A step-by-step guide to nailing a photoshoot

In a world full of selfie profile pictures and Instagram accounts laden with selfies, the best way to stand out is a photo of yourself that you, in fact, did not take yourself.

What better to get some hot shots of yourself and hang out with your friends – for free – than a photoshoot?

All you need is yourself, a friend (or the entire squad), and a camera.

Get a camera

If you have a DSLR, awesome! If you don’t, don’t fret. Don’t settle for your iPhone unless you absolutely have to, though, because honestly, it’s just tacky and it’ll run down your battery anyway.

Ask a friend if they have a DSLR or another camera that takes high quality pics. If you’re at school, see if your school allows students to rent one. If you want one for keeps, save money by buying a used or refurbished one on Amazon.

Go exploring!

This is one of my favorite steps. Photos are best taken outside where there’s plenty of natural light, so go exploring to find the perfect location. Make sure to find some shady areas, as direct sunlight only ever leads to squinty eyes and poorly lit photos.

This in itself is a great adventure with friends. You never know what kind of places you’ll find! Maybe you’ll catch some Pokemon along the way, too.

Get inspired

Be honest with yourself. You’re probably not a professional. You won’t be able to pose perfectly, nor will you be able to pose other people and take great photos.

Make a Pinterest board for inspo. Certain Instagram accounts are great for inspiration as well. You can even print out photos and bring magazines along.

Beyond that, do a little research for some basic photography tips and tricks. It’s harder than it looks. For example, bending down for a full body shot makes people look taller and also makes the photo easier to take.

Look ~*~fabulous~*~

Remember all those times when you looked hot but you weren’t going anywhere? Yeah. This isn’t one of those times. This time, you’ll look hot and there will be proof.

The key here is knowing your location. Choose an outfit that you feel confident in and that will look good in photos. Black won’t look good if your location has lots of trees, but light colors will. And there’s nothing wrong with bringing multiple outfits!

Bring makeup and blotting paper with you for touch-ups. Shininess and smudged mascara can be edited out, but we aren’t all Photoshop pros.

BONUS: Bring props! Hats, masks, instruments, bikes… You can really personalize photos with these and get creative. If you’re feeling really daring, paint and smoke bombs can create stunning shots.

Take the photos!

This is my favorite step. It’s so much fun snapping photos and seeing how they turn out. Bring speakers for music and make a party out of it.

Don’t take yourself too seriously, though. You’re with your friends having fun! It’s totally OK to have 500 bad photos and only 50 good ones. From those 50, maybe you get three stunning shots. It only takes one good shot to make someone feel beautiful.

Upload the photos to Insta

Ah yes. Proof that you’re actually really hot when you try. When you’re done, sift through the photos. Feel free to edit them – there’s nothing wrong with improving a photo by fixing the brightness or contrast.

When you’ve got your best shots chosen, post them on Facebook and Instagram and enjoy the results of a great adventure.