Styled Shoot Tips: The Ultimate Planning Guide

Hosting, planning and attending styled shoots has always been such a fun creative outlet for me! Whether it’s wedding inspiration for couples or a unique and/or creative idea that speaks to my brand, putting it together is always a fun task! Planning your own styled shoot can be a great way to stretch your creative muscles, show off your skills, create content for your social media and website AND collaborate with others in your field all at the same time.

While I think we can all agree the thought of planning a styled shoot sounds amazing and we love the final outcome, sometimes it’s the process of actually getting there and successfully building the shoot you envisioned that makes us feel stuck on where to begin, the right steps to take and how to feel 100% prepared!

I’ve been very involved in planning and coordinating many styled shoots over my years in the wedding and beauty industry and today I want to help you feel totally equipped to do the same with my ultimate styled shoot planning guide filled with tips and advice to rock your next styled shoot and impress fellow industry creatives, future clients and yourself!

Pictures were pulled from Pinterest for inspiration

First thing’s first… It all starts with a vision & creating a vision board!

To start off the planning process, it’s important to gather all your ideas into one place and creating a vision board. The easiest and most common way to do this is by starting a secret Pinterest board where you can pin anything and everything that speaks to you. This board can be as general or as specific as you like. You can either brain dump everything into one spot or you can keep your board organized and condensed as you plan… whatever works for you is perfect!

Some general things to keep in mind are colors, location, overall feel of the shoot. You also want to think about what time of year it will be during the shoot & what time of year the vision of your shoot is planned for.

*For Example: If it’s winter, trees will not be in bloom like they would be for a summer wedding. So hosting a styled shoot filled with summer wedding inspiration probably shouldn’t be done in December.

Once you have a good feel for the overall vision and vibe of the shoot, you can take your top inspo pictures and ideas and condense them into a smaller collage to send to vendors and get them on board!

*Pro Tip: Apps like Unfold and/or Canva are great for building this collage.

Photo by NKB Photo

Building a team that speaks to the vision AND your brand is essential!

For me personally, building a kickass team of industry professionals is the most crucial part of a styled shoot. It’s important, when building that team, to look for vendors that are not only talented, but also align with your brand and the overall vision of your shoot.

*For example, you might not want to ask a light & airy photographer if you’re going for a more moody feel.

Remember, this is usually an unpaid gig… so be sure to think about if the vision of this shoot will be the right fit for your vendors too. You want to be confident that the final content is worthwhile for every vendor involved! I personally like to work with those who have a brand I admire as well. Sometimes that means a friendor (vendor friend) who I know would be perfect for the job and sometimes it’s someone I haven’t yet worked with but would love to do more with in the future!

*Pro Tip: On board your photographer first… this will really help set and nail down the feel for the shoot and the rest of your vendors!

Photo by Brielle Kaschak Photography

Pick a location!

This may seem like an obvious step, but I think it’s important to take time to discuss. First let me start by saying that I’ve seen incredible styled shoots happen at big, gorgeous venues… warehouses… and even small little parks. Don’t let this step bog you down, but be sure to pick a location that fits the vision, works for the “time” of the shoot (remember… nature is seasonal), and is accessible to you and your team.

*Pro Tip: You don’t want to assemble your team in a public park and, day of, find out you can’t shoot there! Take time to do your research and talk to the right people to lock in your location before the shoot date.

Photo by Sara Fitz

Let’s talk a little bit about styled shoot etiquette!

There are a few points to I want to note here and know that I speak to both of these things from personal experience.

First, let’s talk how you should initially reach out to vendors. I know you’ve heard this before, but it’s true when they say… first impressions are everything! You want to make sure, when you’re reaching out, that you are true-to-you, professional and present all of the information to them from the get-go. Depending on your relationship with this vendor, you’ll want to think about how you should contact them. If you’ve never met, Instagram DM may be too casual and a well-written email may be a better option!

Next, think about if this is paid or unpaid for the vendors and if you have a budget. While the supply cost of a styled shoot is normally minimal or even nothing for some vendors, it can be costly to others.

*For Example: the cost of flowers adds up quickly! Many times, florists may ask for some type of compensation, so don’t be surprised if this comes up!

You’ll want to be prepared when vendors ask if there’s a budget and be totally honest and upfront with them about your plans!

Photo by Jennifer Larsen Photography

Nail down the details with a day-of timeline!

The timeline of the shoot day is crucial and definitely something the photographer should be able to guide you with. Timing and the length of the styled shoot is another important part to be honest and open about with your vendor team. Decide if it will be an all day shoot, how many looks you have in mind, how much time you’ll be allotted at the location or venue and if you expect certain vendors to stay and assist. Nailing down all of these little details can feel tedious, but I promise it’ll be super helpful and appreciated by your vendor team (and for your own sanity!!).

Photo by Tori Kelner Photography

Let your team do their thang!

While the vision and initial plans may have been yours, remember that this should ultimately be a creative project… especially if it’s an unpaid gig! Now that you’ve assembled your incredible team, sit back and let them be incredible! Planning and organization is important, but giving creative control to each vendor really creates the most magical collaborations and the end results are always amazing!!

That’s it! As I said at the beginning, planning a styled shoot can feel totally overwhelming at first, but with the help of an awesome team you TRUST and some organization on your end, there’s only one result… MAGIC!

Photo by Nina Sheffield Photography

Know your intentions from the start!

Your intentions for the shoot should be clear as well. Are you hoping to submit for publication? Or are you strictly looking to use the content for social media and/or your blog? Be sure to communicate this with your team from the beginning or ask for some feedback from your team so you know upfront how to proceed with planning and sharing after the shoot!

If you found this blog post helpful, I want to give you something else to help break everything down for you. I’ve created a Styled Shoot Planning Checklist which I’d love to give you for FREE that way next time you’re planning a shoot, you have an easy guide to make sure you’re not forgetting anything. If this sounds like something you’d love to have, simply click the button below to enter your email and have it send straight to your inbox! Happy planning, my friend. I cannot wait to see the beauty you create!!! <3

*Graphic Image by: Nina Sheffield Photography