Maine & New Hampshire Wedding Photographer // Mentor Series:Styled Shoots: Portfolio Builders or Professional Catfishing?

Alright, friends. Let’s talk about something that keeps popping up in photographer circles lately—styled shoots. More specifically: should you be posting styled shoot images to attract paying clients?

Now, buckle up, because I’ve got some feelings. Spoiler alert: I’m not a fan. Not even a little bit. Let me tell you why.

Yes, you took the photo. Yes, you clicked the shutter. And sure, technically it’s “your work.” But let’s not pretend that a styled shoot is the same beast as a real-deal, chaos-filled, emotionally-charged wedding day. Styled shoots are like playing dress-up with a camera. Real weddings are a full-on Olympic sport and you can take jaw dropping pictures during them.

And here’s the kicker: clients don’t know the difference.

That’s where things get dicey. Couples are out here making big decisions based on the work they see in your portfolio. If 90% of it is styled shoots with hired models, perfect light, and four hours to casually wander around a fake ceremony setup—are you really showing what you can do under pressure? Like… when the ceremony starts late, the officiant is MIA, and the wedding party is full of hangry adults and drunk groomsmen?

I don’t say this to gatekeep. I say this because it matters.

So what’s the big deal?

Styled shoots can be beautiful. They can be creative. They can even be inspiring if you’re using them to try a new lens or experiment with lighting techniques. But here’s where I draw the line: using styled shoots to build a portfolio that books actual clients is a slippery slope.

Because if you’re out there promoting work that only exists in a perfectly controlled bubble, how does that translate to real wedding day performance? It doesn’t. At least not honestly.

“But Val, I need to build a portfolio somehow!”

I get it. I hear it all the time. We’ve all been there. That early hustle is real and raw. But let me give you a better option: second shoot. Offer to assist. Get in the room where it happens, and when the primary is done setting up the portrait poses, ask for 30 seconds to do your own thing. Shoot your way. Find your light. Get your version of the image.

Boom. Now that’s something worthy of your portfolio. That’s something you can stand behind and say, “Yeah, I made that happen—in the middle of a real wedding, with real time constraints, real emotions, and real chaos.”

Styled shoots vs. branding

Here’s the question I want every newer photographer to ask themselves:

Why are you trying to replicate someone else’s vision when you should be working on your own brand?

Let me be blunt: Styled shoots don’t show how you see a wedding day. They show how you can execute someone else’s vision in a low-stakes setting. But a couple isn’t hiring you to recreate a Pinterest board. They’re hiring you because they want to trust you to handle their once-in-a-lifetime moments with creativity, calm, and confidence.

So why waste that energy on a staged picnic in a field with a fake couple who will never send you a thank-you card?

Don’t fake it ‘til you make it. At least, not when it comes to shooting someone’s wedding.

Build it while you grow.

Styled shoots might look pretty, but they don’t make you ready. You know what does? Experience. Time. Hustle. Building something that’s actually yours.

If you’re feeling the pressure to get portfolio images, find ways to get into real wedding spaces. Second shoot. Assist. Work for free if you need to, but be honest about what you’re showing off. You don’t have to fake the funk to book clients. You just have to be real—and good—and constantly working to be better.

Leave the models and faux bouquets to the magazines. You’ve got real moments to capture—and I promise, they’ll be way more badass.