Planning the Shoot

With the relaunch of my business, came the exciting realization that I needed some fresh content to show my future clients. I couldn’t wait to find a model and set up a fun glamour shoot. It just so happened that when I found Allida on Instagram, and reached out to her, she said she was going to be in Traverse City, MI during the same week that I was going to be vacationing there with my family. So, we planned a three-hour photoshoot for my fourth day in Traverse City.

Scouting Locations

Planning to shoot on the fourth day of out trip allowed me a few days of free time to enjoy with my family, while also scouting locations for the shoot. I had been considering shooting in downtown Traverse City, but there were so many people and cars! I was concerned that I wouldn’t get the type of photos that I was looking to capture. So we drove up Old Mission Point Peninsula, and the Leelanau Peninsula. When we visited the point of the Leelanau Peninsula, I realized THIS was the perfect place for the session!

Weather Conditions

The weather at The Point was very calm with a soft hazy overcast. The water was smooth and still as glass. The sun was partly faded, due to the thick moisture hanging in the air. I was in love with the idea of doing moody water photos of Allida in this setting.

Of course, weather changes day-to-day, but I could not have guessed the dramatic difference there would be at the same location only two days later. It looked like a completely different place. On the day of the shoot, the weather was almost full-sun, chilly, and windy. There was a bright blue sky, strong gusts of wind blowing Allida’s dress and hair around, and big waves to contend with.

Fortunately, when I was photographing weddings every weekend during 2011, ’12, and ’13, I had learned how to adapt to any type of weather to get great shots. So, we went ahead with our shoot and made some beautiful photographs of the stunning Ms. Allida.

Outfit Changes

I had asked Allida to wear the white dress that she has on in the photos after I had seen a photo of her wearing this dress on her instagram. I knew it would be perfect for our shoot. I waited until we were near the end of our shoot before asking Allida to go ahead into the water. I wanted to ensure that we had plenty of great photos first, so that if she happened to catch a big wave and get soaked, it wouldn’t destroy the session. I am so glad we did that because, sure enough, Allida was in the water for only a couple of moments before this exact thing happened.

Fortunately, Allida had come prepared with an extra outfit, anyway. She brought a super cute street outfit - a nude bodysuit, short white shorts, and a pair of high heels. We still had thirty minutes on the clock, so she changed into her dry outfit, and we got some great poses of her leaning against the side of the North side of the Grand Traverse Lighthouse.

The shoot was a huge success! I walked away with fresh material for my website and social media pages. (Thank you, again, Allida).

Next, you might be interested in reading Photography Tips for Shooting in Different Weather Conditions