Three reasons why you should make a moodboard
Moodboards are an essential part of my toolbox when preparing and doing a shoot. They’re easy to make and act as an achor to come back to whenever I need inspiration during the creative process.
In this short blog, I’ll tell you why and how they can take your photography to a whole new level.
Reason 1: Communication
Clear communication between you and the model plays a crucial role in creating amazing photos together. A visual representation of the idea you’re trying to capture is one of the most effective ways to communicate this idea to your model.
Sending a moodboard to your model will make her feel more at ease, because she now knows the theme and clothing style you are looking for. You both can discuss the photos you really like, eliminating any confusion about the type of shoot you are doing.
It also acts as a support to fall back on during your photo shoots. Have you ever felt stuck trying to explain an idea? The beauty of moodboard is that you can simply pull them up at any time and say, “Look, this is what I’m trying to capture.” From then on, you can easily get into the idea and give it your own spin.
Reason 2: It widens your creativity
Magic happens when you actively look at other photographer’s work. Your brain gets excited and your creative juices start to flow. When I spend time on Pinterest, more often than not, I feel like grabbing my camera right away. There are tons of idea’s swirling around on the internet that you haven’t thought about, waiting to be found.
Another magical aspect of my ‘moodboard theory’ is that when you arrive at a location, you will often suddenly experience a surge of creativity that is related to your boards. Our brains are vast databases that constantly generate new ideas. They spot a situation and link it to a mood you’ve seen before.
Reason 3: It makes it a true collaboration
When you share moods with your model, and she does the same with you, you can truly speak about a collaboration between two artist. Yes, I actually ask my models to create moodboards too!
This helps me in two ways:
The main reason is to see if we are aligned on what we want to create together. You don’t want to be stuck on a shoot where you are not on the same page.
The second reason is to expand my creativity. We as photographers are often stuck in the same thinking patterns. We get stuck on doing things in a very limited or specific way. This is very normal and human. We love what is familiar.
Asking your models to make their own moodboards can completely change that. It can provide a new and fresh perspective on things. That’s why I’m always very excited to include their ideas in the shoot. I can highly recommend it!
Moodboard tip!
Instagram has a feature where you can save posts, use it! I make subcategories in my saved collection linked to every type of shoot. (Home/Boudoir/Nature/…) Everytime I see a picture that inspires me, I save it in the right collection.
