Hey Brenda, let’s talk fashion.
Just kidding.
Let’s talk photoshoots!
I wanted to share some creativity behind this look, and add a little more about the creative process behind it and most of my shoots! SO much goes into these photoshoots—- hours of planning, location scouting, vision board, shopping, working with brands, scheduling my photographer, and that’s the PRE work for a photoshoot, there are hours of work on site, and of course lots after that in editing and blogging it. I enjoy so much of it, even the difficult parts. I want to share a little about what that looks like. I get my ideas from lots of places. I honestly collect motivation and inspiration in the most random places, I am always writing down ideas I have that come to me throughout the day! Then I start an inspiration board on my phone and I write thoughts and ideas down and save pictures of pieces in my closet, or pictures I see that I like something about. That’s the beginning process of a photoshoot. If I am working with a brand, they have a lot of input on what they want, so in those cases I have more direction and instruction on things, but I always add a lot of my own style to those shoots too.
I find locations, and we shoot. Sometimes its exactly what I pictured, and other times I wonder what I was thinking. But 10/10 its a fun creative process. Not every shoot makes it to instagram or my blog, but I always appreciate the ideas, and sometimes I re shoot if it’s an idea that I really really want to see come to life. Other times we get something different than expecting— something better! I have learned the importance of always having multiple items for switch ups. Sometimes a piece just isn’t working (it could be the color clash, sometimes its the weather and something isn’t popping the way I want it to, or it’s reflecting too much light…) there are a lot of factors!
I spend all of my free time planning photoshoots, scheduling things, and finding inspiration. It’s something that I really enjoy, but there is absolutely a lot of work that goes into it! I don’t think that people realize just how long of a process it can be, and how tiring it can get. Photoshoots always look so glamorous on camera once the photos are edited, but behind the scenes there are a lot of moments of frustration, changing in public restrooms because something isn’t looking right, awkward interactions with strangers who always want to know what you’re doing, different locations, all while keeping the creative energy alive the whole time! Haha!
I enjoy so much of it— some days I would say I love all of it, even the most difficult parts of it. It is what I love to do, and it’s a creative outlet for me. My mind is constantly running, trying to think of new things to try, new things to create, and for me that adds a lot of excitement and fulfillment to my life. The concept of creating something that is your vision coming to life every single shoot is something that I can’t quite express how cool that is. So much of my motivation in my life in general comes from the creative energy that my blog brings me, and allows me to express.
I hope that if you are wanting to try something NEW in this industry you will TRY IT! The last few months I have learned so much more about myself and what I really love about what I do, and how much I wasn’t doing that I wanted to— which was being more daring with my creativity. I am so happy that I did. It is something I am really passionate about, and I see a lot of value in doing what it is that you love, its changed my life in a lot of ways to be able to do something that makes me really happy, no matter how much work it is!
Wrapping this up, I wanted to just give you a little inside on what goes on in these photoshoots, how things come together, and sometimes don’t come together haha. People are often curious about the creative process— the behind the scenes of what goes on! So I wanted to give you a little inside of what those moments are like, I am always willing to share that stuff with you all. I feel I am pretty really about the industry, and honest about how I do things, so if you have any questions or thoughts, write them in the comments below! Thank you for reading, and for supporting me.
xx, Mykel Elizabeth
