Pick your best photoshoot theme.

How to land on the right theme for your next photoshoot.

It can be a challenge to find a vision for a photoshoot. You want to capture subjects at their best, while also highlighting who they are, what they like, and what they want to convey. Start your creative journey by asking you (and them) a few important questions.

How to pick a photoshoot theme.

Discuss these questions with your subject to determine the best theme for your photoshoot:

Why are we doing this photoshoot? First and foremost, it’s important to understand why your subject wants to do a photoshoot. For example, a photoshoot celebrating an engagement will look and feel very different to one that highlights an athlete’s skill on the field.

What story should these photos tell? Dig deeper into your theme with this question. If you’re doing that engagement shoot, for example, what do your subjects want to highlight about their relationship story?

What matters most to you? This question will guide where and how you photograph your subject. Pick a setting that highlights the answer to this question. If the beach or the city is important to your subject, pick your setting accordingly.

What kind of mood do you want to set? If values like “fun” or “excitement” are important to your subject, guide them through poses and styles that reflect fun and excitement. If seriousness and intensity are important, steer clear of those fun and exciting shots and play with more serious settings like black and white themes.

The most important step is getting to know your subject so that, together, you can design the best photoshoot theme to convey their goals, dreams, and feelings.

Elevate your edits.

Discover more photo tips for your next themed photoshoot. And take your skills above and beyond by exploring everything you can do with Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom today.