Scrolling through Instagram, you immediately stop on a blogger’s photo at the top of your feed. It has thousands of likes, hundreds of comments, and the content looks GORGEOUS. You might even share it with a friend or 2 for inspiration. Social media can make that image seem like it was so easy to create, but in reality, a lot of hard work goes into some of the best influencer content.
With more time spent inside this year, it only makes sense that people gravitated to outdoor activities. It’s an easier way to gather with friends while staying safe and allows you to get some fresh air! Luxury picnics have been popping up all over my Pinterest mood boards lately, so I knew I wanted to enjoy one before the end of the year. I recently partnered with Cupcake Lighthearted to showcase their Chardonnay for fall. What better way to try than a fall picnic photoshoot?
The influencer market is saturated yes, but quality content always stands out. If you’re working on improving your feed, these 6 simple tips can easily help elevate your next post to the next level.
When coming up with an idea for your next brand campaign, describe what you’re planning to do in detail. Offer images of similar content, a loose caption, and the overall tone you’re trying to set. For example, I create a google doc for brand partnerships with a quick photo collage and said the messaging would revolve around Friendsgiving and girl time. You can see the final product in this post on my Instagram. It wasn’t too far off from what I pitched to the brand! You can also plan out the poses or “goal shots” for your final product. In the end, sharing a mood board saves you time from miscommunication about what you were envisioning and limits the amount of scrambling the day of your shoot!
Once you have an idea of the aesthetic you’re trying to create, it’s time to put together the ‘fit. Have you laid eyes on everything you’re going to wear? Is it wrinkle-free? Do you have all of the matching accessories? How will do your makeup? Since I’ve set up my new office, it’s been a lot easier to stay on top of this. I keep photoshoot looks hanging on the clothing rack and have my bag ready to go! Check the weather for the day of the shoot and prepare for backup options.
This is one of the hardest things for me to figure out! Even though Charlotte is a medium-sized city, it can be challenging to find different locations every now and then. Dedicate a few hours a month to drive around and discover new backdrops. Another way I find new places to shoot is by searching the location tag on Instagram! Pick the area you’d like to stay around and save the posts to refer to later. Make sure to figure out the parking situation and map out the distance from home beforehand, too.
Got Props?I’ve noticed why photos without that extra something always fall flat. Props like these wine glasses, fall tablescape, and the charcuterie board really help tie the picnic aesthetic together. In a typical shoot, it’s always what I rely on when I don’t know what to do with my hands! A few of my go-to’s are coffee cups, polaroid cameras, sunglasses, and other accessories.
Phew. All of this planning really takes a lot out of you. The “easy” Instagram post is actually about 5-6 hours of total work. So you might as well make the most of it! When you “batch content” you can optimize your time by shooting multiple looks at one and repurposing for later. I published a sponsored post for a brand but realized I loved the photos too much to only share them once! You can capture behind the scenes videos for TikTok or use the images for text-heavy blog post ideas- get creative!
Do you think you’ll use these tips for your next blog shoot? Let me know!
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This was really helpful, Tomi! As I’m planning a holiday shoot with a friend who is a photographer, the idea of batch content didn’t cross my mind! I’ll def plan to shoot a ton of different looks!