For this one, when I say I had a vision of a specific photoshoot vibe, I meant it. You already know I’m from SoCal, so when I visit, I’m constantly (and naturally) always location scouting. So on this particular spring day, spending a few hours lusting over the desert scapes of the Yucca Valley sounded absolutely m a g i c a l. My cousin even modeled for me and she’s hands down one of my most favorite people on this freaking planet. If you don’t have cousins that feel like siblings, I’m so sorry, but you’re missing out.
Having Your Moment: For those that aren’t photogs, this is for you.
Portrait sessions like this are so so special. Not only because it’s family, but also because it feels like people, especially women, don’t often get the moment to feel celebrated and selfish. We’re usually the ones behind the camera making sure everyone else’s memories are committed to the Cloud. So, if you get nothing else from this blog, book a portrait session for yourself. You need it, you deserve it. Or at the very least, ask your photographer (me) to capture individual photos of each of y’all at your next family photoshoot.
Setting the Vibe for your Western Portrait Shoot
Syd did her hair and makeup herself, and we collaborated on outfits that we thought would bring the vision to life a couple days beforehand. I went on Pinterest a few days before and gathered inspiration for poses, prompts, angles that I thought might look cool. That’s the beauty of a styled shoot; you can setup the poses that feel funky and new, and not worry about it, because those prompts are going to either look cool or evolve into something that looks sooooo dope.
Location Scouting for your Western Styled Shoot
You’re gonna have to travel, babe. Location scouting for anything is driving; just get in the car, write off your mileage, and call it a day. You’re going to put in the effort. I love using Apple Satellite Maps, or OnX; it’s a hunting app that lets you see private land, public land and the landscape you’ll be working with. This is also a crucial part of running a successful photography business – finding exclusive locations for your clients makes them feel special, but it also guarantees you a spot where your clients don’t have to worry about people passing by every 30 seconds watching them like little weirdos.
Execution (The Good Kind)
Once you’ve got the vibe, the space and the model, just freaking go for it. The most important part of styled shoots is there is absolutely NO PRESSURE to be perfect. Let yourself get loose with it and feel the vibe out. Keep the energy fun, your model happy and you’re all good babyyyyyy.
