Creating Alongside Other Creatives
This shoot started a hope to create alongside others in Portland, but since I am new to the industry in this city, I had a fear no one would show up. To be fair, this is a very real fear to have, and to all those reading this who listened to me nervously rant about no one showing up, I appreciate you. Good news to those who have not seen my Instagram, people did show up, and it far exceeded my expectations.
One afternoon I was browsing a styled shoot Facebook page, and thought “Alright, I want to do one of these. I want as many people involved as possible. Whether it is photographers, hair and make up artists, models. How hard can it be to put together?!” Well, once I posted about it I received WAY more interest than I ever imagined. Everyone loved the mood board, so messages just started pouring in. The hardest part was having to say “I hope to work with you in the future!” to 90% of the creatives who responded. This was difficult because I genuinely loved everyone’s art that they create, but everyone was telling me to be selective to those who fit your vision. At the end of it all I am SO glad I sifted through, to choose those who turned my vision into a reality, and much more.
Throughout this experience, I learned a few tidbits about myself and the collaboration process, that I can share as advice if you are wanting to create with others. First piece of advice, stick to your vision and most importantly stand your ground. This is your inspiration, you are bringing people into your shoot, and allow yourself to speak up when your vision is being lost. I know this can be difficult with so many people involved, but again, this is so important. That being said, as the planner of a shoot like this it is important to play mediator to make sure everyone feels involved. There is nothing worse than spending time and money to create for a shoot, just to feel under valued, and not get the shots you were hoping for. For this shoot, we created multiple tablescape designs throughout the day. To me this was the best way to ensure everyone used the props they wanted, to match the aesthetic of their Instagram feeds. This is a huge determining factor for some people to be a part of these shoots, so I made this a priority of mine. While most shoots, you will only have one table design, and I am not saying that every shoot you need to have three different designs. However, to accommodate everyone, we removed simple design elements, such as a table runner or switched out the plates. In this case, it worked out because everyone captured each design perfectly, and everyone was happy! Lastly, I learned how much I loved bringing people together, and spending the day laughing with new people. For 2019 I am hoping to host many more shoots just like this one, to meet more people, and create beautiful images for everyone to see!
Thank you for reading! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me personally!
Credit list
Coordinating/Styling: Madison August / Madison August Event & Design / Instagram: @madisonaugusteventdesigns
Florals/Styling: Sea of Roses / Instagram: @sea.of.roses
Photography:
Elle Harper / Harper Grace Photography / Instagram: @harpergracephoto
Tina Pardon / Explore the Moment Photography / Instagram: @explorethemomentphoto
Sarah Haimes / Shuttergram Portraits / Instagram: @shuttergramportraits
Emily Vendehey / Emily Vendehey Photography / Instagram: @emilyvendheyphotography
Kylen Camille / Instagram: @kylencamille
Styling/Rentals: Shannon Huffman / Periwinkle Wedding Décor / Instagram: @periwinkle_eventsnw
Bridal dresses: Lea-ann Belter Bridal / Instagram: @leannbelterbridal
Models:
Jamie Applebaum / Instagram: @jamie.pnw
Madison August / Instagram: @madison_hailey
Hair + Makeup: Angela Foster / Instagram: @angela_foster_muah
Location: Blockhouse / Instagram: @blockhousepdx
Cake: Dream Cakes / Instagram: @dreamcakespdx
Desserts: Tres Belle Cookies / Instagram: @tresbellecookies
