The number one question you need to answer to create your vision, and how to break it down into actionable goals.
As a marketing strategist, style editor, longtime blogger, and avid shopper, I have a lot of insights on what it takes to make sure the holiday season is successful and profitable for retailers. I've written posts about how to get your products into magazines, when to start PR for the holidays, and how to create a shot list for a photo shoot based on my experience working with independent retailers for the past decade. From selecting
This may seem like a "duh" statement, but I'll say it anyway: In order to get what you want, you have to know what you want. Right. Duh. But you'd be surprised how often clients go into a photo shoot without a clear plan. Most people have vague ideas about what they want out of a shoot, but until we can project thoughts into each others' minds Star Trek-style, a shot list is the best way to communicate exactly
A lot of creative types claim they don't enjoy planning, but gathering inspiration is one of the best parts of the pre-production process, I promise. When I'm producing photo shoots, putting together the creative direction is not only fun, but useful: it helps me hone in on a vision, acts as a trigger for new ideas, and provides examples of lighting and composition, which make it much easier to communicate with the client and crew. Thank
A few weeks ago, I was in a shop pulling wardrobe for a series of photo shoots, and the store owner asked me: “Is this for December?” I was floored. “Oh no, that’s been finished. This is for January.” It took me a second to realize that shopping in mid-November totally made sense for holiday from a retail standpoint. But magazines require a longer lead time than web or newspapers, so getting exposure in a glossy