9 Photography Tips for Shooting with Your Instagram Husband
You probably already know my hubby takes about 90% of my pictures. If you see a picture of me on my Insta or blog, he’s probably the person that took it. Having him take my photos saves me a grip, but it doesn’t come without challenges.
The truth is that shooting with your IG Husband isn’t always roses and rainbows. It can easily put a strain on your relationship. Its taken us some time, but I’m happy to say that we’ve figured out a good formula to ensure that both of us walk away happy after shoots. I’ve teamed up with the hubster to compile a list of our top tips for shooting with your IG hubby. If you don’t have an IG hubby you can still apply the tips when shooting with a friend!
1. Explain Your Vision Before the Shoot
This has helped us tremendously. Don’t expect your IG Husband to be your Creative Director. It’s your responsibility to come up with the vision, it’s his job is to capture it. Before our shoots, I tell him what kind of shots I want, how many looks, where we’re shooting, and I try to show him examples. If you’re shooting at a popular location, search the geotag and save some examples to show him. Granted, my hubby does come up with creative ideas and I give him the space to execute them. Branded shoots can easily add on an extra layer of stress, so we compile a list of the types of shots we’d like to take beforehand.
2. Review As-You-Go
There’s nothing worse than reviewing a bunch of photos only to realize you hate all of them. Before we start getting into a flow, he takes a few test shots. This gives him time to warm up, ensures that the lighting and angle is good, and quickly lets me know what adjustments I need to make in posing, facial expression, styling, etc. After he’s taken a good batch of photos, we pause to review and make adjustments. We always review the shots before changing looks or locations to make sure I’m satisfied. This really helps keep disagreements to a minimum!
3. Give Him Kudos
Don’t take the fact that you have an IG Husband for granted. Is there something sweet you can do to show your appreciation? Whether its a card, his favorite meal, game tickets, or whatever else you can think of, do something sweet to reward him for his hard work! No one knows your man better than you, so show him some love in the way you’d think he’d receive it best.
4. Be Patient
This isn’t always easy. Keep in mind that your man probably isn’t a professional which means that things could take a little longer than usual. Especially, if he isn’t use to taking your photos or isn’t excited to do it. It may take multiple attempts for him to capture that slay worthy angle or to capture that perfect slither of sunlight! Stay patient and try not to lose your cool if you have to do multiple takes or hold that pose longer than usual.
5. Be Considerate of His Schedule
I try to keep in mind, that my blog is my blog. No matter how much my husband helps me, Busy Being Shasha is my responsibility. My hubby has a career, his own hobbies, and I need to be considerate of that. I do my best to avoid scheduling improptu shoots, or Sunday afternoon shoots when I know that Sunday afternoons are his Football day. Be considerate of your man’s time, stay on top of your deadlines, and don’t expect to him to be excited to snap photos of you while the game is on. You’re just asking for an argument.
6. Have A Backup Plan
There have been days when we’ve prepared for a shoot and things just didn’t go according to plan. Don’t expect bae to come up with a backup plan. Planning in advance has helped on days where we’ve been rained out, or when something has come up and we can’t shoot. Make your man aware of the back up plan, so both of you aren’t overly frustrated at each other if things don’t work out.
7. Make A Checklist
There’s nothing worse than getting to a location and realizing that your man forgot to bring the camera bag. Can you tell that I’m speaking from experience? Before you head out, be sure to check that you have everything you need. Remember, this is your shoot, and it’s your responsibility. This also means that you need to make sure you have all your outfits, accessories, and anything else that’s needed. One good tip, is to make a checklist and to review it before you leave the house. If checklists aren’t your thing, then save yourself from a potential argument and do a quick scan of the backseat before rolling out!
8. More Is Better
There’s no such thing as having too many good pics. It’s better to err on the side of having too many great photos to choose from then not having enough. Have your man pretend that he’s part of the paparazzi and encourage him to snap, snap, snap! Remember, it’s better to be stressed when narrowing down your faves then having an attitude over not having enough to choose from.
9. Communicate, Communicate, COMMUNICATE!
This sounds simple, but I can’t stress it enough. After almost 10 years of marriage, there are times where we still have disagreements over breakdowns in communication. Over the years, I’ve learned that I need to make an effort to overly communicate about my blog. I have a whiteboard in my office where all of my events, shoot days, things to do, etc are listed. When things get hectic during the week, I make the hubster a list of outstanding tasks and try to follow up verbally or through email if we’re at work. He does a really good job of checking things off the list and reminding me of things that I’ve forgotten.
I really don’t know where my blog would be if it wasn’t for my hubster. He’s genuinely my right hand man. I attribute much of the success I’ve received from the help he’s given me. I’m so blessed to be married to someone that’s not only genuinely interested in my brand but wants to see me WIN.
I really hope you enjoyed reading these tips! Do you have an IG Hubby? If so, what are your go-to tips? Drop them down below and let me know!