“You want me to schedule a photoshoot… for my brand? But why? Creating Instagram content is a lot of work.”

I get it, photographers (especially good ones) can be pricey, but like we‘ve mentioned before, you have to spend money to make money and content shoots are key to building your visual brand.

“But I don’t have that money right now, I’m just starting.”

I’ve been there, I’ve heard that. 

You know what you do have? A best friend, a partner, a boyfriend, a mama, someone that supports you, and you know what else you have? A cell phone! So start there when you’re starting to create Instagram content.

Here are a few steps you can take one time per month when you’re just getting started: 

1. Select a few outfits and find a couple of props that fit your brand (if it’s a product, this should be easy).
   
   
2. Decide who you want to ask to take photos for you and ask them if they’re willing and when they’re available.
   
   
3. Decide on a location and write the date down in your calendar.
   
   
4. Look up and screenshot some inspiration on Pinterest or Instagram if you need to (while you need to be original and I don’t want you to copy photos, it can be helpful to find some inspiration and have a starting point).
   
   
5. Get out there and shoot for an hour or two. Try to keep the colors and lighting consistent, and get a variety of photos. This includes some closer up shots, some further back with lots of negative space, some looking at the camera, some looking away or moving (dancing, walking, flipping your hair, etc.), different outfits, and even some filler photos without you in it (landscapes, books, food, flat lays, or something else that fits your brand).
   
   
6. Edit the images using Lightroom Mobile.
   
   
7. Store them in a dropbox folder or album on your phone titled, “Instagram Content: Month of the Year.” So, for example, if you’re shooting content for February, save the edited photos to a folder titled, “Instagram Content: February.”
   
   
8. Use an app like Preview or Plann to map out your grid for February. I love these tools because they allow you to see what your IG grid will look like ahead of time and pre-write your captions. So, if you have time, I recommend brainstorming and writing some drafts (at least for the first week of the month) so that all you have to do is post and engage with your IG community after publishing!

Look, having your own brand and content imagery is SO important but this doesn’t need to feel like rocket science. 

Get comfortable in front of the camera and sharing your face on social media. Find what works best for you, create a little of a system, and keep it simple! 

How do you create Instagram content and brand imagery?