How To Plan A Photoshoot For A Magazine

I don’t know about you, but when I got into fashion photography, all I ever wanted was for my images to be featured in magazines. It remains, to this day, one of my biggest goals. I'm lucky enough to have been featured in a few magazines by now, and I've learnt a thing or two about how to get published. 

Not only that, but I spent 5 years working on Atlas Magazine, which I am a co-founder of. Therefore, I've been on both ends - the photographer, and the editor.

I think this definitely gives me an advantage, because I'm able, more than most photographers, to put myself in the shoes of an editor. 

So today, I'm going to share with you how to plan a photoshoot for a magazine. 
 

1. Research the magazines you want to shoot for:
 

So of course, the first step is to do your research. And I mean, really do your research. You need to spend time looking up magazines, researching what's out there. You need to know if your style of photography will suit them. What kind of photographers do they feature? Are they more classic and romantic, or are they quite edgy? You need to be sure that your style will suit them. 

If you're wanting to shoot for magazines which take submissions, check in advance whether they have any themes. At Atlas, we have four different themes per year. Photographers are free to interpret those themes however they like. A lot of magazines follow a similar structure, so be sure to check.

That being said, some also don't have a theme; their theme is open. 

Some magazines are very seasonal (i.e. most magazines you buy on a newsstand are going to be seasonal!). And some are commission only (commission means that they need to pre-approve your idea before you go out and shoot). 

Spend time making a list of magazines you'd love to shoot for. Make notes about them. I keep a Trello board with a massive list of magazines that I dream of shooting for, and whenever it comes time for me to plan a new editorial, I pull that list up and will use it to plan my shoot!
 

2. Create a strong moodboard

Once you know who you want to shoot for, and you have your theme, it's time to put together a moodboard. I like to start off all of my photoshoots with detailed moodboards. I tend to start on Pinterest, where I'll create a new "secret" board, and I'll begin to pin ideas. Sometimes I just pin whatever I'm drawn to. If I do that, I'll go back to the board after a few minutes, and look for a pattern or theme. I'll delete the pins which no longer suit the theme I'm moving towards, and continue pinning based on my chosen theme. 

Other times, I'll start my moodboarding with an idea already in my head. 

Pinterest now has the ability to split your boards into multiple categories, like "Styling" and "Lighting" and "Make Up." I LOVE this feature, because it makes it so easy for me, and for my team, to keep our ideas organised. 

When you have a more solid idea for your photoshoot, I'd recommend moving your moodboard from Pinterest into Photoshop. I like to save the image to my desktop, and then create PDFs out of my moodboards so that they are easy to send to team members, model agents, etc. 

To make everything very clear and easy for your team to understand, I encourage you to create moodboards for the overall mood and feel of the shoot, for hair, make up, styling, and even locations within your shoot. This will help to make it very clear to your team whoo needs to do what, and what you're hoping to achieve with your shoot. 

3. Find your team

Finding a team can be really tricky, but once you've got a few people that you know you can work with, it gets easier and easier. I've worked with a lot of different people over the years (make up artists, hair stylists, wardrobe stylists, etc) and I now have a list of people that I know I can turn to whenever I have an idea (and they can turn to me too!). 

I get asked often how to find team members, and it deserves a whole blog post in itself, but to get you started, I encourage you to look within Facebook groups, on Instagram, Google searches, and look within agencies as well. 

The most important thing though, is that when you do find people who are up for collaborating with you, that they understand your vision. This is why moodboards are so crucial; they need to SEE what you want them to do. 

Whenever you're collaborating with someone though, keep in mind that they will want to get something out of it too. If they want to create something for themselves, I like to have discussions about it, and remain open minded. I don't like to hold too tight a grip on the shoot, because that's no fun for anyone. 

But that being said, make sure that you are the one who gets the final say on whether something will work in the images or not. Remember that you're shooting for a magazine, you're the one who has done the research and planned the whole shoot... if what one of your team members is suggesting isn't going to work, be open about it. 

Lastly, make sure that you show the team members the magazine that you're shooting for. Let them do their own research, and get excited about the possibility of being featured as well!

4. Cast your model

Whether you're casting a model who is signed with an agency or not, you need to keep in mind whether she will be a good fit for your editorial or not. Will she/he work within the story you have planned? Does her/his look suit the magazine? Take time over your casting, and be sure that you've got the right model. After all, they're going to be the focus of the image... so if she isn't right, you're going to fall at the first hurdle! 

5. Styling

Styling is so tricky, and if you can, I encourage you to work with a wardrobe stylist. However, good stylists can be really, really hard to find. If you live outside of a big city, they're even harder. 

If you can't find a stylist, all is not lost! You can style a shoot yourself. You just need to have done your research into the magazine, and have a solid plan for your shoot! Here are the most important things to remember when planning a shoot for a magazine with regards to styling:

• Check how many looks they require. Many magazines will need you to feature at least 6 outfit changes for it to make it worth it for them to feature your editorial. 

• Are the clothes you're choosing going to suit the magazine? Take a look at previous issues and see what kinds of clothes the editors tend to feature. 

• If you're shooting for a magazine which has adverts, do you need to shoot with the brands that advertise with them? Believe it or not, a lot of magazines are restricted by the brands they can feature based on who advertises with them. 

6. Email the magazines in advance
 

This is something I'm mentioning, because I don't feel like enough photographers do this (or think that they can). You don't have to, but sometimes it is worth sending a quick email to the magazine that you're hoping to submit to, and asking them for advice. You can show them your moodboard, show them the model you plan to shoot with, etc, and see what they say.
They may come back with a few adjustements, or they may even offer you a commissioning letter (which will then allow your stylist to "pull" clothes from PRs and designer showrooms - always worth getting if you can). 
 

7. Shoot!
 

Last but not least...you need to shoot! When shooting for your editorial, whether you've been comissioned or you're submitting, just keep the magazine in mind. It's so easy to get carried away with the day, and forget your core mission (I know, because I've done it). Pin your moodboards up on the wall, or keep them close. If you're on location, have them on your phone. Reffer back to them often, and remind yourself of what you're doing. 
 

There we go :) I hope that those tips on how to plan a shoot for a magazine was helpful! If you're interested in learning more, one of my most recent podcast episodes was with Megan Breukelman, the current editor of Atlas Magazine.You can listen to it here!

What Should Your Subject Line Be When Pitching?

Recently, I’ve had a bunch of people ask me the same question: What should I put in the subject line of my pitch emails?!

I hadn’t ever considered doing a blog post about just this, but seeing as it’s clearly causing so many of you doubt, I’m here to help :)

My theory with pitch email subject lines is simple: I want the person who receives the email to know exactly what to expect before they’ve even hit “open.”

Why?

These people are busy! I don’t want to be seen as someone wasting their time.

Have you ever received an email from someone, or even a newsletter, which has a subject line along the lines of: “RE: coffee on Thursady?” You open the email because you feel confused: “Did I have a coffee meeting planned with this person? OMG have I forgotten about something?” queue panic Of course, this is just a “click bait” tactic. What these people know is that they’re catching your attention, and making you open their email.

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Sure, you’ll open it. But when you realise that you’ve been fooled by them, you’ll feel angry. I certainly do! I ge annoyed, feel frustrated, and actually dislike that person who sent that email quite a lot!

So coming at it from that point of view, I decided to always keep my email subject lines very obvious. They do what they say on the tin!

So what kind of subject lines could you use?

It’s up to you to experiment, but subject lines which have worked fo me include:

• Fashion photographer who’d love to collaborate

• Fashion photographer sharing her portfolio with you

• UK photographer with an idea

things like that…

I hope that’s been helpful, and will clarify any doubt you’ve had over what to send as a subject line in an email pitch.

Pricing Yourself As A Fashion Photographer

Ok, here goes...

I'm gonna be honest, I've avoided this topic for a while. Pricing is THE MOST ASKED question I get, but it's also the topic that I find the most difficult to talk about. 

The reason?

There's no right or wrong answer. I'm sorry to tell you that, but freelance photography rates are something which is always going to be a bit vague. 

That being said, in the last few years I've definitely learnt a thing or two about how to price photography, so I'm going to share what I know with the hope that it will help you.

Knowing Your Ideal Client

Working out your price is going to come down to a lot of trial and error. I've been in both the position where I undercharged, and overcharged. Now, I've found my groove, and I'm currently charging a day rate that I feel happy with, and that my clients are also willing to pay. 

What you charge does matter to an extent, because it sends a message to your potential clients. For example, if you're wanting to work with very small businesses, charging premium prices won't work. If you're wanting to work with mega big brands, charging little also won't work. You need to know who you want to work for before you can even begin to put a price to your work! 

So spend some time researching your ideal client, and take into account what kinds of budgets they have. If you can't find exact figures, it's ok to make a guess. 9/10, you'll be pretty accurate. As I said, this is all trial and error, so don't be afraid to tweek as you go, until you find your perfect price. 

Let's Get Logical

Before you can do anything else, you need to work out how much you need to earn to cover your business' costs and your time. 

There are loads and loads of resources online which can help you to work out your business expenses, and I recommend taking a look at "The Independent Girls Club" as an amazing resource. 

From there, you can work out how much time you spend on each of your projects, and you'll come up with an idea of your price. 

When it comes to photography remember to take into account:
- your kit
- your website costs
- your software costs
- tax (you need to put aside 30% to cover tax!)
- how long you spend in pre production
- how many hours you shoot
- how long you spend in post production 

I encourage you to spend a lot of time working out what your business costs are, and do this over a few days. Things will constantly pop back into your head as you work on this, so write them all down, and add up how much it costs you to run your business per month and per year. 

If you're looking for a more "formulaic" approach to working out your price, then I recommend reading this blog post by Karen Rosalie, or downloading Jenna Kutcher's pricing guide (note - this isn't for commercial photographers, but will probably still help you none the less). 

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Freelance Fee's

A few years ago, I came across this website, and it is really, really good if you need help working out what to charge as a photographer in the UK.

Should you charge by the hour, or by day?

This is a frequently asked question, and the answer is: it's up to you. I personally charge by half day, and full day although I do know my hourly rate, should I need it. 

Typically, a shoot rarely lasts ONLY an hour with me, and clients usually need a lot more of my time, so I quote half and full days for that reason. 

Its good to know what your hourly rate is, just so that you can be sure that you're not working for less than minimum wage when you add up your total hours working on a shoot (pre production, shooting, and post production). You'd be surprised by how many hours you ACTUALLY spend on a shoot. 

How Can I Work Out My Hourly Rate?

I recommend using the formula's I shared above, but one exercise I did a few years ago was note exactly how long I was spending on a project from start to finish. From the moment I sent the first email (replying to my clients enquiry) right up to sending them their final images, I jotted down how long I was spending. I included the hours I spent driving to and from the location, I included hours I spent speaking to other team members, I recorded every. single. thing. 

I spent a total of 22 hours on that shoot!!!

When I realised how long a photoshoot actually took me to produce, it helped me to justify my hourly rate. 

I encourage you to do the same exercise if you're struggling to explain your hourly rate to your clients... or even just to yourself! 

What about usage?

This is again (as is with all of it) personal, but you have the right to charge additional fees for certain things. For example, I charge a usage license for my images depending on what they're going to be used for. At the moment, I include "global online usage" in my day rate as a standard (at the moment). However if a brand said that they wanted to use the images I take in their shops, or in a catalogue, there would be an additional licence on top of my day rate. 

That is standard practice within the industry. Working out usage is a topic which deserves a blog post of it's own, but you can use calculators online like Getty Images or The AOP.

What do I charge?

I'm going to put you out of your misery, because I know that this is always the biggest question on everyone's mind. What do other photographers charge?!
I charge £450 for a half day shoot (4 hours max), and £600 for a full day (8 hours max).

That being said, please don't base your prices on mine. You may want to charge more, or less. Whatever you end up with, is YOUR price. But I hope that me sharing what I currently charge (in February 2019) is helpful to you in some way. 

What Should You Include In Your Day Rate?

Again, this is for you to decide, but I personally include: pre production communication (emails and phone calls), pre production team sourcing, the shoot itself, the kit I own, and the post production of up to 2 images per outfit.

That being said, what ends up being included in the shoot is always up for negotiation. For example, if the client wants me to scout a location, I will charge a location scouting fee. If they want me to hand over all my RAW files, I will charge them a processing fee. If they want me to hire equipment, the client gets invoiced for the cost of the equipment. The list goes on and on. 

It's up to you to have an open conversation about your costs with your client, and be very up front about what is included in your fee, and what is going to cost them more money. 

The Most Important Point 

Like I've said throughout this, there is no right or wrong answer. Pricing as a photographer is incredibly personal to you and your own business. You can speak to as many photographers as you want, read as many articles, watch as many Youtube videos, but the way you want to do it may differ from everyone else.

That's ok. The most important thing is that you feel confident and comfortable with your price, it covers your expenses and is able to pay you a wage, and also provides you with a profit... because what's the point of it all if you can't make a profit and enjoy your life?! 

If you want to learn more about money and managing your money, I HIGHLY recommend the book "Profit First*" (affiliate link). It changed my life!

How To Feel Confident As A Fashion Photographer

If you're in my Facebook Group, you'll have seen that this week I shared a survey. The basis of this survey was simple: to understand your worries, and figure out how I can help you more. 

To say it was a success would be an understatement, because I truly feel like I know you better than I ever could have before. So thank you all for being so open and so honest with me about your fears, and showing me how I can help you.

There were a few recurring themes: 

1. You all desire creative freedom
2. You all desire increased income
3. You all suffer with self confidence.

That last one really hit me hard, because I struggle with self confidence too. Self confidence is incredibly difficult to find, especially in the era of social media, when you're constantly bombarded with the successes of everyone we follow! 

Over the years, I've learnt a thing or two about confidence, so hopefully these tips will help you to feel a bit more confident in yourself, and your work. 

Comparison Is The Thief Of Joy

You've heard it before, but I'll repeat it, because it's so so so true. Comparing yourself and your work to someone else is a one way ticket to feeling crap! So instead of comparing yourself and beating yourself up about "how you're not good enough," turn that comparison on it's head. USE IT. 

Whenever you see an image, or someone "doing better than you," take a minute and ask yourself why you're feeling like that. Is it the image you're feeling jealous of? Clearly you've identified something in that persons work that you like, that you feel drawn to. So rather than put yourself down, analyse it. How have they shot that image? What work went into getting them to that point? Is there anything that you can take from what you're seeing, and apply it to your own work? 

When you analyse your jealousy in this way, it frees you up. It helps you to grow, and learn. No more jealousy, it becomes inspiration!

Know That Everyone Started Off As A Beginner

I think its really easy to forget that, at some point, everyone you admire was a beginner. Paolo Roversi was a beginner. Henri Cartier Bresson was a beginner. Richard Phibbs was a beginner. Each one of these photographers (that I personally admire) will have started out by taking AWFUL photos. They had to start somewhere and learn from that point on.

The difference between them and a lot of other very successful artists, is that they pushed through. They kept going. They kept learning, and proving to themselves that they could improve.

I guarantee you that the photographers you admire are STILL always learning and pushing themselves further. 

Everyone is More Concerned With Themselves Than They are With You

Sounds harsh, but no one really cares about what you're doing. Everyone is more worried about their lives, their work, and what they are doing. You could look at this in a negative way, but honestly I think its great, because it means that we can power on through. We can make mistakes, and no one is likely to notice. You can shoot something, and not love it, and no one else but you will care. 

When you're feeling intimidated by "what other people think" please remember that most of the time, they really don't care.

Adobe Lightroom Workflow for Fashion Photographers

Ever wondered how to cull, select and export your images after a fashion shoot? This video will walk you through exactly how to do all three of those things in just 15 minutes. I hope that it’s helpful. Feel free to ask further questions in the comments below!

Do You Need To Go To University To Be A Photographer?

This is a questions which lands in my inbox extremely frequently: Do you think I need to go to university to be a successful photographer?

There’s no easy answer to this question, because honestly, I don’t believe that anyone can tell you what to do. You’ll know what works for you, and what doesn’t. But I’m hoping that in this blog post I can give you a bit of help on making that decision.

My Story:

I went to Falmouth University and studied a degree in Fashion Photography. It took three years, and I came away from it with a “First Class Degree.” I was pretty happy with that result, if I do say so myself! I went to school in Switzerland, and quite an academic school at that. Never was it once suggested that university was something I could skip, if I wanted to. Everyone was going, no questions asked!

So when the time came for me to choose, I chose what I loved the most: art. Falmouth has an incredible reputation for the arts, and it sounded like a dreamy place. I’d never been to Cornwall before (or spent much time in the UK at all), so we visited, and I loved it. I did a foundation degree for one year, and then went on to take the very first BA(Hons) Fashion Photography course that the university offered.

Its hard to sum up three years into a blog post, but I’m going to break it down into the good and the bad.

The Good:

Independence: Uni to me is all about becoming independent. Before I left for uni, I’d not really spent much time away from my family. It was a chance for me to explore being an adult, living on my own, looking after myself, without the full responsibility of having a job yet. I didn’t have to fully fend for myself, but I go to get used to being on my own, and doing life on my own.

Time to explore: Especially with creative degrees like photography, you do get quite a lot of free time. I used to this explore, get creative, shoot lots and lots of photos, and start Atlas Magazine. I’m so grateful to the time I had at uni to explore my interests, because I know that if I’d skipped uni and gone straight into the world of work, I wouldn’t have had so much free time.

Technical skills: Uni is definitely where I got to hone my technical skills. I knew how to shoot manually before arriving at my degree (although many people didn’t, and were taught how, so you can be a total newbie and still do a photography degree), but I’d never set foot in a studio, experimented with lighting, or even that many lenses. The experts at my university were always on hand to help me, and I learnt so much. I’m certain that if I hadn’t gone to uni, I’d have taken a lot longer to experiment with studio equipment.

Access to kit: I’m not sure what all universities are like, but Falmouth has an incredible amount of photography equipment. There are also 8 industry standard studios that students can use (and external photographers as well - for a price). This access to kit and studios FOR FREE is incredible. I’d go back to uni just to have permanent access to this all over again!

Time to collaborate: One of the best things that I took away from uni was the collaboration and working with my friends. I’d always been quite a lone wolf in my work, but once I was on my degree, I had no choice but to learn how to work in a team. We all helped one another out on our various shoots, became incredible friends, and still help one another out today.

Access to resources: The university I went to has a huge library filled with books on every topic you can imagine. It also gave me access to many different subscription websites like WGSN, which are amazing, but expensive for a small business owner to have access to.

Experts in the field: This didn’t happen very often, but once in a while we would have visiting lecturers come and talk to us, look through our portfolios, and share industry experience with us. This was always incredibly valuable.

Friends all interested in the same topic: I don’t know about you, but while I was at school I found it hard to make friends with people who were interested in the same things as me. When I get to uni, and found that I was surrounded by people my age who loved fashion and photography as much as I did, it was incredible!

The Bad:

Inexperienced lecturer: This isn’t always the case with degree courses, but sadly we were the very first cohort of students to go through our degree. We were the guinea pigs in a way, and were also given a lecturer who was most definitely not experienced enough. We learnt very little from her, and much more from one another/visiting lectures/the technical instructors at the university.

Being far away from the industry: Falmouth (where I still live now) is 5h away from London. This makes access to the industry quite tricky, so we did feel a bit “cut off” at times. As I’ve spoken about in the past, you don’t need to be in London to make a career as a fashion photographer work, but you do need to be there sometimes. I wouldn’t let it put me off attending a university, but I would take into consideration how far I’d like to be from “where it’s all happening.”

Lack of in depth business training: If there is one thing I feel highly critical about universities for, it’s the lack of training in business. It’s all well and good setting photography brief after photography brief. If students are not taught how to actually run a business, they will never succeed. Everything I know about running a business as a photographer I have learnt AFTER my degree. I’ve read books, attended workshops, bought online courses, watched hours of Youtube, and done a lot of trial and error. Don’t go to uni expecting to be taught how to run a photography business, because it’s highly unlikely that you will.

Too much free time: I mentioned free time as a bonus earlier, because I used my free time well. I spent it shooting, learning and building the start of my career. I know that some people aren’t that disciplined, and struggle without more structure. The cost of a degree these days makes it seem silly to me that so little time is spent in lectures or with tutors. If I was to apply again today, I would check how much time per week will be spent in lessons, throughout the three years of the degree.

Cost: I mean, it goes without saying that going to university is VERY expensive.

My Opinion:

Honestly, different people will always give you different answers. In my case, university was well worth it. I learnt a lot, made great friends, became a real adult, and started my business. For some, it might not be worth it. You can learn everything you need to learn about photography through Youtube these days. You could attend a few workshops lead by photographers in the industry, and you’d learn just as much.

But everyone learns in different ways. Everyone is so different full stop. I think the best advice I can give to anyone considering studying a degree in photography is:

do your research. Ask lots of questions. Think about how you learn, and what you’re hoping to achieve.

I hope that this was helpful, and if you have any questions about this topic, leave a comment below or email me at info@oliviabossert.com

Essential Camera Gear for a Fashion Photographer

Please note that this blog post does contain affiliate links. This means that if you click on any of the links with * next to them, I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you. Thank you for your help and understanding :)

I’m the first photographer to admit that I like to keep my kit bag light. I like to be as minimal as possible. However, as a fashion photographer, there is always going to be a certain amount of essential gear that we need. So rather than leave you guessing, I’ve created a whole list of exactly what I use every. single. day.

No more guessing.

Camera:

Nikon D750*

Nikon D800* (out of production, now the D850)

Olympus Pen F*

Film Camera:

Nikon F100 (out of production, but you can find them on eBay)

Nikon F3 (Out of production, but you can find them on eBay)

Lens:

Nikkor 24mm-70mm f/2.8*

Nikkor 50mm f/1.8*

Nikkor 70mm-200mm f/2.8*

Reflector:

InterFit*

Flash Gun:

Nikon SB-700*

Laptop:

Macbook Pro*

Graphics Tablet:

Wacom Intuos Pro*

Software:

Adobe Lightroom*

Adobe Photoshop*

Presets:

VSCO Pack 1 and Pack 4

Mastin Labs Portra

AlienSkin Exposure X4

SD Cards:

SanDisk 32 GB*

Studio Flash Kit:

Neewer Studio Kit*

Backdrop Paper:

Calumet

Backdrop Stand:

Lastolite Background Support

External Hard drive:

LaCie 2TB*

Sign up with your email address below to get a copy of my gear list. You’ll also get access to my entire free resource library, which has 6 other amazing, totally free resources you can download and start using straight away. If you are already subscribed to my mailing list, simply head to the Free Resources page and enter the password. There you’ll be able to access the library and download the new PDF :)

5 Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Started My Photography Career

I’ve been a fashion photographer for a very long time. In fact, I’ve had a camera in my hand for over 10 years now! That’s a lot of photos. In that time, I’ve learnt a few things, which I wanted to share with you today.

Here are 5 things I wish I’d know before I started my photography career:

The images included in this blog post were taken at the Lara Jade fashion photography workshop in August 2018. I cannot recommend Lara’s workshop enough!

1. It Will Take You Years To Feel Comfortable Behind A Camera:
I first began studying photography when I was 15. I say "studying" because that's still what I do now! I still learn about the technical side of photography very regularly. There's always more to learn. However, I do now feel like a camera is an extension to my body, more or less. When I see an image in my head, I now know exactly what I need to do to take that photograph and make it a reality. 

To get to this point has taken years! I think that when I was first starting out, I assumed that I'd "know it all" very quickly. That really wasn't the case. Even though I understood how my camera worked manually, for years I had to think really hard about what I was doing to get the shots I wanted. 

Now it's much more intuitive, but yes, it's taken a very long time. I wish that I'd let myself learn patiently, and not told myself that I was "a bad photographer" as many times as I did, when all it was was lack of practice. 

2. It's Ok To Change Direction, And You Will
Oh my goodness, the amount of "genres" of photography that I've tested out is madness. At my core, I've always been a fashion photographer, but I've tried and tested so much more. My stint as a wedding photographer, I've done kids portraits, I've considered launching a pet photography business, I've done family photos... I've done it all. 

Each time I did one of these things, I thought: "This is it. I've found my direction."

That never lasted. I've changed direction many times in the last 10 years, and I've come to realise that that is normal, and it's ok! I'm someone who finds change quite hard, so I resist it, but the older I get, the more I realise that change is sometimes inevitable. My creativity will change, my inspiration will change, I will change. That's ok. 

3. Women are fewer in this business
I don't talk about feminism much, because I honestly feel like there are enough people out there discussing it for me, and I'm not very good at articulating how I feel when I bring it up. 

However - the photography business is SO masculine. Especially the fashion business. I don't know why, I can't explain it, but when you begin to pay attention to who is at the top of the chain, it's most often men. That can be hard, and it can feel discouraging. I just wish that I'd known sooner that I might have to be up against a lot of male energy. 

4. It's hard to make money, but it's also not
There are times when, as a photographer, money feels like it's so far out of reach, that you'll never be able to earn a proper living. There's so much doom and gloom out there about "being a starving artist." The amount of times I've spoken to photographers and they've been negative about the business because "it's so hard to get paid." 

I honestly believe that a good income can be made from photography! You just have to be willing to work really hard to make that happen.... just like you do in any other career, really. I think for a really long time I was telling myself that as a photographer, I'd never have much money and that if I wanted to do something creative for a living, I'd have to be broke. 

I don't believe that anymore, and I'm so glad that I managed to push that limiting belief away. 

5. You Don't Need To Go To University To Be A Photographer
This is a controversial one, and a topic that I'm actually going to write a whole blog post about, but the reality is that you don't NEED to go to university to be a photographer. You can learn and do it all without a degree. I didn't know that when I was at school. In fact, I was never really even told about any option OTHER than university. 
I don't regret going to uni one bit. It brought with it many other benefits. Did I learn the business of being a photographer from it? No. No I didn't. I've learnt more about the business of photography in the last 6 months than I did in three years of study. What I did learn was the technical side, which does have it's benefits, but I could certainly have learnt that on my own. 

There you have it! Check back in another 10 years, and I’m sure that I’ll have a host of other lessons I’ve learnt to share with you ;)

10 More Instagram Accounts To Get You Inspired

Happy Friday! I wanted to keep today's blog post low key, light hearted and fun. I've been feeling super inspired lately, and although I do try to stay offline as much as I can when I'm "out of office," Pinterest and Instagram remain the two places online that I enjoy being on the most. Since the addition of Instagram Stories, I've loved it even more because it gives me a chance to see more "behind the scenes" of the lives of the people I might have followed for quite a long time, and I try my best to engage on InstaStories as well! If you'd like to follow me *shameless plug* you can do so at @oliviabossert :) 

But today isn't about me, it's about the people I'm really enjoying following at the moment! 

Yoga Girl : I've mentioned Rachel Brathen plenty of times on this blog, but she needed to be mentioned as someone inspiring to follow on Instagram, because she truly is inspiring! Recently, her page has been more about babies than yoga, but she always comes back with a simple message: live the life you want, and be true to yourself.

Off to dinner with this cutie pie! We are kicking off a super fun weekend retreat with @lovephilosophy tonight for the second year in a row - so exciting! This is my first working engagement since giving birth and honestly... I feel so ready. I've missed spending time with people! @loving.lealuna will tag along for it all of course. Oh and yes, I'm wearing shoes. And a dress. It's a big day!😋☺️ Wishing you all a beautiful evening🙏🏼 #momlife #motherhood #love

A post shared by Rachel Brathen (@yoga_girl) on Apr 13, 2017 at 3:50pm PDT

Atlas Magazine: This might seem odd of me to mention, because I technically am one of the brains behind Atlas, but at the moment, Megan is the one curating our Instagram feed while I focus on my photography business, so I'm now getting to sit back and consume the magazine's content... which I'm loving! If you're into fashion photography, or fashion design, you'll love our Instagram feed! I'm always inspired by what gets posted to our blog and our Instagram... so follow along ;)

WAVES // LINK IN BIO Photographer / Fidel Garcia-Reichman  @thecannykids Art Director & Stylist / Katy Smail @ Kate Ryan Inc. @ktsmail HMUA / Thora using Glossier & Bumble & Bumble @ Kate Ryan Inc. @thoravikar Model / Pamela Ramos @ Marilyn @pamelarmos

A post shared by Atlas Magazine (@theatlasmagazine) on Apr 10, 2017 at 4:16am PDT

Jessica Olie: Another yogi, but Jessica is all about those incredible poses! This is the kind of stuff which is motivating me LOADS at the moment, and giving me all the motivation to get on a mat and practice. I'm no where near to doing some of the stuff that this girl can pull off, but wow is it inspiring to watch her do what she does! 

Upside down playtime in my favorite @aloyoga 🖤 #LETSSTARTYOGA #aloyoga

A post shared by Jessica | @letsstartyoga (@jessicaolie) on Apr 16, 2017 at 6:29am PDT

Cat Meffan: A British Yogi, Cat is also seriously motivating me at the moment. She's always so smiley, and I always love her messages within her posts/Youtube videos. She uploads full yoga flows to her channel as well, so if you'd like to get into yoga, Cat is a great person to follow! 

|| FIND THE LIGHT || Basically my life... "where's the natural light for an Instagram photo!?" Why up on the window ledge of course. 😜🙄🙈 Today was the best day to get my bum back into the swing of things, including a fun shoot with @cosmopolitanuk & @sttropeztan... check out my IG story for some behind the scenes action! 📷

A post shared by IMPERFECT MATTER•YOGA TEACHER (@catmeffan) on Apr 18, 2017 at 11:20am PDT

Ondaphysioyoga: This one's for anyone local to Cornwall! Kyla very recently came into my life, and is already having a huge impact. A physiotherapist and yoga teacher, I've been attending Kyla's restorative yoga classes for a few weeks, as well as seeing her about my back, and I can't begin to tell you what a difference I'm feeling. I go on and on about my "search for calm" and it's very much an ongoing thing, but since meeting Kyla, I definitely feel like I took one big step in the right direction. If you're in need of any physio, a good sports massage, acupuncture, or just want to experience a great yoga teacher, I can't recommend Kyla enough. Also, she posts beautiful photos to her Instagram with really insightful captions, which I'm loving reading so much! 

ITS • time for this again...morning beach Yoga. Message me on Facebook if you want to be on the text list for the pop up classes (sunshine dependant!) 🙏🏻☀🌊

A post shared by Kyla flegg (@ondaphysioyoga) on Apr 4, 2017 at 12:30pm PDT

La Mariée Aux Pied Nuds: After all of that yoga, here's something for all your wedding photographers, or wedding industry professionals! La Mariée Aux Pied Nuds (which translates to the bride with bare feet from French), is a French blog dedicated to simple and authentic weddings. It's one of the most beautiful blogs I've ever seen, and I'm totally in love with everything they share! Even if you don't speak French, I'd highly recommend following their feed, if only for the beautiful photography. :) 

Seuls au monde ou presque... . . . Workshop : @slo_workshop par @yorisphotographer et @baptistehauville - @youmademydayphotography | Stylisme et fleurs : @nessabuonomo / @lamarieeauxpiedsnus | Vidéaste : @jeremie_thequirky | Photographe backstage : @beatrice_thequirky | Papeterie : @mydearpaper | Robe :  @sessun chez @olympemariage | Costume : @asos_fr |  Bague de fiançailles : @myrtillebeck | Mise en beauté : @elodie_struillou | Sponsors : @wooden_therapy_fr et @lepetitnuagedeluap |

A post shared by LA MARIEE AUX PIEDS NUS (@lamarieeauxpiedsnus) on Apr 13, 2017 at 3:07am PDT

Nadia Meli: Nadia is a wedding photographer and business coach originally from Germany, but now living in Brighton, UK. Her work is beautiful, but she's also someone who's super into helping other businesses grow, especially photographers, and I'm loving all of her posts. Her blog posts are great, and her Youtube channel is even better! If you're a wedding photographer looking to grow and improve (like me!) then I highly recommend following Nadia :) 

Shoot what you can't help but shoot ~ This quote by Gregory Heisler is my constant companion. Always create from your heart, what must come out from deep inside you, let it unfold itself. Don't settle for imitation, for trends and applause. The creation that you just can't contain, the one that bubbles to the surface, wild, roaring, untamed; what won't stay locked away, but needs to find a way out - that will be your truest work. #thinkingoutloud #nadiameliofficial

A post shared by N a d i a M e l i (@nadiameli) on Apr 17, 2017 at 12:33pm PDT

Rachel Gulotta: Rachel Gulotta is one part of the Mango Street Photography youtube channel, which seems to be growing at an enormous speed.. and for good reason. Their videos are beautiful to watch, short but to the point, and packed full of amazing knowledge. But not only that, they're super talented, and incredibly funny. Rachel's Instagram page is exactly the same, and I'm really enjoying following her at the moment. 

it's monday, and we're not sick of making @youtube tutorials yet. today's covers tips on how to shoot and edit like your favorite photographers (who you told us are @sam_kolder + @andrewtkearns). we also threw @dirka into the mix to make it a three-point list and let the old drone stretch its legs. find it at youtube.com/mangostreet or don't. i'm not your mom. #fromwhereidrone

A post shared by Rachel Gulotta (@rachelgulotta) on Apr 17, 2017 at 8:10am PDT

Gyan Gurung: Gyan might just be the sweetest person I've ever "met." I've not actually met him yet, but we've spoken quite a few times via Instagram direct messages! His work is beautiful, and I adore all of his Instagram Stories updates. If you want to follow someone incredibly smiley and lovely, please follow Gyan - you won't regret it! 

Featured on @weddingchicks. Link in bio! 🐣 This whimsical Easter/Spring inspired shoot is filled with so much colour and joy, it speaks so much to who I am as a person! 🤗🙌🌻 Thank you @wedhead_london for trusting me with your vision and bringing this whole shoot to life! You are a 🌟🌟🌟 Our team of AMAZING vendors below! 🙌 Photography - @gyangurungphoto Styling + Furniture and Decor Hire - @wedhead_london Floral Design - @gatherandbloom Venue - @thebarnatalswick Makeup and Hair - @lanamakeup Dresses - @shehurina Shoes - @emmyshoes Crockery and Glassware - @duchessbutler Egg Cupps - @rowenandwren Stationery - @meylorpapergoods Silk Ribbons and Table Runner - @katecullenstyle Rings - @london_victorian_ring_co Ring Boxes - @lapetitbox Cake and Desserts - @jaybakes1991 Styling Assistance and Props - @rose_and_dandy Model - @riahmaedavisx

A post shared by Gyan Gurung (@gyangurungphoto) on Apr 18, 2017 at 12:54pm PDT

Faith D Wight: I discovered Faith via Jenna Kutcher's Photo Lab course which I'm a part of, and we've totally become internet friends. Faith is an incredibly talented photographer from the USA who fell in love with an English man, married him, and had two beautiful son's. She lives in the UK, and shoots weddings all over the country, as well as helping other business women grow their businesses. She's one of the sweetest people I follow, and so genuine, it would be hard not to love everything about her. Give her account a follow :) 

My friend @gingertwentytwo tagged me in the #20factschallenge and I like her, so okay. 1. I'm from a tiny town in North Carolina that hosts a yearly festival called "Mule Days." 🐴 2. I met my husband, Simon, on the back pew of a church in Yorkshire, England in 2003. 3. I was here for a 3-month semester abroad. 14 years later... 4. I was once on a breakfast show on the BBC talking about being a tall teenager. 5. I'm 5'10". 6. Related: I played basketball on a traveling team in my early teens. 7. I was a theatre and journalism nerd in high school. 8. My first car was a blue 1988 Mazda 323 - which I decorated with cow seat covers, a hula boy, and a pink steering wheel cover that said "Princess." 🙈😂 9. I'm the middle of three sisters. Read: Classic middle child. 10. I LOVED Boyz II Men in middle school. 11. I always wanted sons, and I'm so happy I have two. 👦🏼👦🏼 12. Before I was a photographer, I was a magazine editor. 13. I'm the daughter of a preacher and a teacher. 14. I first came to England when I was 18 to meet my pen pal. My parents bought me a plane ticket for my high school graduation...and I missed my graduation because they moved it back a week on account of some snow days we had to make up. 15. We live in one of the most land-locked places in England, and I spend a lot of my thinking time just trying to figure out how I can move closer to the water. 🌊 16. One of my biggest and scariest dreams is to write a book. 17. I'd never had instant coffee until I came to England and I do not understand it. It's horrible and to each his own except not. #justsayno 18. I'm trying really hard to give up refined sugar. I do awesome 97% of the time, and then I pound a whole bag of Caramel Nibbles. 🍫😐 19. I've never gone into debt for my business. Mostly Simon's influence because his money savvy has really rubbed off on me. 20. I have a denim problem. Shirts/dresses/jeans/dungarees...I can't stop. That's it! I think I'm supposed to tag 20 people, but that seems a bit excessive, so I'll just tag 6. No pressure, friends. I am not about that life. I barely even did it myself. Happy Monday, everybody!

A post shared by F A I T H D W I G H T (@faithdwight) on Apr 10, 2017 at 4:26am PDT

How To Do A Studio Photoshoot With Natural Light

Everyone always thinks that in order to be a successful studio photographer, you need to have loads of expensive lights. Sure, I highly recommend giving flash a go - it’s important that as a photographer you’ve got an understanding of all aspects of photography (or as much of it as you can - I don’t know everything and would never claim to! But I try to give as much stuff as go as I can).

I spent many years shooting in studio with flash kits, and really liked it. I’ve also tried continuous lighting kits but for some reason I haven’t got on as well with those - it’s probably just practice, and preference!

Towards the end of last year, I decided to try and do a shoot with no external flash at all - only window light. It’s something I hadn’t done much of, but seeing as I have such huge windows in my living room (yay!) and I like to keep set ups as simple as possible (hello, minimal stress), seeing if I could achieve results I was happy with, with just a window… I was intrigued.

How To Do A Studio Photoshoot With Natural Light

Needless to say, I loved it, and the images we did that day remain some of my favourites, ever!

So the next time someone tells you that you can’t shoot in studio unless you’ve got huge flash kits and loads of expensive kit - ignore them. I’m going to prove to you that you can!

If you love to watch videos, go ahead and watch my vlog from last weeks shoot with Chloe Bromley. I took all of these images with no flash - just a big old window, a backdrop, and a reflector!

However, if you prefer to read, here are a few tips on how to shoot in studio with natural light!

How To Do A Studio Photoshoot With Natural Light

Find a Window:

Seems obvious, but seriously, any window will do! What you don’t want to do is try and shoot with lamps in your house. Now, there’s nothing wrong with tungsten light per say, but only if you don’t mind really warm, orange light. If you’re looking for something more natural, stick to a window.

I’m fortunate in that our living room has very large, floor to ceiling windows; that makes for the perfect natural light studio! However, don’t be put off if you don’t have that - you can achieve just as good results with any large window!

How To Do A Studio Photoshoot With Natural Light

Find a Backdrop…or Don’t!

This depends whether you want that clean, simple “studio” look, or whether you want to shoot with the background of your home in the images. Either works, it just depends on what you’re shooting. In this instance, we were trying to keep all the focus on Chloe, so I put my stands up and hung a large white paper backdrop off of it. This keeps things super bright, and airy - a look I love. You could use any backdrop you like - and don’t be too worried if you don't have backdrop stands like I do. I used to sticky tape sheets up onto my walls near my windows and shoot against those! Don’t be afraid to get creative, move some furniture around, and get your DIY hat on. I promise, no one will know.

How To Do A Studio Photoshoot With Natural Light

Place Your Model In Front or To The Side of the Window:

For these images, I chose to side light Chloe. Because of that, I needed to bounce a bit of light back onto the side of her face that was in shadow. This is subjective (as everything is with photography) because if you like a super contrasty look, you do you. I prefer to keep things a tad less contrasty, so pushing some light back onto her face with a reflector is what worked best for me. What I like about side lighting though, is that the images feel a tad more dramatic and less commercial.

If you don't have a reflector, and you want to keep things super soft, place your backdrop opposite your window, and shoot with your back to the window. You won’t need to bounce any light back onto your subject, because he/she will be totally front lit! I’ve done this plenty of times, and it looks lovely too :) What do I suggest? Play around with both set ups, and see what you like best! It’s good to test things out.

How To Do A Studio Photoshoot With Natural Light

Diffuse The Light:

If you’re fortunate enough to have a really sunny day, sometimes window light can be too bright! An advantage with flash is that you can change the power of the light, and choose how bright you want it to be. It’s harder to change the brightness of the sun…but not impossible! This is where a diffuser comes in! But don’t worry, I’m not telling you to go out and buy one of those super fancy ones on a massive stand - all you need is a big, thin white sheet. Hang it up in front of the window, and hey presto - you’ve got yourself lovely, soft, diffused light!

So there you go - my tips for shooting in studio with nothing but natural light. Sometimes, as photographers, we feel like if we’re not adding loads of kit in, and creating super complicated set ups, we’re not “working hard enough” but I couldn’t disagree more. I love keeping my set ups simple, because it means that I don’t have to worry about anything but the camera, and my model. Understanding how light works is important, and I encourage you to observe it (I’m such a light geek) but don’t be put off if you can’t afford thousands of pounds worth of kit. You can create anything you like! Now, I'll leave you with a few more photos from the shoot. Till next time!

How To Do A Studio Photoshoot With Natural Light

How To Do A Studio Photoshoot With Natural Light

How To Do A Studio Photoshoot With Natural Light

How To Do A Studio Photoshoot With Natural Light

How To Do A Studio Photoshoot With Natural Light

How To Do A Studio Photoshoot With Natural Light

How To Do A Studio Photoshoot With Natural Light

Make Up and Hair : Ione Kutz www.makeupbyione.com

Model: Chloe Bromley

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How To Do A Studio Photoshoot With Natural Light | Olivia Bossert Photography | Oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial

It feels strange talking about the "new year" still, because we're already half way into January, and my mind is already planning for March/April (I think very far ahead.. curse and a blessing!), but when I say that 2017 has been off to a good start already, it really, really has. Charlotte Albert, a young make up artist local to Truro got in touch with me over the Christmas period and asked whether I'd like to work with her on a shoot. I'm always up for working with new people, so of course I said yes! I got in touch with Lucie, a face you probably all know well by now, and a model that I love to work with. We got a date in the diary, and I got to planning. Dreaming up photoshoots has to be one of my favourite parts of the process. It's where I can get really creative, spend hours putting together moodboards and make stories up in my head. Over Christmas, I also decided to invest a bit of my money in dresses that I'd be able to use (and reuse) for smaller photoshoots. Essentially, they're pretty dresses that I can keep in my loft, and if they get a bit dirty/damaged, it's not the end of the world. The silver dress you see on Lucie? It was £10 from H&M. I know! Mental, right?

Charlotte got in touch with Alice, from Ruby Alice Floral Design, about creating a bouquet for the day, and I asked Charlotte Reed of Grace Baskerville if she'd like to come along with some jewellery. To my delight, everyone accepted, and we met up on a cold and windy afternoon at Gwithian beach. I love Gwithian; it's actually one of the first North coast beaches that I ever visited, and it's remained quite special to me. It's a vast expanse of sand, with rough seas and sporadically spewed rocks pocking out of the side of cliffs. It's basically a photographers dream. Paired with the incredible clouds in the background (which thankfully stayed in the distance!), I was in photoshoot heaven.

Lucie flowed around in the dresses, and I jumped around like a child in a sweet shop as I captured what will probably be some of my favourite images for years to come. These images speak to me in so many ways, they encapsulate everything I love about what I do. The fact that I can call this my job absolutely blows my mind. How is that even possible?

To add to the amazing day, I'm also extremely excited to bring my first vlog out. Vlogs are something I'd considered doing for quite a while now, but fear definitely held me back. For 2017, I decided to just give it a go, and needless to say, I really enjoyed myself! I've got a lot to learn (recording video is a whole new ball game!), and I feel learning it from the ground up. Sound issues crept up (hello coastal winds!) but that's ok; if I don't start now, I never will, and I'll never be able to improve! I hope you enjoy getting a bit more of a behind the scenes look into what it is that I do, and how a shoot works.

I really hope you love these images as much as I do, and that they bring a bit of joy into your life. They certainly bring me some!

MUA: Charlotte Albert  Jewellery: Grace Baskerville Flowers: Ruby Alice Floral Design Pink Dress: Boohoo Silver Dress: H&M

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Here are a few shot on film too!

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

Lucie On The Beach | Bridal Editorial | www.oliviablogs.com

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Dear Olivia, How Do I Book A Photoshoot?

So, you're thinking about having some photos taken? Maybe you need new portraits? Maybe you really want to have some professional images taken of you and your fiancé? Maybe you're looking for a wedding photographer? Maybe your brand needs some new images to advertise for the summer of 2017? Well, whatever the reason may be, you need to know how to go about booking that shoot!

Whether you're looking to book me (Oh hey! Email me!) or another photographer, you might want to know the proper way to go about actually getting in touch and making that booking. So here's some help with that!

1. Find A Way To Contact Them Might sound obvious, but the first step is making an initial email. If you've found them on Instagram, there could be a "Contact" button, or if not, there should be an email address in their bio. If not, try the link to their website, and head to the contact page. Most photographers have a contact page which includes a quick and easy contact form which you can fill in right then and there!
2. What to Include In The Email? Want to speed the process up? Get specific about what you're after! If you want some headshots, mention that, and maybe attach some examples of things you like. This helps the photographer know what style you're after, and whether or not they think they'll be able to deliver what you want. If you have a deadline for your images (ie. your sending out save the dates for your wedding and really want some cute photos of you and your fiancé for them), try to get that info in there too. This means your photographer will be able to check their diary, and let you know if they have any availability before you need your images done!
3. What happens next? Once you've found a date that works for both you and your photographer, you'll most likely get a digital contract sent to you to sign. This is pretty much an industry standard, and is simply in place to protect your photographer. Once thats signed, your date is secure, and all you'll have to do is get excited about your photoshoot day!
4. What If The Photographer You Want Can't Do It? Maybe they can't meet your deadline, maybe they don't feel they can deliver what you want, or maybe they're just fully booked! Either way, in most cases they'll be able to refer you to someone else who will be able to help you. Photographers always have a solid list of friends and photographers they work with who will be able to give you the quality you're after; so don't be too worried if you don't get the photographer you originally had your heart set on!

There you go, I hope that was helpful. If you have any more questions, please feel free to pop them in the comment section below and I'll get back to you. I'll be doing plenty more informative posts like this throughout the year, so stay tuned for more!