Editorial Fashion Vibe Photoshoot Featuring Jennine Coosaia

Jennine Coosaia is the photographer behind Sky 9 Studio. Jennine is a wife, mother, and a professional photographer specializing in maternity, newborn, baby and toddler, and family photography. Located in San Francisco East Bay, her studio immediately caught my eye because in one location you can get a ton of different looks. I’m also a sucker for high ceilings and large windows! Personally, I love photographers who are genuine, kind, and who work with you to make your vision come alive. Jennine embodies all of those qualities and I really enjoyed collaborating together. I’m excited to have her share her editorial fashion vibe photoshoot secrets with you!

5 Tips from a Professional Photographer

Have you ever wondered what it is that gives some photos an editorial fashion vibe?  Earlier this summer, Carolyn and I connected through a private Facebook group and realized we could be a great fit to work together.  I am a professional photographer who specializes in photographing pregnancy, babies, kids, and young families.  I was so excited to get the opportunity to work with Carolyn.  While I have a lot of experience photographing pregnancy, specifically creating an editorial fashion vibe to our images was something that sounded like a lot of fun to me.

We met for coffee and talked about her vision of an editorial fashion vibe photoshoot and set a date to meet a few weeks later at my studio in Benicia, California.  Carolyn was super organized, and we were able to get at least 15 different looks shot in around 4 hours.  Since I primarily shoot pregnant woman as part of a photography ‘baby plan,’ I wanted to modify my typical approach to get a more editorial fashion vibe for her session.  Here are 5 things I did to make that happen:

1. Environment: 

Being in an environment where you can get a lot of variety in a short time is key to creating a lot of content in an effective manner.  Anyone who has ever flipped through the pages of a fashion magazine has noticed that photoshoots with an editorial fashion vibe are known for having elements that are often opposite.  You might think, “Why is the model wearing an evening gown at a factory or in the middle of the desert?” It is simply because it will make you look twice and pause.  The juxtaposition is what makes it interesting.  As readers, we love the variety of locations and settings.  Here are a few examples of the different locations in and around my studio.  All of these are within a two-minute walk of each other, which is essential when trying to photograph several looks in a short period of time:

2. Posing: 

 As a photographer, I know that one of the scariest things for my clients is not knowing ‘what to do’ once the camera is pointed at them.  A true professional photographer understands that and is quick to provide direction.  Of course, Carolyn was a natural in front of the camera and easily fell into more fashionable photos like the one below.  Some quick tips for more flattering poses are to use curves and angles to your advantage.  When facing the camera, push your back hip (the one furthest from the camera) away from the camera.  That simple movement will make your hips appear smaller than they would if push your hip towards the camera.  In line with that, bending a knee or resting your foot on your toe will take weight off of your thigh and it will appear smaller in the camera. 

3. Embrace harsh light:

When we first met, Carolyn said she loved ‘light and airy’ and ‘natural light’ photos.  Usually when people use that description, they are referring to diffuse light.  The most extreme example of diffuse light is what we see on a bright, overcast day. In those conditions, shadows are almost completely eliminated.  When we are inside, we can replicate this type of soft light by placing our subject close to a large window.  Because of the lack of shadows, diffuse light softens angles, wrinkles, and other bothersome shadows.  However, if you are in direct sunlight, you have a unique opportunity to create interest in your photos.  You can ask your subject to angle their face towards the sun and close their eyes.  Closing the eyes eliminates squinting and can also communicate a sexy or sultry feel to the photo which works great for adding an editorial fashion vibe to your photos.

4.  Use a lower camera angle: 

In general, shooting from a slightly higher camera angle is known to be more flattering to most faces (selfie stick, anyone?).  However, fashion photography is an exception to that rule.  By placing our camera slightly lower than the subject, the subject dominates the scene and our eye goes directly to her and what she is wearing.  This camera angle can communicate power and is commonly referred to as a ‘hero’ shot. I wouldn’t recommend shooting every photo from a lower camera angle, but don’t be afraid of it.  Particularly if you have a beautiful subject like Carolyn.  We aren’t worried about hiding a double-chin or minimizing the size of her body like we might be with a slightly overweight subject. 

5. Motion: 

How do you capture motion in a still photograph?  This is one of the most difficult to capture if you are trying to DIY your photos or use a cell phone.  It takes experience to capture motion and keep you photograph in focus.  If you are using a DSLR, increase your shutter speed to freeze the motion and if you’re using a cell phone, make sure you have A TON of light coming in or your photo will be blurry.  We can incorporate motion into our photos by asking the subject to move (walk, twirl, flip hair) or with something external (such as wind in the hair).  Motion creates more interest and helps to alleviate the stiffness that can often make photos seem awkward or dull.

Jennine Coosaia

www.sky9studio.com

Be sure to check out more of Jennine’s work on her website. Contact her directly if you are interested in your own personal branding photography session!