There's something special about finishing a fabulous photoshoot and getting that exciting post-shoot-buzz.

Whether it blew your mind, exceeded all of your expectations or the people you worked with were some of the most talented, industrious creatives you've ever met - now all you want to do is tell the world how awesome your shoot was!

This is the perfect moment to write down some key details from the shoot, choose a selection of the best photos you created, and share your shoot in all its glory with your peers!

We understand that it can feel daunting to share your shoot, so we've created this short guide to help give you the confidence to take the plunge.

Here's why you should share your shoot

Anyone can share a shoot they've worked on, regardless of whether they were the photographer, model, studio, make-up artist, or other creative. 

Sharing your shoot isn't just a great way to let others know how awesome your work is. It's also a powerful way to get noticed, inspire others and give your shoot knowledge to the creative community (so they can learn from your experience). 

Below are some of the reasons you should share your fabulous photoshoots.

Show your peers what you can achieve

Sharing a selection of the most stunning photos from your shoot is a great way to show off your skills and a major benefit of sharing your shoot.

It's a great advert for potential clients who may wish to hire you, and will no doubt help you increase your bookings. 

Allow the creative community to learn from you 

Let others learn from your shoot experience. What you think of as trivial and easy might be something someone else is working hard to achieve. 

You can share things like how you came up with the concept, how you arranged the photoshoot, what other preparations were involved, the gear and settings you used, how you connected with other creatives to work with, and so on. 

What mistakes did you make? How did you overcome them? Don't underestimate the positive impact you can have by sharing these details and experiences with your peers.

Your shoot may inspire others

It could be your beautiful images that inspire someone to try something similar. Or maybe the stunning location you worked at or the unique props you incorporated into your shoot. 

It's worth considering that, in some ways, sharing a shoot is more than just sharing photos; it's sharing a part of you. So perhaps the sheer enthusiasm, determination or level of resilience you present in your shoot share could turn out to be the much-needed inspiration one of your peers needs to get back in the zone of creating again.

Get more exposure for your work

Promoting yourself is one of the most important things you can do as a creative, and highlighting your work is a great way to get more exposure. 

At PurplePort, we love hearing about the work created by our community, and we have a dedicated space for our members to share their photoshoots.

Shoots that stand out get featured in our SHARE A SHOOT series on The Purple Blog, where creatives can give a more detailed account of their shoot and share their experience with a much wider audience.  

Reflect on how your shoot went

Going through your photoshoot, choosing the best photos and writing up your experience is a great opportunity for you to reflect on how things went. 

By analysing things a bit closer than you otherwise might do, you could discover things you didn't know or uncover details you missed in the excitement of the shoot.

You may realise that you work better under pressure and are more adaptable than you previously thought, especially if you had to work in tough circumstances or unexpected events (e.g. bad weather, technical issues, etc.).

You may see things that could be tweaked to improve your future shoots, such as using a different location, working with a larger team of creatives, or avoiding certain types of weather or times of day. 

Key things to include when you share a shoot

Essentially, you only need a selection of images from your shoot and some key details.

Below is some advice for choosing images from your shoot and the details you can include to keep things concise and informative. 

Choose your best images from the shoot 

This is a natural place to start, and you can use these images to help you write a summary of your shoot later on. 

It's a personal preference for how many images you should include. While adding one image could make your share a shoot bland, too many images may deter people from reading to the end. Even if you have many different images, too many could break the stamina of the most enthusiastic reader.

A good number to aim for is around 10-15 images (with a minimum of 3 but no more than 25).

Key information to include about your shoot

Including a short write-up about your shoot (or even some captions to go with the images) is a fantastic opportunity to bring some juicy behind-the-scenes details. It will also help it stand out and get noticed.

We understand it can be hard to know where to begin, so here are some simple questions you can answer to help you write about your shoot:

  • How did you come up with the concept? Did anything inspire you?
  • What did you do to plan the shoot?
  • How did you arrange the shoot?
  • What was it like shooting at that location?
  • Depending on your creative field, talk about the gear, equipment or tools you used for the shoot (e.g. camera gear, studio equipment, props, make-up, etc.)
  • What's your favourite image (or images) from the shoot?
  • What did you enjoy most about the shoot?

Once you've written something, you can spend some time editing it to make it easier to digest. 

When you're finished, read what you've written a few times. It's important to avoid spelling and grammatical errors (Grammarly.com is a free writing app that can help you with this), as these can give a negative impression and take the focus away from your fantastic work. 

How much you write is up to you (similar to how many photos you include). To keep your readers interested without exhausting them, we think a good word count to aim for is somewhere in the region of 200-500 words.  

Give credit to everyone involved in your shoot

Giving kudos to the creatives who helped you with the photoshoot isn't just the right thing to do; it also gives them a juicy piece of exposure. 

Was the model exceptional? Did the photographer go the extra mile? Were the studio's facilities the best you've ever seen? Was MUA fabulous?

Give praise readily when it is warranted. If you worked with some amazing creatives, give them a mention and tell others how great they were! 

The best places to share your shoot on PurplePort

We have dedicated tools and features that make it easy for our members to share their shoots with the creative community on PurplePort, and beyond.

Now is the perfect time to join our growing community on the best platform for models, photographers, studios, and more, and you'll get full access to valuable, time-saving features to help you arrange photoshoots and network with the best creatives around.

Share a shoot group

Our Share a shoot group is designed specifically for creatives on PurplePort to share their photoshoots. If you aren't a PurplePort member, you can create a PurplePort account to view this group.

The quickest and easiest way to create a post in the Share a shoot group is using Image Manager, where you can select images from your shoot, click Create share a shoot, add the details of your shoot and click Create post. 

Or you can create a post directly from the Share a shoot group: click (+) (top right, near the grey cog), then add some images to your post along with details about your shoot, and click Create post. 

The Purple Blog

As a PurplePort member, you can maximise your exposure by creating your own blog post on The Purple Blog so you can share your shoot with a larger audience (both on and off PurplePort). This quick guide has everything you need to know about creating a blog post.

Our lovely Penelope manages The Purple Blog and PurplePort's social media presence. She is always looking for new content to share and regularly browses all corners of our PurplePort.

One of Penelope's favourite places to spend time is in the Share a shoot group. If your post stands out, there's a good chance she will contact you to ask if you want to feature it in our SHARE A SHOOT series! 

If you are interested in being featured on our blog or want to know more about creating your own blog post, why not send Penelope a message on PurplePort (she would love to hear from you!). 

Other places to share your shoot

You can share your shoot outside of PurplePort to reach a broader audience.

Below are some of the places you can use.

Other networking platforms for creatives

There are many other platforms and websites for creatives (similar to PurplePort) you can join to share your stunning photos. 

Some platforms may have special groups, forums or other facilities (like our Share a shoot group) where you can share your fabulous photoshoots with your community. 

On social media, your website or blog 

If you have a website or blog, sharing your shoot in these places is a fabulous way to utilise them.

Most people nowadays use at least one social media platform, which can be used to your advantage by regularly posting relevant content to build your reputation and credibility. Sharing your shoot on your social media is a great way to add fresh, new content to your followers and keep their interest in your work flowing (if you tag PurplePort in your posts, we may be able to share it with our followers!).

For an in-depth look at the type of content to post to different social media platforms, check out this short guide from Buffer. 

In print format or get published

One advantage of printing your shoot is that you can share it with everyone you meet and more. With permission, you could leave your printed shoot in a public place or business (such as a library or cafe) or bring it along to your local club, society or group to share it with your fellow creatives. 

It could be big or small. You could create a leaflet or a small booklet of your works or a photography book showcasing a collection of your finest photoshoots that other creatives can use to inspire them and treasure on their bookshelf. 

You could get your photoshoot published in a magazine or other publication, which is another way to add credibility to your brand and build your reputation in the industry.

Use the tips in this short guide to help you get your work published, including the best places to find publications and how to contact them.

Get sharing and show off your fabulous photoshoots!

Sharing your shoot has so many benefits for you, your peers and the creative community as a whole, including personal creative growth, sharing your knowledge and experience with your peers and inspiring others around you. 

Use the tips in this guide to build your confidence, take the plunge and share your shoot today!

 

 

 

What is PurplePort

PurplePort is a modelling website that brings models, photographers and other creatives together with one fantastic service. We provide the tools and help you need to get together and create amazing photos.

Established in 2010, PurplePort has grown from strength to strength and now has 40,000+ active members worldwide. With features such as integrated messaging, calendar, shoot plans, image albums, references, credited photos, busy member forums, hundreds of articles, and dedicated full-time staff to help you, it's easy finding the perfect creatives you need for your next photography project. It's a fresh, fast, and feature-rich alternative to ModelMayhem.

Join the fastest growing, most feature-rich service of its kind and start making magical photos a reality!

Follow us on social media 

We regularly post beautiful, dynamic and inspiring images from our talented community on social media.

Check out our blog on PurplePort and our social channels below so you can stay inspired anytime:

Join now and start networking

Join the community and start your modelling or photography career now.