With the warmer weather here, you’ve probably been hearing about more styled shoots being planned! Each time you see a mood board you’re curious and check the date on your calendar – am I right?

I don’t blame you – shoot designs these days are getting better and better and they are often so enticing. Plus, with so many talented wedding professionals having been limited in 2020 due to the pandemic, everyone is just itching to get creative in 2021!

Today I want to talk to you about why you may want to do a styled shoot. Personally, even though my wedding calendar is fully booked, I still like to make time to do 1-2 styled shoots every year. Here’s why a styled shoot is a good investment of your time and money:

1. To boost your SEO. This is definitely at the top of my list! The biggest benefit to any styled shoot is to get it published and get a link-back to your website. If you know anything about SEO, you know that quality link-backs from other relevant sites to your own website will help you rank better in the search engines. This helps you get found by more couples looking for a wedding photographer.
2. To network with other wedding pros. This one is huge! In this industry, networking is everything. Not only will it help with brand recognition and getting your face in front of more and more couples and pros (who will refer you to couples), but it will also benefit you when you build strong connections and your clients recognize it. Not to mention, you’ll be able to refer your couples to trustworthy professionals because you’ll have experience working with them.
3. To get your work in front of other people’s audiences. Once you’ve edited the images from a shoot, not only should you submit them to a publication (only sign up for shoots that allow that!!) but you should also share the images with the vendors involved so that they can share them on their social media, tagging you in the process. This way your images will be shared to their audiences and potential clients can find you that way.
4. To inspire your couples. Personally, I want my couples to see me as a resource when it comes to all things wedding photography, even wedding photography design. Styled shoots are a great way to share current trends with them to inspire them in their planning and help them with ideas for their own wedding day. The quality of my weddings in terms of wedding design has definitely improved through the years and I definitely attribute some of that to showcasing higher end designs to potential and current clients.
5. To meet other photographers. Wedding photography can get pretty lonely sometimes. After all, we’re spending the majority of our days in front of a computer editing, answering emails, creating timelines, and doing all the backend work that is all so time-consuming. Getting out there and meeting other photographers is refreshing and fun – but it also allows you to meet people you may want to work with in the future. You never know when you may be looking for an assistant, second photographer, or associate photographer. The connections you make on a shoot will benefit you at that time.
6. To expand your portfolio. While I wouldn’t suggest only using styled shoots in your portfolio, if you want to reach a different market, images from styled shoots can certainly help you do that. After all, you need to show what you want to shoot. If your current client base doesn’t fit the type of work you want to create, a styled shoot can help you create images that does fit the type of work you want to create.
7. To try out new posing ideas. We all need a refresh every now and then! A styled shoot is a great way to practice new posing prompts and see how a couple will interpret them and how they’ll look in images.
8. Hone your photography skills. A styled shoot is a perfect opportunity to experiment without putting precious paid client work at risk. Try out a new camera, a new lens, or even just work at shooting at lower apertures while still getting tack sharp images. Set goals for something you want to work on and work on reaching those goals at a styled shoot.
9. To create content. Let’s face it – we all need content and we sometimes have seasons where we don’t have new content to share. A styled shoot will help you create images that you can stockpile for those days when you feel you have nothing to post on social media.

And there you have it! There are just some of the top reasons why you should do a styled shoot. If you’re interested in a styled shoot, below are some ways you can find one:

1. Check out the Tyler Gardens Workshop/Styled Shoot I’m co-hosting in Newton PA – coming up on May 25th, 2021!
2. Join the Styled Shoots USA Facebook Group
3. Check out Styled Shoots Across America
4. Sign up for a shoot with The Shootout Society
5. Follow Out of the Box Events

Further Reading

Here are some more blog posts related to styled shoots:

• Tips for Attending Your First Styled Shoot
• How to Plan a Styled Shoot

Free Resource

To download my list of must-have images to take at every styled shoot, fill out the form below:

Good luck on your shoot!