On learning from past photo-shoots so you can get the most out of your next one
I've invested in a fair few of my own photoshoots since starting my business in 2011.
As a photographer, it's been a very helpful way to understand what it can feel like to be in my clients shoes!
It’s given me experience to support my clients to navigate some of the challenges that being photographed can bring up, as well as assist in planning and directing shoots to be most aligned with their personality and business.
Lots of the images from my past photo-shoots I loved and used over and over again. I have worked with some wonderful photographers who created images I was thrilled with!
But there were usually chunks of photos from shoots that never saw the light of day… Why? Because those photos didn't feel like ‘me’, or didn’t feel relevant to my work.
Despite often being the one to plan my own sessions and choose everything myself, I didn't always get it right!
The locations I opted for were sometimes not relevant to my biz, just places I liked hanging out in personally, or thought would look good in the photos.
The outfits I chose were not clothes I actually wore in my day to day life, they were just things I thought I ‘should’ wear. (Especially heels!!!?? I never wear heels!)
The colours of the locations or my outfits were jarring to me.
The stories felt staged. I needed them to somehow feel more candid, which may have meant being less ‘dressed up’, or perhaps photographed in different locations.
My favourite ever shoot was one when I lived in Archway in London with Molly Matcham. She photographed in my home, in favourite local spots that I actually enjoyed and/or worked from, wearing clothes I genuinely wore a lot at the time. I felt at home and comfortable in myself, so the photos reflected this and I was able to use loads of them in my marketing.
I used the learnings from my past shoots to improve on the future ones I did. For me, that meant…
Wearing clothes that I genuinely like to wear in work environments, feel comfortable and like ‘myself’ in.
Choosing locations I know well, places I genuinely hang out or work from.
Telling stories that are representative of my actual life and business, rather than just because I thought they’d ‘look good’ but with no relevance.
Each photoshoot we do provides us with opportunities to better understand our preferences and what kinds of photos work best for our businesses.
Reflecting on what went well and what we’d do differently next time helps us to weave those learnings into how we plan our next session.
If you’ve had a photo-shoot before, review the photos from the past as you make plans for your next one.
Some useful questions to consider / journal-on in the process are:
Which photos from your past shoots did you use over and over again, and find really useful?
What did you like about them?
What was it about these shots specifically that made them so useful?
Which photos never ended up getting used?
What was it about these images that made them unusable or irrelevant for your biz?
And share what comes up with your photographer!
I hope you find these pointers helpful, and that with this in mind you get the most out of your next photo-shoot. This type of exploration is something we’ll look at when we work together.
Finally, I need to say that it’s okay not love all the photos from every shoot.
It’s completely normal to have favourites and others you don’t like and will never share for a multitude of reasons!
This post is not intended to have us aiming for total perfection each time (this is a creative process, after all, and our self perception can be a tricky and confusing thing!).
My intention is to give guidance to help you get the most out of your future photo-shoots, and come away with as many photos as possible that light you up, feel easy to use and relevant to you and your business.