How to Make the Most Out of Your Styled Shoots
Styled shoots are like the ultimate playground for wedding + elopement photographers. You get to flex your creativity, build connections with other vendors, and walk away with dreamy images for your portfolio. But if these photos never leave your Lightroom, they aren’t doing much for your business. Styled shoots are ONLY as valuable as what you do with them after.
For Wedding Photographers
If you’re part of a styled shoot, be upfront when you post that it was styled. Couples can sometimes get the impression that super elaborate décor is standard for every wedding day, so a little honesty goes a long way in building trust. Share what was realistic and what was for creative flair, so you’re still positioning yourself as an expert who sets the right expectations.
While you won’t be able to make this into a “real wedding” blog, there’s still so much content! You can showcase the gallery as part of blogging about the venue, since most likely you do want to work at the venue again. You can make blogs and posts about specific aspects and how couples could recreate them for their own day… there is a lot you can do!
For Elopement Photographers
If you’re planning your own styled content day, treat your models like a real couple eloping. Let them hike a trail, exchange vows, or share a champagne pop. Not only does this make your gallery more authentic (no stiffly staged moments, thank you very much), but it also helps future clients see themselves in those moments. Dream clients aren’t just attracted to pretty photos! They’re drawn to the stories and experiences they can imagine being their own.
If the model call/styled shoot was super realistic and you gave the couple a real experience, you could blog about it as a “real elopement day”, how you prepared for it, how you helped with planning, what their vision was, and how you made it happen, did something go wrong, and how you pivoted, etc. You could also blog about the location and make an elopement guide for it, which is always helpful for couples planning their days there, too!
Market Your Photos!!!
Don’t let those photos collect dust! (And I mean this applies for ALL your work and not just the styled shoots).
Google it (aka blogging): Write portfolio blogs targeting your dream venues or couples. Share planning tips alongside your styled images. Blogs not only showcase your photos, but also bring in organic leads long term.
Pin it: Create fresh pins and link them back to your blogs. Pinterest is wildly underused in the wedding industry, but it’s a search engine where couples are literally planning their weddings. You’ll extend the life of your images for months (even years). You can get my free Pinterest guide to learn EXACTLY how to do it properly.
IG (yep, still do it): Use the photos to share BTS, vendor spotlights, and your best captions. Sure, Instagram can feel like the least exciting, but it still helps you show up consistently for couples already following you.
Styled shoots are not just a fun creative outlet! They’re a marketing tool if you let them be, especially if you are still trying to build your portfolio. Next time you walk away with a full gallery, make sure you’re getting the biggest return possible by blogging, pinning, and sharing those images everywhere your dream couples are searching.
👉 Want help turning your styled shoot galleries into dreamy, SEO-boosted blogs and Pinterest pins? That’s literally my jam. Reach out and let’s get your work in front of the right couples!