Happy Friday!! I hope you have been enjoying the August sunshine! Today, upon request, I have a little bonus post for you all. I'll be letting you in on a series of tips that I tend to follow before/during a shoot.
The Basics to Finding the Perfect Location
Choosing a location can be somewhat of a challenge from time to time. It often comes down to trial and error. There have been countless times where I am about half way through a shoot and then decide that the location isn't the vibe I'm going for. I have three questions that I ask myself before I pick a location:
1. Does the location distract from my outfit or enhance it?
2. Does the aesthetic of the location compliment my outfit?
3. Does the style of my outfit match the style of the location?
When I stop and consider these questions, the shoot is usually a successful one!
I frequently get asked how I find the locations I shoot at. My biggest tip for anyone scouting down locations is to drive down streets or alleys you've never been down before. I often find some of my favorite locations on accident! Although many of my locations are recent finds, some of the places I shoot at I've been going to all my life, but I'd never thought to take a picture there!
I thought I would go through a few pictures and explain my thought process behind the location.
I chose this location strictly because of my outfit. This post was focused on styling a "typical tourist" sweatshirt. Since the outfit was simple, I decided that the boats enhanced the look. I would tend to say that this is a "busy background," which I usually shy away from, but since my outfit was on the simpler side, I decided to make an exception.
[click here to read this post]
Oooh this is one of my favorite blog pictures. This door is around the little downtown area where I live. When I was thinking of what to wear to shoot this look, this door immediately came to mind. This look is strictly neutrals, so I thought a fun red door would compliment it nicely.
[click here to read this post]
I frequent this little spot every once in a while. It's actually a little antique shop. I remember going in here all the time with my fam when I was little. One day I drove by this shop, and I was like. "Ooh I should totally do a shoot here!" Ever since then it's been one of my faves. Sometimes you've gotta think a little harder and maybe an unexpected location will turn into a favorite!
[click here to read this post]
Last location explanation! I could not leave this one out. It is by far my favorite and never disappoints, not to mention that it's actually the front doors to my favorite restaurant in town! It has become a go-to because it is so crisp and simple. It always makes an outfit look good! I love the way the windows pick up a reflections... the perfect artistic touch.
[click here to read this post]
Take Advantage of the Seasons to Enhance a Look.
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| Summertime greenery. [click here to read this post] |
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| Transition of summer to fall in the trees. [click here to read this post] |
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| Fall in full swing. [click here to read this post] |
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| Harsh greens and stone creates a coolness to the look. [click here to read this post] |
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| The gold detailing on the door adds a festive holiday feel to the outfit. [click here to read this post] |
What time of day do you shoot?
My most successful shoots tend to be around 6-7 pm. It is best to shoot when it's not too sunny because the sun creates shadows and those squinty eyes!😑 But sometimes I can't be too picky. I tend to shoot whenever I have time.
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| This shot was taken between 6-7... the sun peaking through the windows adds the perfect little glow to the pic! [click here to read this post] |
The importance of Posing: Adding Dimension to a Photo
I've been blogging for about a year and a half and I find that I grow from every post. The picture on the left was taken last fall and the right was taken this summer.
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| [click here to read this post] [click here to read this post] |
In the picture on the left, I have both feet in the same alignment. In the picture on the right, I have one foot in front of the other with a slight elevation. This trick (the photo on the right) instantly makes you look taller. Doing this adds some dimension to your photos and makes every photo look more natural. Slightly elevating one foot like this is one of the best tips I have received since beginning my blog!
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| In this shot, you can see the elevation in my feet more clearly. This tip is so simple to incorporate and adds so much to an image! [click here to read this post] |
Editing Pictures?!
Yes, I do edit my pictures! However, I like to say that I "enhance" them instead of "edit" them. I tend to bring the exposure down a couple of tenths and the contrast, saturation, and brightness up a couple of tenths. The rest of the adjustments I make, which include highlight, shadows, black point, and cast vary picture by picture. I don't use any special software. I enhance my pictures right on "photos" on my MacBook. I've also heard new camera technology, such as that from Light, are smarter than ever and take frame-worthy photos without needing to be edited. That's pretty cool & saves ya a whole lot of time.
When I post a picture on Instagram, I edit my pictures on the app VSCO. I enhance them by hand and then use the filter "A6" on all my photos. I tend to bring the filter to about halfway mark as well. Find my Instagram here.
And now my biggest tip yet... KEEP TRYING! Like I said earlier, I grow from every post through critiquing every photo. It helps me know what I like and what I don't like. Having a perfect shoot is impossible! There will always be little hiccups along the way. You'll only get better!
I had so much fun putting this together for y'all! Please let me know if you'd like to see more post like this in the future! 😊
A little shout out to all my friends and fam who have ever taken pics for me... thank you for always being so gracious with your time. Y'all are the best!
xx, Anne
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