Behind The Scenes – Glow For It Photoshoots

Sometimes, taking pictures for our own Instagram can feel like a full-on photoshoot. But what is it really like to be part of a photoshoot?

For this week’s Glow Goss, I sat down with Glow For It Founder, Daisy Kelly, to pick her brains about the process behind how they get the perfect Glow For It pictures.

Check out Glow For It on Instagram @glowforitshop to see the stunning pictures they produce!

Q: How do you plan for a photoshoot or even come up with the concept for the photos that are going to be taken that day?

A: Photoshoots come with a lot of planning. Our Creative Director, India, and I began planning for the most recent photoshoot around three months ago. We started by booking the photographer, who we had worked with previously. Then, we booked our hair and makeup artist. Again, this is quite a simple process because we had worked with our make-up artist, Niamh, before and she recommended the hairstylist, Rebecca. 

After this, we began searching for our models. Diversity and inclusion are always a huge factor that we consider when it comes to our photoshoots, and this assisted our search for our models. We met with around seven to eight different modelling agencies, and asked the agents to send a variety of models for us to consider. We also really wanted to use as many genuine customers as possible. Tori, one of our selected models, was actually a genuine customer who we have been working with for around a year!

When it comes to the 'shot breakdown', this again is something we have been working on for a number of months. We began by focusing on the products we needed to capture and then found inspiration through Pinterest for exciting ways we could display these products. 

We had a number of Pinterest mood boards on the go and we found it a great way to get lots of inspiration for our shoot. So overall we were super prepared, and this really helped the day go smoothly and successfully. We really put an emphasis on the atmosphere/vibe and this helped us to create lots of fun and engaging shots, and this really highlights the ethos of working with Glow For It.

Q: You mentioned searching for models. How do you find the right models for the Glow For It brand?

A: We started off by going through the Glow For It Instagram and highlighting some of the models and creators we had worked with previously and would like to consider for the shoot. Tori sprung to mind straight away. She really captures what Glow For It is all about, and her lashes and brows are incredible thanks to her being a genuine customer who uses our products!

Then, we reached out to multiple modelling agencies. Each agency has a different vibe, so it was important to find one that matched and suited Glow For It. We were so thrilled with all of the models we selected. We sent lash and brow serums is to all our models months in advance of the shoot so that they had all been using the product prior to the photoshoot. When we got to meet our models in person, they all commented on how much they truly loved our products!

Q: Where do you go for the Glow For It photoshoots?

A: We use the Brick Studios in Shoreditch. Our photographer is a manager at the studio so it really helps the day to run smoothly. It has a beautiful space for hair and makeup, behind the scenes content, and - of course - the shots themselves.

Q: Do you use a professional photographer?

A: Yes, we use a professional photographer called Amy and she is absolutely amazing. We worked with her on another shoot and we were obsessed with the end shots so we knew we needed to use her again.

Q: Can you tell us a little bit more about what a day on set is like?

A: Our shoot days start officially at 09:00 but we like to arrive between 08:30 and 08:45. This gives us time to set up the room and the hair and makeup station before any of our models and team arrive. The photoshoot usually finishes around 17:00. So, it is a full day… But trust me when I say time goes very quickly when you’re on set!

Q: As the Founder of Glow For It, you’re the one who has a vision for what you would like your brand to be like. What is your role like when you’re on set?

A: On shoot days, I’m really on hand to approve the shots. I also ensure that we are sticking to our schedule and I make sure that we are following a photoshoot plan, using our inspiration mood board. The last thing I would want to happen is that we walk away, wishing we had of got more shots than we did. 

So, it’s really about keeping everyone moving and energetic - ensuring we get the most out of the day. We also have India, our Creative Director, who really keeps an eye on time and makes sure we’re sticking to that schedule. Millie, our Social Media Manager, also joins us and she’s great at filming behind the scenes content for Instagram and TikTok.

Q: You mentioned creating behind the scenes content whilst you’re on set. Is it difficult to create this content for social media alongside trying to get the perfect picture during the photoshoot?

A: I couldn’t have done this without India and Millie. Shoot days are so busy, I would never be able to capture behind the scene content for Instagram and Tiktok without the help of my team. 

This was especially the case in this shoot as I was actually featuring in some of the images myself. We’d already created a bank of trending sounds we wanted to use on the day so we just found different opportunities to film with different models and create lots of behind the scenes content.

Q: What happens post-photoshoot?

A: After the photoshoot, it takes around two to three weeks to get all the photos through retouching. When you hear retouching, you might think that we are editing the images, but really, it’s just about enhancing the lighting, removing any stray hairs, and ensuring all the images are cut to the perfect frame.

Q: What’s your favourite thing about doing a photoshoot?

A: My favourite thing about photoshoot days is the energy and the atmosphere. It’s always such a fun and exciting day. And it’s an opportunity to meet some of our genuine customers and see how much they love our products.

It is incredible to see our products come to life on set. Especially in this shoot, we were capturing images of a new product - the Glow For It Blush Stick. As this is a new product, it was extra exciting, and I loved playing around with the products on different models and skin tones. 

This shoot also included our first ever male identifying model. This was something I was so keen to include in the shoot as Glow For It products, are for everyone, no matter your age, gender, or ethnicity.