Styling Beyond Instagram: Take Your Prop Styling Skills from the Square to the Street

Styling Beyond Instagram: Take Your Prop Styling Skills from the Square to the Street

by Robin Zachary
Styling Beyond Instagram: Take Your Prop Styling Skills from the Square to the Street

Styling Beyond Instagram: Take Your Prop Styling Skills from the Square to the Street

by Robin Zachary

Hardcover

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Overview

A comprehensive guide to the nitty-gritty of prop styling from a top professional!

Imagine spending your days telling visual stories, dreaming up ideas for photo shoot, scouring boutiques, flea markets, and antique shops for the perfect prop, working with beautiful objects, and collaborating with photographers, art directors, and other creative minds. Prop styling encompasses all of these!

Professional stylist Robin Zachary explains how to choose which type of prop styling is best for your goals: tabletop, food, crafts, events, soft goods, interiors, and more.

Learn:
  • How to create client questionnaires and win jobs
  • Best processes for estimating your costs and pricing your services
  • How to choose props, surfaces, and backdrops
  • How to arrange objects to tell a story or sell a product
  • The logistics of photo shoots
  • How to craft an environment to exhibit a specific theme and cohesive style
  • How to advocate for yourself in negotiating with clients
  • How to photograph and film
  • Networking tips and how to promote yourself and your business

The styling resources section provide key tools: checklists, schedule plans, helpful forms, and more to help you work like a pro. Plus, tips and suggestions from a range of successful professional and emerging stylists.

This comprehensive, zingy guide to the business of prop styling helps newcomers skip over some first-timer failures and approach styling work professionally.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780764363184
Publisher: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.
Publication date: 08/30/2022
Pages: 208
Product dimensions: 8.10(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Robin Zachary has styled and directed hundreds of fashion and still-life shoots around the world. The creator of The Prop Styling Experience®, a custom-designed hands-on styling workshop, she is also contributing home editor at Bridal Guide Magazine and its former creative director. Zachary is a frequent speaker at conferences and workshops. She has been on the faculty of Fashion Institute of Technology and has taught classes at the New York Botanical Gardens, the Penumbra Foundation, and West Elm. Her clients span corporate product brands, national magazines, e-commerce, and social media. She lives in New York City. www.thepropstylingexperience.com

www.robinzachary.com

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Preface: Why I Wrote This Book
Introduction
About Me & How I Became a Prop Stylist

SECTION 1: GETTING THERE
What Is Prop Styling?
• Prop Styling Is…
• Media Outlets
• Why is Prop Styling so Appealing?
How does one become a Prop Stylist?
What Type of Person Becomes a Prop Stylist?
• Developing your Personal Style
• What are you good at?
• Assess your Creative Skills
• Lifestyle Considerations
Professional Prop Styling Niches
• Food stylist Spotlight: [name to come]
Prop Styling for Events and Experiences
Professional Stylist, Content Creator, Influencer, Photographer + examples
• Stylists on Social media
• Infographic
• Maker, Seller, Shop Owner

SECTION 2: THE JOB EXPLAINED
A Day in the Life of a Prop Stylist
Possible Prop Styling Roles
What is a Creative Brief?
Creative Direction
• Client Questionnaire
• Mood Boards
How to Plan a Kick Ass Photo Shoot – A Timeline
Photo Shoot Logistics and Worksheet Intro
• Photoshoot planning/brainstorming worksheet
• Merchandise Shopping list
• Pickups and Deliveries
• Photo shoot Call Sheet
• Credits for Items Photographed
• Job Estimating Worksheet
Renting vs. Buying vs. Borrowing Props
• Prop House spotlight: [name to come]
Essential Prop, Surface and Backdrop Collection
• Props to Own
• Surfaces
• Backdrops
• Aquiring, Procuring and Collecting Props
Packing and Transporting Props
Styling Assistants
• Styling Assistant Duties
• Styling Assistant Etiquette
• Stylist Assistant Spotlight: [name to come]
Being on Set
• Working with Clients: It’s All About Them.

SECTION 3: THE BUSINESS
What are Your Goals?
Presenting Your Work
Define Your Brand But Avoid Being Too Nichey
Should you Fake it till you Make It?
What Do I Charge?
• Sample Budget or Estimate
• Making/Preparing Your Invoice
Styled Shoots, Test Shoots or “Credit Only” Shoots
Agency Representation
Where the Work is or Finding Work
• Styling on Staff
• Styling for Freelance or Part Time Gigs
• How do Clients Find You?

SECTION 5: WRAP UP
Styling Myths
Opportunities for Stylists
In Closing
• The Prop Styling Experience
• Where to Go Next

SECTION 6: APPENDIX
Styling Resource Guide: What you need to know to find things in your area
The Styling Kit
• Styling Kit Items
Planning Worksheets Intro
• Photoshoot planning/brainstorming worksheet
• Merchandise Shopping list
• Pickups and Deliveries
• Photo shoot Call Sheet
• Credits for Items Photographed
• Job Estimating Worksheet

Glossary

CREATIVE RESOURCES
What are you shooting?
4 essential elements
Photo Orientation
Placement and Arranging
Working with Color and texture
Storytelling: establishing the theme and style
Other assorted tips
Sketching and using thumbnails
Moodboards how-to
Photo frames

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