"Like a Painting": A Photo Shoot From Start-To-Finish

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For some, the mystery of a final product can make one shy away from any attempt to create it herself.

That used to be me. Stop it. You can do hard things. This photo shoot is evidence of that. Sometimes it just helps to know how something was done to muster the courage to take a risk and do it. So here's how this photo shoot with Quincy Staker featuring a handmade luxury cloak made by me went from thin air to final product. No secrets, just the lowdown on this photo shoot, start-to-finish.

If you think of questions as you read, feel free to contact me on Facebook with or leave a comment below. Let's get started.

The Full Series
 click the links below to view the other photo shoots in this series


Getting Inspired

Scene: Capture the Grandeur
I already blogged about my inspiration breakthrough when I discovered fine art photographer Brooke Shaden (I will never get tired of this workshop); this is my first photo shoot using her methodology for gathering inspiration. In the linked workshop (available for free, mind you) she suggests taking thirty seconds to brainstorm each of the following categories to compile an idea:
  • Color
  • Prop
  • Wardrobe
  • Setting
  • Theme

Best use of  a napkin I've ever made. Resting in the Caesar's Palace Casino Forum Shops in Las Vegas while on vacation over the weekend, this is what I came up with (heavily influenced by my environment):

Color: Purple, Gray, Marble
Prop: Stones
Wardrobe: Purple cloak lined with gray
Setting: Columns
Theme: "Like a painting"

The colors were already integrated into the cloak I made (www.facebook.com/wendysewsit), and the stones were actually already made as part of a bigger plan, which I can't reveal now...

Half an hour and a slice of cheesecake later, I had my concept:

A girl dressed from another time finds herself alone in a cathedral with a bag of small stones. 

Shot List 

I used to be more specific here, but for this shoot I wanted to wing it a little. I chose three basics to get started:
  • Capture the grandeur
  • Stones in and out of pouch
  • Flow of cloak
Pinterest Board 

Pinterest is a valuable tool for collaboration and collecting creative ideas together. This was mine for the shoot:


The Final Story 







"Like a painting", Wendy Hurst
Scene: The Stones
 Credits

Make-Up Artist: Ashley Evans
Photographer: Wendy Hurst
Wardrobe: Wendy Hurst Location: Utah State Capital, Salt Lake City, Utah

Follow me on Facebook to see what happens next when it's revealed...
Location: Utah State Capitol, 350 North State Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84114, USA

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