Before I start most of my shoots, I piece together a mood board. A mood board can be an effective tool for a photographer to communicate the mood and feel of a shoot to the models, hair and makeup artists, and clothing stylists. I usually assemble a collection of digital images found anywhere online and compile them into a psd. Alternately, I tear out a bunch of magazine pages and post them on a Styrofoam board—something I usually do at the studio where I have more space. You can even tack tearsheets on your wall with push-pins for a quickie mood board—it does not have to be anything fancy.

I first learned about mood boards when I modeled for Derrick Gomez.* We did a Sistahs of Harlem shoot, and he wanted to show the models an edgy, urban feel. It helped tremendously, that visual communication, in achieving the desired concept. It obviously made such an impact on me, I now use them for my shoots.

Mood boards present a theme. The one I used here is a visual representation of colorful, poppy, expressive photos by my international superstar friend, Marcie Dip. Sometimes I will try and emulate a particular photographer by imitating their style, but here, I liked the expressions Marcie pulled out of her models: quirky, fun, and diverse. If I show this to models, they know not to give me somber, morose, blah expressions and not to take themselves too seriously like they might on a fashion shoot; instead, they will have lively and amusing expressions.

The mood board has various functions. For lighting purposes, I like the soft light Marcie used, so I may use the mood board to guide me and/or my assistant in lighting. It helps the makeup artist move beyond traditional makeup and allows her to explore creativity. And in some cases, like my Dex Body Glow ad with Keltie Colleen as a Vargas pin-up model, Alice An (makeup artist, designer and producer) brought an Alberto Vargas book stacked with poses for Keltie to try.

To create a mood board, pore through magazines and simply tear out pictures you like that will help mold the theme for your next shoot. For example, if you are looking for great commercial print fitness images, you might go through Shape magazine and rip out smiley shots of a model working out on the beach. If you are looking for unique high-fashion images, you may grab a copy of Zink and just start tearing out pictures you like. In today’s digital era, you can find a world of images online and simply compile them into a psd. Then, blast the compilation out to your crew for motivation or print it for an instant visual.

After you compile a stack of pictures you like, feel free to edit down the top images that best represent your theme. Write down a list of adjectives that help convey this concept. For the Marcie Dip mood board, I already started with colorful, poppy, expressive, quirky, fun, diverse, lively and amusing. If the model does not understand this direction, show them other images (if you have them) along with more direction and adjectives. If you can make the face or strike the pose, even better! Ask any model I’ve ever worked with: I always get down and dirty with them—except for the Vargas shoot. I simply don’t have that flexibility.

We are visual creatures, after all, especially those of us in this industry. Mood boards help guide a photographer and her crew to build on a cohesive theme. Try them on your next shoot, and let me know how it goes! Bonus points for anyone who can identify my Marcie Dip-inspired photo.

* Yes, that’s me, the saleslady in the Amex ad on Derrick’s website.  

Thank you, Clara, for the topic request. That is what fuels this blog. Keep the questions coming.