MINI PREP GUIDE
“As long as you show up, it’s going to be AMAZING! That’s it. That’s all you have to do. We’ve got the rest. Can’t wait to see you!” - Matt + Pamela
Hello, Beautiful! We are SO excited to be photographing you! We tend to over-communicate with our clients so they know exactly how to prepare and exactly what to expect throughout the whole process. Hope you don't mind ;) Feel free to revisit this prep guide as often as you’d like.
First thing’s first: START REFLECTING
Exactly what kind of images are you hoping to walk away from your session with? Do you find yourself drawn to anonymous images that show off the body? Portraits? Editorial style? Have absolutely no idea? It can be very difficult to articulate your own style, so we don’t ask you to. Instead, the first thing that we ask clients to do is to create a "secret" Pinterest board for their photo session. If you are not a Pinterest user, you can also just send us some photos, but we find that the secret board on Pinterest is the best way for us to get a good visual of the concept you're going for.
Go ahead and "follow" us *HERE*. Once that's done, we want you to create a Pinterest board titled " (YOUR NAME) Photo Shoot" (it's very important that you name your board with your full name because otherwise we'll have a hundred "MY PHOTO SHOOT" boards and won't know who is who). You'll have to "invite" us to your board so we can see it (watch our tutorial on how to do this). Without thinking too much about it, we want you to PIN anything that speaks to you and your style. We have lots of boards on our page for you to reference, but you can also take it upon yourself to venture out into Pinterest or pin images directly from this page or the rest of our website!
Try to turn off your fear and over-thinking at this point. Don't say things like "OHH that's so beautiful, but I would NEVER be able to pull that off!" or "I WISH I could look like that!". That's not the point of this exercise. After pinning 25 or so images, we will very easily be able to get a visual of your style and the type of images you are interested in. Do you like sweet, bright, and bubbly? Do you like dark, moody, and seductive? Do you like shots that capture the entire body? Do you like close-up teaser shots of body parts? Do you prefer more modest portraits? We'll find out together! The purpose of this is NOT to find photos to replicate! It is inspiration and now that we'll all know the kind of images you really like, it will be easier to deliver a set of photos that are YOUR STYLE, as long as it syncs well with our artistic style.
TYPES OF IMAGES
While our standard style is “authentic beauty” (You’ll get it when you see your first image. You’ll look confident and cool. It’s our specialty ;) ), there are lots of different types of image categories to work with.
For your mini session, you'll have time for only one or maybe two of these, so choose your favorites!
Detail Shots…
Showcasing the beautiful bits that grace the female form. Collarbones, booties, legs, breasts…these types of shots are perfect for a wall art display and to add visual balance to an album.
Beauty Portraits…
With or without clothes, these images include your face and a portion of your body. We have several backdrop options for different aesthetics.
Natural Beauty Portraits…
Similar to standard beauty photos, except these particular shots incapsulate your utmost natural beauty- without makeup- celebrating your authentic self. This is a truly special experience as it allows you to see your raw self in an entirely new perspective. Yes, we can still remove blemishes and do a very gentle retouch, or you can choose to go without any editing! The option is yours and we love photographing fresh-faced women!
Classic Boudoir Style…
If you’re here for the skin, we’ve got you covered. The Silk + Salt Studios boudoir style is elevated, effortless looking, and a beautiful celebration of the female form. Most boudoir style images are shot nude, or while wearing sheets or some form of lingerie.
Fine Art Nudes…
Taking a page out of the Renaissance Art period, Mateusz’s fine art nudes are a timeless display of the female form.
Semi-Silhouettes…
These bold, high-contrast statement images will leave you breathless. Mostly silhouetted, these types of shots look best in levels of undress…very sheer tops and slips leave just enough to the imagination.
WELCOME!!!
You are family now!! That means that we're never going to mind if you need help. Please don't hesitate to contact us with all the questions you have. We will never feel that you're bugging us. We're all in this together and we want to deliver the best experience possible for you!
Coming in from out of town?
Check out this "Welcome to Salt Lake City" guide for recommendations for accommodations, food, and fun to make the most out of your time here! Salt Lake is home to some of the best skiing in the country! Also good to note: we can arrange a remote video photo reveal for you so you don’t have to travel back to Salt Lake for your reveal, unless you’d like to!
Join the sisterhood.
You can always reach out to us via
email; but if you want a broader audience, a safe space has been created so you can engage with other women who have experienced a Silk + Salt Studios shoot or have one coming up! Start to get pumped about your shoot, ask any questions, calm last minute nerves, and interact with other empowered ladies through the
Salty Witches by Silk + Salt Facebook Group!
Shoot location.
Our studio is located in the heart of
Central City Neighborhood at 810 East 800 South #203, Salt Lake City, UT 84102.
WARDROBE TIPS
HONESTLY, and we're not even close to exaggerating here, wardrobe is really not that crazy important for the way that Matt shoots. Please, please, please don't stress out over wardrobe. Don't feel the need to run out and buy something new. We can do a completely versatile and awesome shoot with a single scarf, or sheets, or a sweater. Truly. Don't stress about it. Here are some wardrobe tips to calm your nerves and help you decide what to bring:
*Structured pieces and solids look great on camera as well as items with texture, and those that are form fitting to show your figure.
*Pressed and Pretty: Make sure your wardrobe selections aren't wrinkled, and cut all the tags off of your sheer items before arriving.
*THE NUMBER ONE WARDROBE RULE IS::::
Do NOT bring outfits that you don't love! We can't tell you how many women show up with outfits that prompt them to say "I really don't like the way I look in this one, but I'll leave it up to you!". If you don't like the outfit, it's likely that you won't like photos of you in the outfit. Leave it at home.
*For beauty or portraits, structured and/or statement pieces work amazing. Your favorite blazer or jacket, a cocktail dress with an interesting neckline, or just a bodysuit and jeans….we want you to look and feel like yourself (just on your best day).
*When in doubt, just borrow a sheet or piece of fabric from us. It's simple, versatile, sexy, and free!
*Avoid tiny busy patterns as well as neon colors. They are often harsh on-camera so leave them at home.
No Lingerie?
*If opting for boudoir-style, lingerie is NOT a must. Don't be afraid to get creative! For a boudoir style shoot, a garter belt and thigh high fishnets would go great with a cropped sweater or graphic tee. A gorgeous bra can be paired with a long flowing skirt. Your favorite tank top can be paired with no pants. A SHEET can be used for everything. Your 20 year old favorite tee shirt paired with cheeky bottoms will get the job done just perfectly. This is about YOU and your authentic personality, not about being someone you aren’t.
Keep It Simple.
*Matt's shoot style is very "I'm-not-trying-too-hard-chic"! We go for the "I woke up like this" look as often as possible. For that look, wardrobe is even LESS of a obstacle.
*It doesn’t have to be complicated…in fact, we welcome simplicity! We love to work with pretty scarves, sheets, white button down shirts, jackets and coats, or anything you love.
How Many?
*Have two outfits picked out and we can go through them together before your shoot to determine what will photograph best. We will have time for only one outfit total and artistic nudes count as one outfit.
*CONSIDER ARTISTIC NUDES for a super easy, low maintenance, and FREE wardrobe option.
CELEBRATING ALL FIGURES
All women, we truly believe this, are beautiful!!! Curves, no curves, all shapes, all sizes, are beautiful. Women are ART and we look forward to celebrating yours with you. That said, we also understand that not all women are completely confident in their skin as-is yet. While we hope that we can help you see that you are amazing as-is, if there are certain things that will cause you to not love your photos, please talk with us about it so perhaps we can take extra care to help you see yourself in a new light.
*A note on surgery scars and stretch marks- Our belief is that scars tell a story. Sometimes clients wish they didn’t have to be permanently reminded of that story, and other times, clients embrace their scars and say they’re a part of them. For this reason, we will never edit out a scar or stretch mark unless a client specifically requests it….and if they do, in fact, request that retouching, we can do that as long as it falls within our gentle retouching policy.
BE SURE TO...
...*fill out your questionnaire! It helps up provide a more luxurious, personalized experience for you.
*…plan ahead.
Nothing puts a damper on a fun and relaxing photo shoot like feeling rushed or late! You should plan for traffic and arrive about 5 minutes before your scheduled start time.
*…trust us. We won't make you do anything that is going to make you look bad. We’re professionals. We’ve been doing this for a long time and we are masters of killer poses, beautiful lighting, and appropriate camera angles.
*...get your beauty sleep!
*...text Pamela if you are panicking! She will help calm your nerves and talk you through anything you're feeling anxious about.
801.804.3445
*…lather on the lotion! Supple is key for beautiful skin! Be sure to moisturize twice a day for the week leading up to your shoot. On the day of your shoot, use a non-bronzer illuminizing lotion. If you're having a hard time finding an illuminizing lotion without color, you can absolutely just go with an oil based lotion like Argan Oil Moisturizer or Coconut Oil Moisturizer. Don't use tinted lotions or anything with color. We will have some moisturizer at the studio for you to use if you don't have a lotion you love.
*…have extra wardrobe options!
Bring two different outfits, a pair of shoes if you’re a shoe girl, and accessories only if you usually wear them. We may not use it all, but it never hurts to have options. But if you don't have anything to bring with you, please feel free to borrow a sheet or piece of fabric from us.
*…wear something comfy to the studio. When you get to the studio, we’ll ask you to slip into your outfit after a short conversation about consent, posing, and what to expect. We want to avoid any marks on your body from tight bras, elastic waistbands etc. Your skin needs time to even out so they don't show up in your images. Instead wear something comfortable and loose-fitting during the car ride to your photo shoot.
PLEASE DON'T...
*…drink red wine to calm your nerves. Don't drink a bottle of red wine right before you show up in an effort to calm your nerves! Drunk doesn't photograph pretty. HOWEVER, we're admittedly an advocate of a little bit of booze to soothe anxiety if you are super nervous. SO, we set a firm 2 drink maximum limit for our clients on the day of their shoot. You're welcome to bring a small bottle with you to the studio. We also have cabernet and moscato wines available for you.
*…bring a construction hat (or other props). If you have jewelry that has sentimental value, absolutely bring it! But avoid jerseys, military apparel, weapons (yes, really), sports equipment, masks, etc etc etc for your first photo shoot experience.
*…party the night before your shoot.
*…spray tan before your shoot. I know you think many women feel better with a tan and that many women accomplish that by means of spray tans...but I assure you, even if you don't see the streaks and unevenness with your naked eye, the camera will pick them up. You will photograph a lot more tan than you think you look (especially given that my specialty is low-key lighting and black and white imagery). Trust me on this!! On that same note, no tinted lotions or bronzers on your body. Even after this warning I get a lot of women who message me to say that they’ve been spray tanning for years and they cannot fathom not doing so before a photo shoot. Of course I will still photograph you, but unfortunately our standard retouch will not account for spray tan correction, so just keep that in mind. I promise you can run straight to the spray tanner right after your appointment.
*…forget to stretch. Many of these poses, while they look effortless, are quite unnatural feeling. Take a few minutes on the morning of your shoot to stretch your arms, legs, hips, and especially your back. People are surprised to see how sore their muscles get after something as silly as a photo shoot, so any extra flexibility you can add by a quick yoga flow will only benefit you.
*…talk smack on yourself. We don't want to hear about how you hate your hips. We want to hear about how you LOVE your legs. A great attitude will go a long way in having a fabulous and upbeat experience! HOWEVER...if you really feel the need to discuss the thing that bothers you the most about your body, just let us know by saying "I love my ___, but my biggest insecurity is my ___". We will be extra careful to play down your "flaws"...but we will ALSO make it our challenge to take the best damn image featuring your ____ so you have a new-found appreciation for it ;)
SO...what are you worried about?
It happens all the time…a client’s photo shoot is a few days away and she begins to panic. We get a terrified e-mail in the middle of the night begging for us to talk her off the ledge. She wants to cancel, she just hasn’t had the time to prepare, you name the excuse, we’ve heard it. So let us be proactive here and tackle the most common trepidations we hear, so that maybe you won’t be hyperventilating in the middle of the night on the day before your session. But again, if you are... please don't hesitate to text Pamela. It's ok to freak out. We're here for you. 🖤
*BEING ON YOUR PERIOD. Yep, it’s the worst. No, it will not affect your finished product in the slightest. We DEFINITELY understand the plight of menstruation on photo shoot day. We have zero qualms with 30 bathroom breaks. Start your morning with some fresh fruit and a heating pad and we’ll take it from there. No worries about bloat or blemishes.
*STRESS ACNE.
Yeah, it happens. Pimples suck. If you think for one second that every woman you see pictured on our website was magically pimple-free on the day of their session, you’re taking crazy pills. We retouch blemishes and bruises with ease on every photo you see. No problem. No stress. Let that pimple try it’s hardest to ruin your day, but your photos will not be a permanent reminder of it.
*POSE ANXIETY.
This one’s easy. You don’t have to know how to pose…not even a little bit. Mateusz will walk you through every step of the way. He will get into the poses himself and have you mirror him. If we didn’t get it right on the first try, he’ll gently redirect you. It’s not YOUR job to take amazing photos, it’s his. And he’s pretty competitive about taking amazing photos.
*BEING THE ONE CLIENT THAT WE'RE UNABLE TO GET A GOOD PICTURE OF. If you’re thinking that all of the women featured on the pages of our website and social media are models, you’re sorely mistaken. We have NEVER….EVER had a client who didn’t love their photos. You don’t have to love EVERY SINGLE ONE of them, but you will love most of them. And you will be shocked that you could love photos of yourself this much. We WILL rock out your photo session and we WILL get a whole bunch of killer images of you. We always do. But if you come into the shoot with an open mind and with trust in us, we’ll get EXTRA. And extra is always good. We’ve never met a woman who Mateusz couldn’t capture beautifully. That includes you.
*BODY ISSUES.
We long for the day that women are comfortable in their skin at all stages, for the day that women embrace their wobbly bits and beautiful side creases. That said, we know women well enough to be realistic and understand that many women struggle with self love and no matter how much we tell them they are beautiful, they wish they would have lost just a few more pounds before their session. If that is you, we can assure you, that this ain’t our first rodeo. The majority of the women that come in to see us are working on loving themselves, but struggle. They don’t approve of the size of their thighs, their belly pooch, their dimples. We take women’s feelings very seriously and never want to make anyone uncomfortable.
While this is a body positive studio, we will also light and pose you in the way that makes you feel your best.
We’ve spent the last five years photographing all kinds of women, all extraordinary in their own way. We’ve learned all the tricks to ensure that we are featuring the attributes that women most love about themselves, while paying special care to downplay areas of concern. While we're going to make it our very best effort to change your mind on what you consider to be your “flaws”, we don’t expect every woman to be ready for that yet.
If you are ready to tackle this issue, contact Pamela and let her know. She has some resources for you.
So, one more time, louder for those in the back: YOU ARE AMAZING TODAY. NOT 15 LBS FROM NOW, NOT POST-PLASTIC SURGERY…. You.are.amazing.
TODAY and we can’t wait to show you!
What to Expect...
*A couple of days before your shoot, you can expect to get a confirmation from us, just making sure we are on the same page about your shoot start time, end time and location...and I'll also ask if you have any last minute questions!
*If you opted to add professional hair and makeup to your shoot, you should have your face clean and moisturized, and your hair dry and ready to be heat styled when you arrive. Make sure to wear loose-fitting clothing or a lightweight robe while getting makeup done and let us know in advance if you have any skin allergies at all.
*Once the shoot begins, you can expect Mateusz to give you tons of encouragement and direction. He will not expect you to super model pose throughout your shoot. He will show you what to do, and encourage improvising whenever you feel comfortable. He will say things to elicit laughter whenever possible, too...so be prepared (or, actually, don't. It's better that way.)
*Your shoot time will FLY by. That's a good thing!! That means it wasn't awkward or boring. Just the right amount of fun! We do run a tight ship at the studio in regards to our schedule, so you’ll most definitely be out on time.
*At the end of your shoot, we will help you pack up your things and get you scheduled for your image reveal appointment so you know exactly when you’ll be seeing your images. We’ll also give you a high five because, GIRL, you rocked it.
*Within 3 weeks of your shoot, you will have your image reveal appointment with Pamela where you will see around 20 edited images from your shoot. You should be prepared to place your full order on the day of your image reveal and ordering appointment as we don't not store images long-term.
*At your photo reveal appointment, we’ll meet remotely on-line or in-person when possible. We’ll go through your gallery one image at a time. If you earned product credit through a referral, we’ll apply that to your product order. We know you’re going to love your images, and these reveal appointments are so much fun. We can’t wait to share your photos with you!
*Within 6 weeks of your account being paid in full, all of your purchased products will be ready for pickup or delivery, and often sooner! We’ll send you an e-mail letting you know when your products are ready for pickup, or with your tracking number if you live out of the area and we are shipping to you.
*Within 6 months of your photo reveal appointment, you’ll want to do this again. Trust us ;) Existing clients get dibs on photo shoot time slots because we believe in special treatment. 
*Any questions?? PLEASE don't hesitate to ask, darlin'! We're here to help!
Be sure to join the
Salty Witches Facebook Group to interact with past clients and share your excitement about your session!
