How I Shot This: A Photo Series

Morning! Today, I’m so excited to post another installment of my fave photo series: How I Shot This. I’ve done this on Instagram, on my blog (hey y’all!), and even my TikTok. And while I’m not saying I won’t do a little talking head video anytime soon (I probably will right after this!), I wanted to bring this series back to its roots: with the photo on the website! And since text is currently cool on Instagram? We’re bringing it there, too!

Get ready to hear all about how I took this editorial photography with bright natural light inside my garage.

Editorial Photos with Bright Natural Light

Alan always has the most amazing inspiration for his shoots and this one was one of my all time faves! For this shoot, we planned to shoot in really bright light – honestly, it was so bright it was almost vulgar (lol) so, when setting up the studio, I draped tulle throughout my shooting space. Some was clipped to the wall, some was hanging from the ceiling, and some was in my hand. Doing this did two things.

First! It added a dreamy look to the photos that subdued some of the light.

Second! The tulle – and softness it added – let me really play with the brightness of the light. While this shoot wasn’t totally monochromatic, it’s almost exclusively beige and yellow. This let me play with light in a way that didn’t make it overwhelming. It just made it extra fun! This lighting technique would not work if the backdrop was purple, the hanging sheet was floral, and the tulle was yellow. Like, it might? But you’d probably have to work hand in hand with a creative director and have everything picked out way in advance so all the tones would match. So for a normal shoot? That wouldn’t be in the cards!

Since we had a very subtle / nearly monochromatic color palette, embracing the light totally worked!

Does Posing Really Matter?

Yes. One hundred thousand percent yes.

Call me old fashioned but I truly believe that most shoots need to be somewhat directed. I’m not saying everything needs to be put into place perfectly – I am nothing if not an imperfectly messy shooter – but little things matter so much! This specific pose is not easy to stay in – and honestly the shooting pose I was in wasn’t great to stay in long term either! – so, for photos like this, I like to get as much prop prep work done as possible before going into the pose. For Alan, that meant we got the garland secured as best we could, then we plopped down.

When Alan was crouched down, I had him look down towards the flowers and had him softly fiddle with the flowers. Movement is amazing in photos! It adds such a soft, natural grace and I love the way Alan’s hands photographed here. I also love the way we raised his back foot – it makes the photo feel elevated, so much so that you barely notice the posing. And honestly? That’s the goal!

Can I Take Photos Like This At My Shoot?

Absolutely! I love photography so much and little vignettes like this are one of my faves to put together. I know that photos like these can feel a little intimidating. But at my shoots? They’re not intimidating at all! When we’re shooting and I’m saying “cute feet!”, you’ll barely notice that I’m posing you or moving you around – you’ll be too busy laughing at whatever chaotic story I’m telling you instead.

Sound like your kind of shoot? Love editorial photos with bright light? Contact me here!

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Based in Fayetteville, Arkansas Lissa Chandler is a portrait and wedding photographer who celebrates life one photograph at a time. Lissa is also the owner of Opal and June where she offers fun teacher shirts, bookish + history merch, and the absolute cutest tote bags. Additionally, Lissa is the host of the laid back, conversational podcasts Your Photographer Mom and Our Favorite Villes.

As a creative photographer in Northwest Arkansas, Lissa doesn’t niche down on a genre. She niches on a feeling instead! That feeling? The huge, happy feeling of hope and excitement that you feel as a kid opening up a huge box of 120 crayons. Sound like a feeling you remember? Let’s shoot!