profession or take photos for your business? Consequently, your goal will guide you in the follow-up to give to your photo shoot. In each of the circumstances listed and in particular if you are looking to take pictures for your company, we recommend that you opt for a professional package. Nevertheless, you can always decide to organize your photo shoot yourself, which will certainly be successful if you are involved in your approach and your research as well as if you do it enough in advance.

2. Set your budget

In the field of photography, prices can easily range from single to double. Therefore, it is essential to find out beforehand about the rates charged and to set a budget. If this is your first photo shoot, we recommend that you go on an average budget which is neither too low to avoid a lower quality or even amateur service nor too high if you are not looking for an intricate project.

3. Choose your theme

Very important in this guideline of a photoshoot ! The choice of the theme…. Indeed, it is essential to define a topic your photo shoot will turn around. Without theme, your photos may be without guidelines and therefore without cohesion or strong message. Choosing your topic depends on the purpose of the photo shoot and the message you want to get across your photos. For the sake of consistency, your theme will guide you quite naturally towards the photographic style and much more. For more ideas related to your theme, Pinterest is the reference platform with its multitude of ideas! Fashion magazines are also great sources of inspiration. All you need to do is create your mood board, in other words your inspiration board, so that your team & you can visualize the chosen theme.

4. Think of the place & date

The choice of place, date and time for the photo shoot is related to the choice of theme. Indeed, the selected place, date & time must match with the theme. Thus, several locations can speak for themselves but there are 2 main types : indoors & outdoors. The interior can be a bathroom, a museum or even a metro station. The exterior is everything exposed to daylight such as a park, a street or a place. If you are not the owner of this place, indoor or outdoor, permissions are sometimes required. Inquire to be more secure! The choice of date and time is also important, certainly depending on your team members availability, but also according to the theme which may require prioritizing a particular season, a specific light or a certain affluence. Remember to watch the weather for open places & find out about the opening hours of closed places!

5. Select your photographer & photo style

The choice of the photographer is often difficult. The 1st step is to find photographers whose work speaks to you. You can find photographers through social networks like Instagram & Facebook as well as through photographers agencies, on websites referencing photographers such as Book.fr or by consulting search engines. The second step is to select a small handful of photographers whose work corresponds to your project, the price to your budget & the artistic universe to your desired photo style. Finally the last step is to discuss with this selection of photographers on your project. It’s about seeing if you’re on the same page and comfortable with each other before making your final choice.

6. Determine your make up & hair style

Make-up, hairstyle but also manicure & pedicure are an essential component of your photo shoot. For optimal results, we recommend that you request professionals instead of doing it yourself if you are not familiar with make up & hairstyle. Indeed, there are makeup artists, hairdressers & estheticians specialized in photo sessions & even multi-skilled who will enhance you and adapt themselves to your expectations. You can find these beauty professionals via multi cosmetic brands such as Sephora as well as beauty salons but also via social networks, specialized agencies & search engines.

7. Don’t forget the fashion part

Styling greatly contributes to the visual identity of your photos. Therefore it must matches with your theme but also location, morphology & colorimetry. 90 Suits Paris loves to offer photo shoot styling. You can also call on stylists & personal shoppers or make your own styling. Whatever your choice is, remember that your outfit must be thought of from head to toe, accessories included, according to your morphology, colorimetry, theme & the constraints of the photo shoot (where to change if the shooting is outside, are you comfortable in the outfit, do you respect the outfit required by the location – religious monuments for example, etc.). Ideally, do some fitting to make sure the outfit fits you perfectly. Take photos of yourself with your phone while wearing the outfit to see if the colors & details stand out in the photo. Finally, feel free to test a few postures in front of your personal camera.

8. Prepare The Day

D-Day is fast approaching. Don’t skip to prepare it! It includes confirming to your team the latest details of the photo shoot, ideally checking out the location & preparing your itinerary in advance. You should also carefully pack your special photo shoot bag. If you take care of your outfit yourself, think of the full outfit, accessories, make-up & hairstyle touch-ups, flesh-colored underwear or even an umbrella. Finally, the preparation of the big day goes through a moment of relaxation & well-being to be radiant on the pictures. A facial mask, a body scrub, a good rest & a balanced diet are good examples to follow the day before your photo shoot.

9. Enjoy it

D-day has arrived ! Posing in front of the camera is a great experience. For the most shy people, photo shoots help build self-confidence. For the more adventurous, photo sessions encourage the exploration of the personality & creativity. But it is above all an opportunity to meet passionate & caring professionals who will put you at ease in a good atmosphere. However, immortalizing your inner & outer beauty might take longer because of the image editing. A few days after, you receive unedited photos first. Thus, you can make the best selection of pictures from your photo session. Once your selection is made, the photographer can edit them during a few days then send them to you. Admire the work!

As you can see in our guideline of a photoshoot, a photo shoot requires a great organization, serious research and reflection as well as the intervention of many professionals. But at the end, it is an unforgettable artistic & human experience that we recommend you to live at least once in your life!