Behind the Scenes of a Fashion Blogger

the best winter parka EVER || leather leggings (under $15!) || Matisse ‘Nugent’ booties (comes in 4 prints) || Gap sweater || similar beanie || sunglasses || Nikon D7200, Nikon 50 mm lens

photos by Ashley of Sed Bona

A Sneak Peek

Hi guys! Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend. Mine was super relaxing and included a very special evening out for my son’s mother-son dance. It was so stinking cute. He had a blast running around with his buddies and leading the conga line. But I swear, every time a slow sang came on, he made a beeline for yours truly. I felt like the luckiest girl in the room. But at 9 years old, he is already looking over his shoulder to see who is watching as he dances with me; I am well aware that these days are numbered. So there is a little peek into momlife:) Today, I’m also sharing a behind the scenes glimpse into this whole “fashion blogger” thing and what really happens behind the scenes of an outfit shoot!

A Fashion Blogger: Its NOT so Glamourous

I’ve been thinking about writing this post for quite a while. You see, while fashion and lifestyle blogging involves tons of pretty glamorous perks, a lot of what goes into outfit shoots is decidedly unglamourous. Roughly once a week, Ashley and I get together to shoot outfits. Over the past year we have become so efficient that we can easily knock out 6 looks (3 apiece) in under 2 hours. We mean business people. But there is a lot of silliness and a lot of fun and a lot of mess behind the lens. 

Ashley and I will pile into the car with garment bags, shoe boxes and in my case super-chic laundry baskets chalk full of clothes, shoes, bags, jewelry, makeup…pretty much you name it. We often joke about how our “photo kit” has grown as we’ve added lint rollers, scissors and tissues. Next, we scout out where we want to shoot. Sometimes, this is decided in advance, other times we drive (or wonder) the streets in search of the perfect spot alley. Then its time to park pull over and get ready. We’ll shoot an outfit and then back to the car to change and sometimes move to a new location. And there is no shame guys. We do our best to be modest but a blogger’s got to do what a blogger’s got to do. I’ve essentially stripped down in parking garages, attempted to pull on tights in alleys and changed under garments on the go. Its not pretty, but its fun and always involves a lot of laughs and plenty of self deprecating jokes. 

And by the end? Well the back seat looks like a suitcase with 2 weeks worth of clothes exploded. So we pack it back up, head for home and start planning the next shoot:)

Tips and Tricks for Shooting Days

I’ll leave most of the photography stuff to Ashley as she has pretty much taught me all that I know. But I have learned some things along the way that have helped our shoots go smoothly. Or at least as smoothly as one can hope when you’re dealing with two creative-type  girls;)

• Be Flexible. I’m always open to location suggestions and some of my favorites shots have ended up in places that I never would have thought of on my own.
• Be Comfortable. A little bit schleppy, but Ashley and I can always be found walking to and from in these super comfy suede moccasins. 
• Sometimes less light is better. Overcast skies are really best for shooting photos. The “soft box” light they create eliminate shadows and keeps both color and whites from blowing out in the finished product. I also prefer to shoot slightly darker and then brighten the photos in post-production.
• Take time to learn your personal preferences. Its so easy to compare yourself and your style with others. In the end, I find that the shoots that I’m the happiest with our when I stay true to my minimalist nature. The posts end up performing better too.
• Pack coffee water. Ok pack both. 
• Shoot with a friend. If you can swing this, its so worth it. I’m fortunate to live in a community with lots of wonderful bloggers. But finding a couple who I truly enjoy spending time with makes shooting outfits one of the most fun parts of my week.
• Get comfortable with your camera. I recently purchased my Nikon D7200 after becoming extremely comfortable shooting with Ashley’s Nikon and I was able to hit the ground running.

So there you have it! A little blogger behind the scenes. I’d love to hear your thoughts on these types of posts. I had so much fun writing and I hope you enjoyed reading as well! Leave any questions that you have in the comments or you can always email me at [email protected]