Some of you guys know this little secret about fashion blogging, some of you don’t: a lot of us shoot multiple outfits in one day. You know, because we don’t have a professional photographer following us around 24/7!
Because I have a full-time job 9-5, I don’t really have much of an opportunity to shoot any photos before or after work (with the exception of summer: I was able to sneak some in then since the sun set at 8:30pm!). I typically shoot every other weekend, and I aim to shoot 3-6 outfits in one session. In addition to blogging and a full-time job, your girl also has a social life (believe it or not?), and also the weather is crazy unpredictable, so this is why I can’t shoot every single weekend!
I’ve somewhat got my strategy down for prepping for multiple photoshoots over the years. Here are some of my tips and tricks on how to successfully shoot multiple outfits in one day:
Prep, Prep, Prep
Goodness, guys: packing/prepping for photoshoot day takes me a solid 45-minutes. You’re hauling multiple, complete outfits: tops, bottoms, dresses, hats, shoes, jewelry, it’s absolutely insane. In order to speed up the process, if I’ve worn the outfit before and like it enough to shoot it, I snap a photo when I first wore the outfit and save it in a folder on my phone, so this helps me remember the shoes and accessories I paired with the look.
I normally carry a few tote bags and garment bags along with me: One tote for clothes, one for shoes, one for bags, and a small bag that has lipsticks (I’ll change out my lipstick accordingly with every look). I also highly recommend traveling with a jewelry organizer if you’re bringing along a significant amount of bling: I can’t tell you how many pieces of jewelry I’ve accidentally broken in transpot to photoshoots by not packing it properly!Press Your Clothes in Advance
If there’s any chance one of your garments could get wrinkled in transport, make sure to give them a good pressing before the shoot and always, always carry those items in a garment bag! The folks over at Rowenta sent over their new Steamcare Iron for me to try and guys, this is a lot better than the steamer I was previously using!
It has Tri-Plate technology that makes it safe to use on even the most delicate fabrics, and it has a vertical steam function that helps get some of the hard-to-reach technology. It also has a feature called One Smart Temperature, which automatically adjusts the iron’s heat settings to remove wrinkles from any fabric, with no manual adjustment necessary. Best part of this iron is that it automatically shuts off after being on for 8 minutes if left vertically, 30 seconds if left horizontally. And when I’m running around on photoshoot day, trust me: this feature is a life saver (literally!)
You can pick up the new Rowenta Steamcare Iron at Macy’s; and it will be available at other retailers later on this year.Know Your Location Ahead of Time
If you’re shooting somewhere new, it might be worth it for either you or your photographer to peak around the location and look for cool spots to shoot before you even get started. If you have a backdrop preference, let your photographer know in advance. For me, I either love a colorful backdrop if I’m wearing a more neutral ensemble, or a typical street style, simple backdrop if I’m wearing a super colorful or printed ensemble.
Pack a Photoshoot Emergency Kit
In my kit, I have makeup remover wipes (for when I want to change lipsticks), a small comb, double stick tape, safety pins and a small pair of scissors for when I accidentally forget to remove a tag. Trust me, this little “emrgency kit” will help your shoot run so much smoother!
Choose Your Transportation Wisely
Speaking from experience here: while I prefer to just hop in my car for photoshoots, sometimes I shoot in areas of D.C. that have miserable parking situations. I either need to suck it up and prepare to pay for garage parking in these areas, get to the shoot location 30 minutes early to find street parking, or Uber to the shoot and lug around several bags. Not going to lie, this is why most of my photoshoots are in the suburbs, hah! Take these things into consideration when transporting yourself to a shoot.
Shoot Dresses/Skirts First, Pants Second
If you’re shooting a dress/skirt/bare legs at any point during the shoot, do not travel to the shoot in jeans/pants. Jeans tend to leave weird creases on your legs, so avoid traveling in them at all to shoots. Socks also leave a weird mark on your legs as well, so I would ditch those as well. Also, don’t travel in an outfit that has a tendency to get wrinkled: after sitting down in a car/Uber/Metro, it’s not gonna look so hot when you get to the shoot.
Sometimes I even travel to shoots in sweatpants or leggings. Seriously, y’all. Not really a fashion statement, but it ensures that I don’t have weird indents from jeans or wrinkle one of my outfits that I need to shoot!Carefully Put Your Shoot Items Away After the Shoot
This is a bad habit I really need to break: being lazy after the shoot and leaving your items in bags for several days after the shoot. Put it away immediately! I can’t tell you how many bags or pieces of jewelry I’ve accidentally left in my car for weeks after a shoot. Make sure you put everything away right when you’re done!
I probably scared some of you with this post haha, but I promise: photoshoot day is fun! There are just a lot of ways you can make your experience run smoothly on shoot day and avoid problems.
What are your blog photo shoot tips and tricks?
Thank you to Rowenta for partnering with me on today’s post! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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