BehindTheFeed: Grocery Store Photoshoot
So today's post has me very excited for a few reasons; it's going to be the first post of a new series I'm starting on my blog and it's just something different! In this series I'm going to write very in depth about photo shoots I've done. It's called "BehindTheFeed" because I'm really striving to break that facade of perfection and ease that you often see on Instagram. I'm going to show you guys what truly goes into planning Instagram shoots and pictures! So, if you want to plan a shoot similar to this one or are just curious about how Instagrammers get that perfect shot, keep reading, because I'll explain the planning process, outfits, and all the other details go into creating a successful Instagram photoshoot!
The shoot that I'm writing about today was just a little...out of the ordinary. We felt inspired to set up in the milk aisle of the grocery store! I know, I know it sounds ridiculous but trust me, it turned out super cool! Now let's take some artsy pictures in the grocery store!
1) The Inspiration
Getting inspiration for a photo shoots is so so so important, when planning a larger shoot having reference pictures can make getting the right shot so much easier. I almost always get my inspiration from Pinterest or Instagram. My first source of inspiration was Emma Chamberlain's photo shoot with Hannah Meloche and Ellie Thumann, some of my favorite Youtubers. Then, once I started to look for more similar pictures I found that Marla Catherine did a similar shoot, which isn't surprising since she is the queen of vintage shoots (btw I highly recommend them all as sources for shoot ideas). They all rocked the odd location and were inspirations for this shoot!
2) Outfit Planning
The outfits are one of the most crucial aspects of a shoot. They can be a little tricky to figure out because they depend of the vibe you're going for. For example, Emma's shoot was a bit more casual (most likely impromptu) since they wore pajamas which gave some cute cozy vibes especially paired with the minimal editing. On the other hand, Marla went with more grungy vintage vibes and wore mom jeans and an oversized striped tee.
I wanted this shoot to match my aesthetic so I went for a more simple outfit to make sure the pictures weren't too busy. I chose a red tank which I just tucked into some classic mom jeans and I added my most favorite accessory; a pair of colored glasses. In my opinion, the glasses really completed the look and gave me some serious retro vibes.
~TIPS~
-in general, glasses are a great thing to include in any photo because they can occupy your hands and provide a lot of different pose options
-you should opt for pants or shorts because you'll probably be sitting down
-wear bright colors so you stand out from the milk (lol the weirdest sentence I've ever written)
3) Find A Location
At this point, you know you're going to be in a grocery store but now you need to scout of the right one because, believe me, not all grocery stores are created equally aesthetic. For this particular shoot, finding the location wasn't too difficult because I already knew where my local grocery stores were. The first grocery store I went to had dark wooden floors, a small milk section, and A LOT of people shopping. So that was a big flop. The second store was a Rite Aid that looked like it had been crafted by the photo shoot gods. The floors were a white tile, the milk section was large (and secluded), and there was hardly anyone there! I'll admit that we got super lucky with this Rite Aid. Since all grocery stores look a bit different, I would just keep your eyes open for any nice ones in your area.
~TIPS~
-try smaller chain stores that aren't soley grocery stores because they probably won't be as busy since people don't go there just for groceries
-look up grocery stores near you and look at pictures of the inside to get an idea of their vibe
4) Taking the Pictures
This is when those reference pictures come in handy! You can refer back to them when you feel like you don't have any more poses. Feel free to look at my pictures for some pose inspiration! Besides posing, angles are really important with this shoot. Ask your friend or photographer to take the pictures straight across from you and be slightly below your eye level. This will ensure that you're not awkwardly looking up at the camera.
5) Editing!!!
How you edit photos can really impact the vibes of the photo and the overall quality. As I mentioned earlier, Emma had very minimal editing on her photo which contributed to the laid-back feel of the photo. While Marla edited with a little more warmth and less exposure to create a more grungy vintage look.
In order to match the feed and aesthetic of my Instagram, I edited how I typically do, made it neutral/cool toned and really made the white in the photo pop.
An alternative editing style that I think would complement this location wonderfully would be the use of grain on the photo. Adding grain to a photo is a great detail and creates a very vintage and chill vibe.
6) Post With Confidence!
Add a fitting caption and press that post button with confidence because that pic is amazing and you look beautiful! :)
Phew, if you guys read this far, thank you! I'm honestly shocked that my excessive use of the world "vibes" didn't scare you away hahaha. I hope that this post shed some light on what the behind the scenes of Instagram is really like (at least for me) and maybe even taught you some tips on how to plan a shoot like this one! My #1 tip when it comes to posting on Instagram is; let your creativity flow! Instagram is an amazing platform for you to share your creativity so don't let yourself get caught up in trying to fit into the trends or copying content because you feel obligated to post "aesthetic" things. Have fun, be authentic and be you.
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