Styled Shoot at Barn at Magnolia Farm
I recently had the chance to take part in my first ever styled shoot, which was hosted by Green Apple Styled Shoots at the Barn at Magnolia Farm in Mt. Eden, Kentucky.
A couple months ago, I was looking for a way to explore some creative ideas while working with real couples, and I’ve been curious about styled shoots for a while.
In researching styled shoots, I came across quite a few negative opinions. Some photographers look down their noses at styled shoots as being fake, and that sentiment is echoed by more than a few blog posts aimed at helping brides find their ideal photographer. I’ll concede that if the only images a photographer shows are from a styled shoot, they may not have the experience to charge thousands of dollars to shoot a wedding.
But styled shoots absolutely have a place for wedding photographers. They are a great way to try new techniques or new equipment without the pressure of a paying client or a once-in-a-lifetime event. Additionally, just being around other creative people helps to refresh the creative juices, so styled shoots can help a photographer break out of rut. In other words, styled shoots are an amazing way to practice, learn, experiment, and have fun!
For this styled shoot, we broke down into groups of 3 or 4 photographers and had 45 minutes with each couple. During our time with each couple, we could take them to any open predesigned “station” (i.e. rustic table with a charcuterie board, the wedding cake that looked like a stump, a beautiful wedding arch made out of twigs/branches, a classic car, alpacas, etc.) or anywhere around the property.
While this was my first styled shoot, it definitely will not be my last. It’s important to note this styled shoot was actually more challenging than some weddings I’ve shot due to the time of day. We began shooting in the early afternoon of a clear day, so there was harsh sunlight the entire time. Here are a few of my favorite images from the day.
