HOW TO PLAN AN EDITORIAL SHOOT

I recently challenged myself to do an editorial style shoot. I knew that there was a lot that goes into this kind of shoot but I don't think I realized exactly how much. I teamed up with Audra Colino for this shoot and she was my MUSE! So gorge! Let's get into the post.

My initial plan for this project was to submit to a local magazine -- Archive. I followed the inspo guidelines that they lined out but unfortunately, my photos did not make it -- they said that the photos were not the direction they were headed for this issue. At first, I was a little distraught about the rejection but, I just allowed it to be a fun project.

Typically for shoots like this, it requires a full team (Makeup & Hair, Stylist, Photography Assistant, Creative Director, etc.). If it's just you and the model planning the whole concept then you have to wear all these hats. You have to think of the setting -- where you'll be shooting, what kind of props help to tell the story, what clothing is a part of the theme, different makeup looks, and hairstyles that go with those outfits, and times that work best for all involved. There is a lot to think about.

So with all this planning you're gonna need a checklist.

1. MOODBOARD

This is going to help communicate the concept. I cannot stress the use of Pinterest for this enough. I literally use Pinterest for all of my planning. You might want to create multiple boards for makeup looks, outfit choices, overall vibe, model poses, etc.

2. WARDROBE

Here is where you piece together the outfit choices. This was actually a lot of fun to plan because I had full control over what I want to shoot. If you're on a budget -- which let's face it most creatives are -- you can't afford to buy a whole, multiple look wardrobe, then either thrift for the outfits or, buy them with a credit card and keep the clothes in perfect condition so that you can return them when you're done.

3. MAKEUP & HAIR

I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to makeup so I was lucky that Audra is amazing at doing makeup. We had several concepts in mind for this shoot so just be smart about your makeup choices. In this case, we bought a pallet that had mostly every color/shade that we needed for all the looks. We used similar hairstyling for the whole shoot as well. Just be efficient with the looks if you're on a budget. Also, plan accordingly and shoot the looks that are most elaborate last so you can get the more simple looks out of the way.

4. SET

This is another aspect of a shoot that requires planning. Whether you book a location to shoot at or you create a little studio as I did, you have to think about what props are going to best suit the concept you have. This includes everything from lighting and backdrops to props and background pieces. In my case, I bought the disco ball, I had the rug and magazines in this following look you're about to see, and I bought lighting, the silver party streamers, and the backdrop. I figured I would just invest in my own set for future shoots. How you go about this depends entirely on your budget.

This last look was a lot of fun to make! I made the tears with hot glue and glitter and they came out amazing! I loved this look that we pulled together.

I hope you guys enjoyed this post and I hope it was informative! Let me know if yall have any questions! Happy Creating!

XOXO,

Benjamin