Putting together a concept shoot can be tons of fun but pulling it all together can be overwhelming. Unless you plan and follow the steps below. Seniorologie is running an image contest and the theme or concept is Winter. So what better time to get out there and shoot!

1. Brainstorm the Idea/Concept – this is simple…just brainstorm, write down ideas that come to mind, things you’ve wanted to shoot for a while. I have a feeling there are many ideas floating around in your head! 🙂 And for this image contest, we have come up with the concept for you…Winter!

2. Visualize it – Once you have the concept in mind, visualize it. What does Winter mean to you? What images come to mind? Snow, the color white, a hot cup of cocoa, a roaring fire, fur hats and gloves…what does it mean to you? To help visualize the concept, create a pinterest board or a mood board from photos from magazines. It is also helpful for me to create a board on Polyvore with images of what the model might wear. This also proves helpful when telling the model what to wear. If you send her the Polyvore or Pinterest boards, she can visualize the look you are going for and pull things from her closet that may work.

3. Location – Where will you shoot this concept? For me, I live in the south so a snowy backdrop is just not quite an option. So I had to be a little creative with my location. I wanted it to look winter-y (is this a word?) but to me that means snow and we don’t have any. So I used a backdrop and set it up in my garage! Yep, no need for a studio. Just a backdrop stand, a backdrop and a faux wood rug from The Savvy Photographer. The backdrop is birch trees covered in snow so it spoke winter to me and I knew it would be perfect. My garage has open shade almost all day long so I knew the lighting would be nice and even during the shoot. But maybe winter is something different to you and you can create your own winter backdrop in your area. Be creative with this and think outside the box!

4. Props – Don’t forget the props! Once I had the backdrop, I knew I wanted a few more elements to help bring this shoot to life! So I thought of a few props that would help me tell the story of winter. A red coffee mug complete with real hot cocoa and marshmallows, pinecones sprayed with glitter, antlers with glitter tips, an old wooden crate to set these things on and shiny candle holders to give a little sparkle. Whatever your idea is for a winter shoot, use a few props to help tell the story. Instead of just a senior standing in snow, add an element that will help create a complete concept. Other ideas that come to mind are old skis, ice skates, blankets, firewood, winter berries…so many propibilities! (love this new word! I will be using it for sure!)

5. Wardrobe – The clothes help tell the story! Not only do props help tell the story but so do the clothes for your model. Especially for a winter concept shoot! Nothing says winter more than coats, gloves, hats, scarves and more! I have always been a believer in layers for photo shoots. To me, it gives texture to a photo and allows for many different looks in one. Just by adding or taking away a hat for example gives the model an entirely different look. Scarves are great things to hold on to and thus giving the model something to do with their hands.

Whatever and wherever your imagination takes you, pull it all together for a fun winter photo shoot that will not only give you a chance to practice your craft but broaden your portfolio and enter your image into the Seniorologie Winter Image Contest! I can’t wait to see what you all come up with!!

For inspiration, I did my version of a winter shoot and you can see the photos below!