Preparation is Key!
Unless your a model, photoshoots generally aren’t a very common occurrence for us “normal” people, so the idea of booking on can be quite daunting - you’ll likely have so many questions and no idea what to expect! And as much as I try to educate on the Pursuit Images social platforms, I thought it would be a great idea to put all the tips on how best to prepare for your shoot in one place, which is why I’m writing this blog!
1. Plan your outfits ahead
With every shoot I offer, you get unlimited outfit changes, because I like to create as much room for variety as possible in the images we’re creating, but with all that choice comes the tricky decision of what to wear!
I strongly suggest picking your outfits out well ahead of time. Have a look through your gym wardrobe (Because I know we all have a concerningly large section of our wardrobes dedicated to gym wear - guilty as charged!!), and decide which items of clothing make you feel your absolute best. You know the clothes I’m talking about, the leggings that shape your legs beyond what you thought possible, the shorts that make you feel like a bad bitch every time you walk in the gym, the sports bra that makes your traps look extra beefy, or that top which cuts just right to make your delts pop.
Then, you want to think about if you want to buy anything for your shoot (always a good excuse for a gym wear shopping spree!). If you do plan on buying anything for your shoot, do so well ahead of time. Should you need to send anything back or purchase a different size, you’ll have plenty of time to do so, meaning much less stress.
2. Practice flexing!
If you’re already used to strutting your stuff on stage after months of prep, this won’t be much of a problem for you. But if you’re not so used to this, spending some time learning how to flex different muscles will make a huge difference during your shoot (It’s also a great tool to use when training as you’ll know how to engage individual muscles when you need them for a lift).
When we’re shooting, I’ll very likely ask you to flare your lats a little more, or pop your quad out, if you’ve already spent time flexing in front of the mirror, familiarising yourself with how it all feels, it will come to you much more easily during your shoot.
3. Book a spray tan!
During your shoot, we’ll be using off camera flash to achieve the right look for your images, but this flash comes with a downside if you’re already on the paler side: it washes out skin, making you look even paler!
I highly recommend booking yourself in for a spray tan with a professional a day or two before your shoot, and make sure to mention to the person doing your spray tan that this is for a photoshoot so it may need to be a little darker. Also, apart from your tanning experience being a lot less stressful when using a professional to do your tan, you’ll also avoid streaks and orange hands like you would if you did it yourself - it’s a win win!
You might also want to consider booking a makeup artist to do your makeup on the day of your shoot. Makeup isn’t essential for your shoot, but it does add that extra feeling of glam to your shoot day, and booking an MUA makes it even more special! If you want to have a MUA do your makeup for shoot day, make sure to contact them well ahead of time to guarantee they’ll be able to fit you in on your chosen date.
4. Get inspired
If you’re feeling a little nervous, or want something else to do whilst you excitedly wait for your shoot day to arrive, spend some time scrolling instagram and Pinterest for posing and image inspo. If there’s something really specific you’re after, having a visual that you can show to your photographer can really help give a clear line of communication between you both.
It’s also a great way to get excited about all the different images you can create - have a play around with posing and see what really works for you!
5. Ask away!
Your photographer is there to make sure that you have the best experience possible, so if you have any questions before, during, or after your shoot, drop your photographer an email or message to ask them. We’re always super happy to help an guide you through the entire process.
One of the things I always make sure to do, is contact my clients a week ahead of their shoot to make sure they’re feeling ready, and see if they might have any last minute questions. I understand that sometimes you might not always feel like you can ask, or not know when to ask a question, or you might even keep forgetting! So I like to reach out and make sure my clients are fully looked after.
If you’ve got any questions during your shoot, or even afterwards, please do ask them - we want to make sure you’re happy!
6. Have fun!
And finally, have fun! A photoshoot is an amazing experience (I say that as both a photographer, and as someone who’s been in front of the camera), it’s exciting to be the centre of attention, to do something a little out of your comfort zone, to experience the behind the scenes that most people don’t get to see. It’s a whole experience where you get to honour all of your hard work and feel like a model for a few hours, and even if you’re nervous going into it, I can assure you that those nerves will melt away once we get going.
I hope this blog has helped to give you some more clarity on how to prepare for your shoot, or, if you’re still thinking about booking, that it’s given you the information you need to help you understand the process a little more. I know how daunting the idea of getting in front of the camera can be, so I wanted this blog to give you the tools to feel ready for your shoot and gives you the chance to get the very best out of yours!
Stay strong,
Emma x
