My favorite thing about photoshoots is getting "out there".
When running a business, you spend most of your time in front of a computer screen. Or sketching on an ipad, in my case. Your designs exist in the digital, only as a theory. But a shoot gets you out there. It makes those designs real, out in nature, under the sun, toes in sand, waves crashing in the distance.
This does present unique challenges, though. My past photoshoots were primarily in a studio with controlled lighting.
Growing up, I remember my grandfather, photographer and cinematographer Duwayne Rude, taking pictures of our family on the beach. He had a big camera, lights, and bounce cards. He showed me how to use sandbags to keep the light stands from blowing away. He was a great photographer.
I miss him. He suddenly passed away a few months ago.
Now I found myself with a dozen things I wanted to ask him. When's the best time of day to shoot? Do I need a polarizing filter? How do I work with sunlight?
This, among other more personal things, I've lost the chance to ask him. But the show must go on.
The beach club in Palos Verdes. Easily one of the best pool views on the west coast.
I strategically chose a shoot location that I knew well and also simply wanted to be at. My old stomping grounds at RAT beach in Redondo Beach / Torrance. Despite the name, it's one of my favorite beaches in Southern California, encircled by green cliffs that offer sweeping ocean vistas.
The day was a little overcast. Gloomier than I'd hoped, but clouds can be helpful in photography. They act as a natural diffuser. They soften harsh shadows. I'm sure there's a deeper metaphor here about the benefit of clouds in our lives.
So what's a Guerrilla photoshoot?
It's a term I coined myself, right now, in fact, to capture the scrappy, organic essence of what a photoshoot looks like for a startup fashion brand.
What do you imagine a fashion shoot to look like? I can tell you what I imagined. Open on the lush backyard swimming pool of a 20 room mansion rented in the Palisades. Inside, hair and makeup artists hurriedly decorate a battalion of svelte models. An Edna Mode type art director powerfully rattles off tasteful decisions. The photographer, flanked by her assistants, finds the perfect column of light to bring this shoot to life.
And where am I, the designer, in this daydream? Why, by the craft table, of course, sipping a cappuccino and perhaps capturing a little BTS footage here and there for the gram. I've hired all these people - they're the best in the biz - and they will execute this shoot to perfection without me so much as raising a finger.
When you're a startup, though, you must get your hands dirty. We're in the testing phase. In the customer acquisition phase. Our budget is going towards samples, production, sales reps, and trade shows. I could have a decadent, ego stroking photoshoot if I really want, but it's not wise. When you're growing a new brand, you must wear many hats. All the hats! Which is a good thing. Sometimes you find hats that you didn't know you looked good in.
Here is our model, Natasha. She is an angel and we hit it off immediately. Not only is she one of those fortunate souls who looks stunning at every angle, but she also has a sense of humor and the kind of uplifting personality that brings energy to a shoot.
I am incredibly stoked on our 4 piece matching linen sets, which will launch in the new collection. Thanks to our LA based manufacturer, they are beautifully made.
Any pockets seen on our clothes are real and functional - Nothing turns me off more than faux pockets. I love deep, real pockets I can sink my hands into. The kind that'll never drop your phone, even if you spontaneously decide to roll down a grassy hill. Which I would never do in a white linen set. But still. I want the option.
For a little sparkle to match the silver foil woven into this particular linen fabric, I chose mother of pearl shell buttons.
We also have a blazer to go with this set, but at the time of shooting the sample hadn't been completed. You can see a little preview of me wearing it in this ig post.
Our Whitecliff Dress is my obsession and I greedily wish to take it back from our sales rep so I can wear it.
Linen fabric is so gorgeous and breathable, but one of its downsides is that, unless blended with a synthetic, it lacks stretch. I LOVE stretch in my clothes. To combat the stiffness of the linen, I had the back of this dress shirred.
It also features glimmering mother of pearl buttons, a fully lined skirt, and DEEP ASS POCKETS. This dress is more expensive than our cotton ones, but it's absolutely dripping in luxury. It's the elegant kind of dress a bride could wear to her beachy, boho wedding. It's the kind of dress you wear to brunch when you're feeling extra decadent.
Pre-order it here. The dress in this particular fabric is an exclusive, and only a handful will be made.
An S&S Exclusive
The Whitecliff Dress
Normally I'd share a pic of my outfit - I do love practical, real street fashion - but I didn't even think to take one! I was wearing my running gear so that, after we wrapped, I could go for a jog on the beach like I used to before I moved to the West Side.
The shoot went great and I'm glad went outside my photography comfort zone and shot outdoors. Starting a business forces you to try new things. I feel like I've grown in many ways going through the process of starting Sun & Sanctuary.
After the shoot, I went home and edited the photos - a part of the process that's so creatively satisfying. Before he passed away, my grandpa did have a chance to teach me how to use Lightroom, which I'm eternally grateful for.
So call your grandparents, your parents, your loved ones, and ask them the things you've never thought to ask them. Every moment is precious.
Production Update: We're working hard to bring these new linen pieces to market before the end of the year! They're being graded now and then I'll print the fabric. That's right! Not only will they be available in solids but also fun, colorful prints. Can't wait to show you!
Let me know your thoughts on this article by DMing me on instagram or sending me an email at raeha@sunandsanctuary.com!
