How to do a Virtual Collab Shoot While Social Distancing
Shoots and collabs made possible while staying safe!
gorgeous yellow spring event tablescape using gauze table runnersable
Social distancing and staying at home should not hinder your creative juices from flowing. We know it’s been a challenging few weeks but this is the 21st century, let’s use modern technology to keep collaborating with local businesses!
We had a very exciting and refreshing virtual studio shoot for Easter that pushed our problem-solving and creative skills to the limit! Yes, this is completely possible. Creatives don’t need to be in the same room at the same time to come up with a single creation from different minds. We have some tips to help you do collabs in this short era of social distancing. We’d also be happy to see what you’ve worked with, tag your virtual studio shoot posts with the hashtag #CommunityVirtualCollabs!
Reach out to the creatives in your community
beautiful flatlay photography using silk ribbons, wild florals, and DIY crafts
You can try doing collabs with people you haven’t worked with before. Of course, it’s also great to continue working with creatives you already know. Don’t hesitate to start the conversation and reach out to people who are good at what they do. Connecting with people should not stop, especially now.
Create a list of people and businesses that you want to work with. After this comes the easier part: chat them up on their various social media platforms! Facebook and Instagram are perfect portals to start with.
Virtual studio shoots start with virtual meetings
pretty yellow floral centerpiece and silk table runners for rustic spring vibes event tablescape
Preparations and brainstorming sessions can be done through various online messaging apps. Skype, Zoom and Google Hangouts are some of the top virtual workplaces right now that are perfect for people who want things done virtually. (For this collab, we went with Skype)
As this is a virtual studio shoot with a lot of moving pieces, always go for video chats as much as possible! This way, you can show your vision to other fellow creatives. You can also prepare a virtual lookbook before your virtual meetings so you can send them images in high resolution. Sometimes, even with the fastest internet connection, video chats can lag and crash. Digital lookbooks can help people understand your vision better.
Remember: Constant communication is key!
Event food table inspiration with pretty yellow silk table runners
For our virtual shoot, you should know that no two creatives were in the studio at the same time! As we mentioned, prep and brainstorming sessions were done over Skype so everyone knows a singular vision of our shoot even if we did not physically meet each other.
Maintaining one specific vision for our virtual collab shoot can be a bit challenging so always remember to communicate with everyone. Texts, e-mails, and even DMs helped us a lot through the process.
Set a schedule that works for everyone
calligraphy and polaroid flatlay photography aesthetic idea using gauze linens
We had to work right after one another in the studio so no one physically meets. We should always remember to consistently practice social distancing! First off, every prop used in our virtual collab shoot is mailed to the studio. We also finalized a schedule for everyone’s time in the studio.
gorgeous rustic food photography aesthetic using silk ribbon and yellow florals for prop styling
During your prep sessions, double check and triple check the minor details, including the schedule. Again, this is where communication comes in big time. We basically went into the studio to work one by one. It would really help if you know who comes before and after your scheduled time at the studio.
In our case, our florist first came in the studio to do the centerpiece. The photographer came a couple of hours later to shoot. We didn’t meet physically meet in the studio, but Skype calls helped a lot during the process.
Always think outside the box
Minimalist yellow spring and boho vibes aesthetic photography inspo
Thankfully, we didn’t have any major flaws with our virtual collab shoot. Everything went smoothly but keep in mind that this is not always the case. Prepare to do some troubleshooting as there can be some concerns when you do your own virtual collabs, but fingers cross you don’t!
Don’t be afraid to push yourself to the limits! It’s true that your shoot locations can be a little bit limited right now, but that should only encourage you to level up your creativity. Here are some collab ideas to help you start a creative project yourself:
Flatlay Styling - create one whole aesthetic using various design elements, you might want to come up with a single theme for this one!
DIY tutorials - any crafting hobby that you’re secretly good at? Show them off to the world now! We’d be happy to know some tips
Behind the scenes of your business - this can be a perfect practice to keep your business portfolio consistent with a personal touch
Product photography - this shoot idea is the perfect complement to the behind-the-scenes shoot; you can show off specific products that you’re proud of!
Food, decor, and floral-centric shoots - this can be considered as the opposite version of a flatlay shoot as you’re focusing more on close-ups rather than the whole landscape shot. Either way, remember that beauty is in the details!
yellow tablescape idea for events, weddings, and parties, using beautiful white and yellow florals and long flowy silk table runners
One of the most important lessons to come out of this virtual collab is trusting yourself along with the rest of the creative group. At the same time, we were very much able to freely express our craft with everyone else’s. Regardless if it’s a virtual collaboration or not, the true spirit of working with other creatives is for everyone to fully use their artistic potential. We hope you have a wonderful collab. And stay safe, everyone!
xoxo,
Jeanette
Credits:
Jeanette Vargas: Virtual Shoot Concept, Creative Director
Textiles: Party Crush Studio
Photographer and Stylist: radostina photography
Floral Designer and Stylist: bellevue floral co
Specialty Rentals: lux event rentals
Lifestyle Goods: camino goods
Wooden Easter Eggs: sweetness and light flowers
Film Lab: richard photo lab