Last weekend’s session was a dream because I got to kick off spring with a styled shoot in the Shenandoah with 4 other Virginia photographers! Sara Thom, Lauren Newman, Emily Heskett and I collaborated to come up with the location and styling, and we got to work with Meredith White and her family. The first piece we chose was a gorgeous Reclamation rust-color dress for Meredith. We knew the color and movement of the dress would be perfect for the location, and complement the blues and greens in the background. Weather can be tricky in early spring, but we had a gorgeous sunny and clear day, and I knew the sunset would be fabulous. When we arrived, Lauren and Emily had already hiked to the top of the mountain to scope out our spots because none of us had actually visited this location before! They came back down and joined me, Sara and Meredith & family and we walked up together. It was so breathtaking, and I couldn’t get over all of the colors and textures, and of course the lighting was soft and dreamy as the sun set behind the mountains.
Not all styled shoots have to be extravagant or expensive, and you don’t need any kind of props unless you wanted to invest in a beautiful bouquet or some florals. These kind of collaborations encourage community with other artists and give you a chance to have fun with a session and try new angles, camera settings, and locations. It’s also fascinating to see how other photographers interpret the same setup using different lenses and editing styles.
I can’t wait to get back there in a couple of weeks!
