Can I tell you a little secret?
By the time you arrive at my studio for your session, I’ve already been thinking about you for weeks. Not in a weird way, I promise!
But your shoot day doesn’t start when you walk through my door. It starts the moment you book.
So I want to pull back the curtain on everything that happens between the “I’m in” and “Is that really me?”
Because I think if more women knew what actually goes into a session day, that nervous knot in their stomach would loosen up a whole lot sooner.
So here it is. A real day at Chestnut Artistry & Design, start to finish, from my side of the camera.
The Week Before: I’m Already Obsessing (Lovingly)
Here’s what you don’t see. The week before your session, I do a full wardrobe reset in the studio; every piece steamed, organized, and put back exactly where it belongs so that when you walk in, the closet is ready for you.
I also check in with you personally. Any last-minute questions? Anything keeping you up at night? And of course, I send your hype session reminder, because babe…the hype starts before you ever step in front of my camera.
Then I sit down with your client questionnaire and read it again. Your why. What you love about yourself. The styling you’re drawn to. I start some creative planning for posing around all of it, because every single detail you shared changes how I shoot you, and I don’t take a single one lightly.
The Morning Of: Breakfast, Blankets & the Best Room Scent Ever
My session mornings start at 7:30. I’m out the door by 8, and yes, there’s a Chick-fil-A stop involved; egg white grill or a hash brown scramble bowl (sub grilled chicken!), depending on the mood. And some days, I stop for a Beach Bum with coconut from Tropical Smoothie Cafe.
Then it’s off to the studio to open up. Fresh blankets on every set. A spritz of my absolute favorite room scent… it’s called Reflections by Casa Luna, found reliably at Target, and I’m honestly not sure the studio would feel like the studio without it.
Then the playlist goes on. And here’s the best part: your questionnaire asks about your musical taste for a reason. I know how much music does for melting the nerves, and I want the room to feel exactly right the second you step into it.
Last stop before you arrive: prepping the glam station for my artist. Then I’m at the door, ready to greet you.
Probably walking in nervous, if we’re being honest.
I say that with love, because almost every woman walks in the same way; a little quiet, purse clutched, doing that thing where you apologize for existing before you’ve even sat down. “Sorry, I didn’t sleep great… sorry, my skin is doing a thing… sorry, I’m so awkward…”
Babe. You’re exactly where you’re supposed to be. Sit down. Just relax. We’ve got you.
Glam: Where the First Layer of Armor Comes Off
While you’re in the chair being pampered, I’m not just standing around. This is when I pull your outfit selections from the closet and huddle with my artist to coordinate everything; the colors and glitter she’ll be using on your lips and eyes get matched to what you’re wearing, so every detail works together.
And something happens every single time in that chair that has nothing to do with mascara.
You exhale.
For maybe the first time in months, you’re not managing anyone or anything.
Nobody needs you for an hour.
You get to just sit there and be taken care of, and I get to watch you slowly arrive in your own body. By the time glam is done, the woman who apologized her way through my door is sitting a little taller. And we haven’t even started yet, girl!
Shooting: The Part You’re Scared Of (And Shouldn’t Be)
I know this is the part your brain has been catastrophizing about. So let me tell you how it actually goes.
I never hand you a pose and walk away. I’m two feet from you the entire time; directing your hands, your feet, your facial expressions, telling you when to breathe out, when to look at me, when to laugh because I just said something ridiculous. You don’t need to know what you’re doing; That’s my job. Yours is showing up, and you already did that. So you did your part!!
The images from the second half of a session are always my favorites, because that’s when you forget to be nervous.
The Reveal: My Favorite Part of the Whole Day
When we wrap, you get a little break… and I get to work reviewing your final images, because the big reveal happens that day.
And when I get to watch your face while you see yourself the way I’ve seen you all along? That’s the whole reason I do this. Not the camera. Not the pretty sets. That.
You pick your favorite photos right then and there. We go over any product customizations for your album, and sometimes we even mock up your actual walls to plan your wall art, so you can see exactly how those images will live in your home before you ever order a thing. You’re in control of every single choice.
After You Leave: The Part Nobody Sees
You go home. I grab my decaf latte (lately an iced mocha with coconut has me in a chokehold), then it’s off to school pickup for my kiddos, night-time activities, and bedtime.
And then? Straight to editing your session that same night.
Culling and editing your gallery is hours of quiet, careful attention; adjusting light, perfecting skin tones, making sure every image looks like you on your best day, never like someone else. I don’t outsource this. Your images are made by the same hands and eyes that shot them.
And here’s my promise to you: your gallery is delivered within 48 hours or less. Because I know you’re refreshing your inbox, and I would never make you wait weeks to fall in love with yourself.
Come See It for Yourself
If reading this made something flutter in your chest, that’s your answer, babe.
Ready to experience a session of your own? I’d love to chat about what your day at Chestnut Artistry & Design could look like. We’re located in Deland, FL, minutes north of Orlando and an hour and a half south of Jacksonville.
And if you want more behind-the-scenes moments before you’re ready to book, come hang with us in our private Facebook community; real women, real stories, zero filters required.
Your forever hype girl, Julia
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