I recently heard Rick Owens, a well-known fashion designer, state that he hates mood boards and never uses them. He doesn't want anyone to see his references or understand where he gets his inspiration from. I thought it was an interesting point of view but personally I LOVE THEM. And I also love seeing BTS of other creators and getting to know their creative process. It's a gift to share insight, creativity, and inspiration. So, despite my adoration for Owens, I'm sharing my mood board and inspiration from our latest shoot for the Classic Collection.
When it comes to prepping for the photoshoot, I like to close my eyes and visualize the model, the makeup, the hair, the outfits, the mini-settings. I just sit quietly with my eyes closed and let the visions come to me. I’m incredibly grateful for my gift of visualization, I tap into it often. I'm fortunate to be able to visualize vividly and I use this gift for my manifestation practice and when I quantum jump (another post for another time). Back to photoshoots…once I have a sense of the direction, I go to Pinterest (oh how I love thee) and pull images that resonate with the vision. This is an important step because it also cues the creative team with what I’m trying to achieve and how to create the vibe.
I create a mood board, then I create a shot list. The shot list is specific camera shots and angles I want to get during the photoshoot. This is helpful when shooting to guide the model and photographer to capture the look and feel for the shoot that I have in my head. This also helps flow, wardrobe changes, and overall time management for the shoot.
I then pull hair and makeup looks for my wonderful hair and makeup guru, so she knows exactly what I’m trying to create. I usually send this to her beforehand so she can give me feedback on time and effort. Sometimes the styles I want can take hours, so I’ll try to find something less time consuming as I want to spend the bulk of our time together shooting, not prepping.
Then comes time to pull the looks, my favorite part! Pro tip: if you’re pulling for a shoot and ordering anything online, allow yourself at least two weeks (sometimes more) to receive the looks in time for the shoot. I look online, through my personal archives, and reach out to friends to borrow items. I then compile a look book of outfits for the shoot. I usually try to target three looks per shoot to offer some variety for posting and marketing materials.
Then I’ll start to get a prop list together to set the scene. For this shoot, I asked my neighbor to borrow his vintage red Dodge Challenger, only cost me a bottle of good tequila! I try to pull what I can from my personal stash and borrow the rest to set the scenes. In the past I’ve borrowed couches, furs, table settings, and now cars. Never be afraid to ask, most people are happy to lend out something! You can also rent or collaborate with others to help keep cost low.
If you are thinking of putting a creative shoot together, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. I’m by no means a pro, but I’m happy to offer advice where I can! The whole point is to have fun, let your creativity flow, and create magic with a cool group of fellow creatives.
