Breaking down a styled shoot with Swann Soirees

What is a styled shoot? And why create a style shoot?

This week, Brenda Swann, founder of Swann Soirees answers these questions and breaks down a styled shoot that her and her team created and I photographed at the Museum of Contemporary Art in downtown San Diego.

Brenda and her team are amazing. They are phenomenal at stylizing, conceptualizing and executing amazing weddings and Brenda is spending all week breaking down all that’s included in a styled shoot. She goes into both the visual elements and all the behind the scene action as well. Weather you’re budgeting or just looking for general ideas, these are a few posts worth reading since these types of shoots are basically mini weddings.

Here are my personal thoughts on styled shoots.

They’re for inspiration. It’s about creating, brainstorming and executing. It’s about pulling a million ideas into one cohesive message that will help a bride and groom gain inspiration for their own wedding.

It’s about pulling together ideas that haven’t been executed before, working at new locations and collaborating with wedding professionals.

Most of all…it’s about showing the world what you’re capable of.

Personally I love photographing styled shoots. Everyone is involved to have a good time, create and get to know each other on a personal level. I also get to experiment behind the lens and try new angles…new equipment, different lighting…the whole nine yards. In this particular shoot I was testing a lens that I was so happy with…I have sense purchased it and am now using it heavily at every wedding.

Head on over to Brenda’s blog to read more of her thoughts on the subject and to see more of my images throughout the week.

Enjoy!

The setting for 0ur shoot was on the Woods Terrace in the Copley Building…this orange and cinder block setting was just below us and on the way up I had to snap a shot. ‘Insert Engaged Couple here’