Tips & Tricks

As a photographer and an aerialist myself I know what it's like to go through a photoshoot day, and even the most prepared of us can forget a few things. so I've compiled a list of some of my best tips and tricks for preparing for a photoshoot, as well as the day of. Browse them all below and be sure to use any that help to make the most of your day!

  • Be Prepared - make a list of moves or poses ahead of time that you know you want to get done, and organize this list! If you know a move or pose is more difficult for you try to line it up do it at the beginning of the shoot when you're less tired, and then leave easier or simpler poses for the end. This way anything that takes more strength, energy, concentration, etc. can be gotten out of the way when you're feeling your best and then you can pick and choose from there where you want to go.
  • Warm Up Completely - arrive 15-20 mins ahead of time and warm up fully, while a photoshoot seems like it might be easier than a class, or freestyle session you will be doing hard things. Sometimes you will have to hold a move or pose longer than you usually would so we can make sure we catch all the angles, which sounds so easy to say, but doing it is another story. So you want to be fully warmed up and ready for that so you don't risk injuring yourself, personally I would recommend you warm up at least as much as you would for a show or performance piece.
  • Rest Beforehand - photoshoots are a lot of work, they can take a lot out of you, especially if you're trying to get shots of some of your hardest tricks. Make sure you're making time to rest beforehand accordingly. Never under estimate how much a 30 minute shoot can take it out of you, you're doing so much in that time, more than you would in a class, you've got to be at your best to make it count.
  • Eat Well & Bring Snacks - make sure to eat a good meal before your shoot time, whether this is a big breakfast for an afternoon shoot or needing to bring snacks to it. Everyone's body responds to strenous activity differently, as well as metabolizes differently, and you know best what you will need. So be sure to stay on top of it especially the day before, day of, and day after your photoshoot.
  • Stay Hydrated - drink plenty of water beforehand, during, and after your photoshoot. Dehydration can severely impair not only strength and muscle function while active, but recovery afterwards. So be sure to keep yourself hydrated throughout the day as well as after to prevent yourself from experiencing any cramping, or exacerbated muscle fatigue.
  • Organize Your Outfits - in addition to coming ready with your hair and makeup done be sure to organize the outfits you want to wear, especially those super sexy strappy ones. Have them hung so they are easy to access and quickly swap between especially if you're trying to do 2+ outfits in your session. The faster you can make your changes between costumes the more time you'll have for shooting in them especially in cases where you're wearing tights or fishnet stockings, as we know those all require a little wiggle to get into.
  • Have Fun - while photoshoots can be done for a ton of reason from needing promotional images to new headshots or action shots, I still want you to have a blast. So always let me know if there is something we can do or setup to make sure you have fun and enjoy yourself as much as possible even while we're working to get the best shots for you.