How to Prepare for Your Aerial Photoshoot: A Complete Guide

So you've booked your aerial photoshoot—exciting! Whether this is your first time or you're a seasoned pro, proper preparation will help you get the most stunning shots possible. Here's everything you need to know to show up confident and camera-ready. Written with a little help from my aerial photographer friend Dan Pluck from Pluck Photography! Let's get into it!

Costume Considerations

When choosing your outfit, think upside down! Long skirts, tassels, and flowing fabrics can look amazing, but they'll hang over your face in inverted poses. These costumes can absolutely work—just plan to do more upright poses when wearing them.

Here's a pro tip: avoid head-to-toe matte black. While it might feel slimming, black actually hides your beautiful lines! Embrace sparkles, bright colors, and eye-catching details. They'll not only showcase your hard work but also give you that extra confidence boost to channel your inner showgirl. Also, check your photographer's Instagram for inspiration from previous shoots!

What to Bring:

• Multiple outfit options for variety

• Spare tights (trust us on this one!)

• Socks or slippers to keep your feet clean between poses

  
  

If you're feeling nervous about being glam, consider a costume or character! Stepping into a role can help you feel more confident and takes the pressure off "being yourself." Vinted is an excellent resource for finding affordable costume pieces.

Oh, and one small detail that makes a big difference: remove hair ties from your wrist! They show up in every photo and create extra editing work for your photographer.

Planning Your Tricks

Bring a structured list of poses you'd like to capture, and don't be shy—bring more options than you think you'll need! Organize them into categories:

1. Must-haves

2. Would love to get

3. Backup options

   
   

About Inspiration Photos

Social media is great for ideas, but here's the reality: we recommend bringing photos and videos of yourself doing tricks rather than random Instagram poses. Why? That bendy contortionist you follow online might make a move look effortless, but when you try to recreate it, the result might not match your expectations (and we've all been there!).

Here's the thing: even if the photo turns out beautifully, you'll probably still feel disappointed because you wanted it to look exactly like someone else, not like you. Remember—comparison is the thief of joy! You'll get far better results using your own photos as references. Your photographer can then capture those same tricks with professional lighting, styling, and angles—and suddenly your everyday training tricks become magazine-worthy shots.

Posing Tips: Face, Arms, and Hands

Always make sure your face and head are visible in your poses! You might think you prefer shots where your head isn't showing, but to everyone else, it just looks a bit odd to see you headless. Your face tells the story of the pose.

What to do with your arms and hands?

When you're upside down, try running your arms parallel with your torso or placing your hands in your hair to frame your face. Avoid throwing your arms over your head because (1) we won't be able to see your face, and (2) it will break your line.

For your hands, avoid making fists. Here's my top tip for elegant hands: pretend you're waving like the Queen and stop halfway through that wave—chef's kiss! That said, this advice is subjective. In the moment, you might get a fabulous shot with your arms over your head or in a completely different position. Listen to your instructor or whoever is directing the shoot, as they can see what's working in real-time.

Mixing Difficulty Levels

Include a range of simple and complex tricks in your plan. Sometimes the "easier" poses create the most stunning photos because you can hold them longer and explore different angles. That said, if there's a challenging trick you're dying to capture, go for it! Just don't save all your most strenuous poses for the end when you're running out of steam.

The Golden Rule: No New Tricks on Shoot Day

Please don't arrive with a photo of something you've never done before! You'll have limited time during your shoot, and your instructor won't be able to teach you new skills on the spot. If you spot something new you'd love to try, send it to your instructor weeks in advance and ask if they can work on it with you in class before the shoot.

Don't hesitate to send your instructor screenshots (whether of yourself or from Instagram) and ask them to be brutally honest about whether a trick is achievable for your shoot. They want you to succeed just as much as you do!

Communicate with Your Photographer

Don't be afraid to speak up during your shoot! Ask your photographer for different angles—higher, lower, from the side—whatever you think might work. Request to see the shots they've captured so far, and if you're not happy with a pose, ask to redo it. There's nothing worse than going home and not being quite happy with any of your photos. This is your shoot, and good photographers want you to love your results!

On the Day

Photoshoots are hard work, but they're also incredibly fun! The studio gets warm, so bring plenty of water and snacks to keep your energy up throughout the day.

Warm up properly! 

This is crucial, especially if you're planning any splitty shots. Don't skip warming up your splits just because you're excited to get started. One of my favorite warm-up exercises for almost instant flexibility gains is forward fold pulses with straight legs: do 10 pulses touching your toes, 10 to each side (reaching for the outside of your feet), 10 reaching through the gap between your feet, and 10 with your arms up behind you while trying to touch your nose to your toes. It's amazing how much warmer your hamstrings will feel!

Most importantly, try to relax and enjoy the process. You've put in the training, you've prepared well, and you're about to capture some amazing memories of your aerial journey.

If you'd like more specific advice or have questions about preparing for your shoot, drop me an email and I'll try to help you as best I can!

Now go sparkle! ✨ Lots of Love, Danii