From Studio to Snowstorm: 3 Fashion Photo Shoots in One Vlog

First Photo Shoot: Business Fashion Portfolio

For this first fashion photo shoot behind the scenes content that I’ll share with you, I’ll discuss some professional headshots that were taken for our model’s business website, Instagram account and professional portfolio. Actually, I did this photo shoot with a lot of help, with a whole team of support staff, including a makeup artist and wardrobe specialist.

My main focus there was to ensure that everything felt classy, clean and timeless so that those images would work for her for a long time.

It was also important to ensure that her outfits matched her brand styling and color palette, and they did. We started out black and white before transitioning to gray and blue for the second one and finishing in mostly black/brown and white for the final three outfits.

Those headshots turned out so well, were super unique, polished and exactly what a modern businesswoman should look like. We were both so happy with them.

To give you more information about this fashion shoot behind the scenes, I’ll explain the lighting equipment that I used. For the first outfit, I utilized high-key lighting with a white background, and for the other two, it was classic studio lighting while changing to a dark gray background.

We also incorporated a cake that had the logo and brand coloring (turquoise) for a few of these shots.

Late in the shoot, we went more playful, which was perfect for showing the model’s personality and also perfect for photos to show on social media and in other presentation spaces.

Those who run their own businesses know this, including me: People don’t only buy what you know and what you do. They buy you as a person, and it’s important to show who you are in your images and other promotional content.

Our model on this day was Nino. She’s a founder of Bogat Aesthetics and Wellness in Hallandale Beach, which is near Miami. She said that her favorite outfit of the day was the Dior-inspired final one that she wore and added that she was excited about all of the beautiful pictures that were taken on that day.

Overall, we both felt that combining doing headshots with making it more like a fashion shoot went really well.

Second Photo Shoot: A Historic Hotel and Snow in Chicago

Next on this journey through fashion photo shoots behind the scenes, I’ll describe to you my trip to Chicago. This was such an interesting experience, going from the warmth of Miami directly to the wintry conditions of Chicago and even shooting in a snowstorm while there, which was tricky and challenging but ultimately went well and resulted in some gorgeous, artistic shots.

Of course, my always busy self got some work done on the plane!

Upon landing, I was a bit hesitant to step out of the airport and into the cold, but it wasn’t that bad. Yes, it was cold, but, as I said at the time, “I’m going to survive.” I’d thought that it was going to be much worse.

After sleeping in my hotel room for a few hours and then getting some breakfast, it was back to work but in a completely different environment than the day before. Actually, as I was waking up and eating, the ladies had already started doing makeup and hair.

The gorgeous Marlette was our model for this memorable shoot.

Inside at the Palmer Hotel

First up was a gown look and warm, indoor conditions. We began our day of shooting at the stunning Palmer Hotel, which is an official Chicago Landmark. It was built in 1870 and is an amazing place for a fashion shoot.

We started out taking shots on its stunning staircase. Here, I needed to use an on-camera flash to make up for the dark space there and as part of the location lighting, and that worked out so well. Here, Marlette wore a red gala-inspired dress, and the feel of those editorial-like images was like she was meeting someone to go to the opera or ballet.

Some shots were then taken in this building’s beautiful elevator with paparazzi-style lighting, which helped those images turn out edgy, a little chaotic and like our model was just caught looking iconic. The green color and warmer tones of that setup really matched what I was looking for. It was such a stylish look.

We then wrapped up this part of our shoot with a few shots at the piano. While Marlette was looking through those images on my camera, she exclaimed, “They’re so pretty!”

The Magic: Shooting in the Snow

Then the magic happened, when we stepped outside into the snow and took photos in an especially unique on-location shoot. Those were the most beautiful. They were epic and main character energy shots. Getting them was absolutely worth shooting in the snow for.

Back in Warmth, Back in a Studio

At that point, we went into a local Chicago studio, and here I was stunned by the jewelry on Marlette’s shoulder, which was in the shape of a panther. It was incredible. I immediately got the feeling that these shots with her classic black suit and that panther would be perfect for a cover, and they were. One of them was placed on the cover of a January 2026 issue of the fashion magazine, Glamour, the perfect start of the year.

As for the studio lighting setup there, I used an octabox and then another light source for the background. It helped create very even pictures with few shadows while also being glamorous with an editor look. There, I also incorporated the daylight that was coming in through the windows.

Wrapping Up at the Palmer Hotel

We then wrapped up back in the snow in front of the Palmer Hotel before heading inside for a few final shots to finish our eight-hour photo shoot that involved several set changes. I thought that Marlette’s last outfit, mostly red with so many gold accessories, really matched up well with the gold background of those interior shots.

After a five-minute windy, cold walk, this look at fashion photography behind the scenes took us to dinner, where we were all able to relax after our busy, productive day.

Third Photo Shoot: Valentine’s Day Theme

The final photo shoot behind the scenes experience that I’ll share with you was a Valentine’s Day-themed one. Dasha Mart was our gorgeous model for this shoot.

We had a totally red setup, not just with what she was wearing but also with the layered-fabric backdrop and lighting. I really liked how the fabric behind her added texture and depth to the photos. Also, I used the key light like a spotlight, like what you’d see on a stage, to really give the scene the Moulin Rouge energy that I was looking for.

Final Thoughts

Lastly on our journey through photography behind the scenes, I’ll share the main thing that I learned throughout this process. It was that different shoots require different energy and setups, which is what makes this work so interesting.

Thanks for sharing this experience with me. I hope that you enjoyed it and that, perhaps, reading this will help you create your own mood boards and visual guides for your photo shoots.

And keep in mind that you don’t necessarily need actual snow to do a winter-themed photo shoot. I recently did a snowy shoot in a studio here in Miami.

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