Getting Inspired | Creating a wedding or photoshoot Inspiration Board

I’m a visual learner, meaning it helps me to see something visually before I can commit it to memory.  That could be why I am so addicted to magazines and Pinterest. Oh, and why I am a photographer in the first place!!  🙂 If you want me to understand the point you are getting across then SHOW me something, draw me a picture, show me some color swatches…SOMETHING I can look at.  So, one tool I use with my clients to communicate the vision we have for their photoshoot and/or wedding photography is to create an inspiration board for them.  I’ve been thinking recently about how well this works and am starting to ask clients to create inspiration boards for us to communicate the vision THEY have for their photos.  I love collaborating with creative clients.  This is my most favorite part of my job!  You give a little and we’ll give a little and together MAGIC will happen.

Of course, not everyone has access to photoshop so I thought I would give our readers some tips on easy and FREE ways to create an inspiration board.  There are many options, but these are a few of my favorites.

• *Up first is the most obvious and my procrastination of choice–Pinterest.com

With Pinterest you create boards and virtually “pin” photos to that board.  I love how easy they make it and especially LOVE that they give credit to the website it was “pinned” from and it’s easy to find the original image and accompanying post.  Makes it handy when looking for the instructions for a DIY project or recipe.  The only thing it is missing is the ability to actually create an inspiration board. I also wish it had a share on Facebook feature or a way to embed the board.  Oh well, nothing is perfect. 😉  I generally use Pinterest to gather the images and then pull the images into photoshop and create an inspiration board myself.

P I N this to pinterest

• *My next favorite inspiration board maker is from the most beautiful Wedding Blog alive–Style Me Pretty

Style Me Pretty has thousands of gorgeous images contributed by their oh so stylish vendors and they have a fabulous tool for putting those images together into your very own inspiration board.  It’s VERY easy to use.  VERY, VERY easy.  The hardest part is getting distracted by looking at all the amazing photos and all the creative details!  The best part is they make it easy to share your board on Facebook and to embed into a blog or website.  Here is the board I created in just a few minutes.  If only Saylor and I could have another wedding…………sigh.

• And last, but not least for those of us who have a vision, but want the super easiest way to create an inspiration board–Mosaic Maker from Big Huge Labs

This is a super simple tool to use.  It has a few layout choices or you can decide how many images you want to include. You simply copy and past the URL from any image or upload your own and it makes the board for you.  You can then download it to email, print or upload to Facebook.  This is a board I created for a client for a shoot we just did using the Mosaic Maker.  Easy peasy!

Just in case you need some more “inspiration” to make your board check out these great articles from Weddingbee about making inspiration boards:

• How to create an inspiration board the supereasy way
• How to create an inspiration board the photoshop way

There are as many ways to make an inspiration board as there are things to inspire you so choose the way that works best for you!  Have fun with it and get inspired! Don’t forget to give credit to the creator of the beautiful images you use in your board! 

Also, be on the lookout for an exciting announcement in the next few days that might get you even more motivated to make your very own inspiration board. 😉