At Home Inspiration

When scrolling through Instagram and Twitter, the common user probably notices how oversaturated the platforms are with celebrity and professionally made content. As a small creator of photography, music, and writing I find posting my homemade content exhausting because it all seems hopeless. With the platforms being so large, the little guys are having to compete against professional brands and celebrities who have larger budgets and more time set aside to create. This daunting challenge did not turn away Kimberlie Douglas who is a model and photographer.

I have followed Douglas on Twitter and Instagram for a few years now and she often shoots with other photographers I like. So it wasn't long until I stumbled onto her page. At first glance, she just seems like any model that shoots editorial style. Then when you look at the next pictures and read the caption you will realize that everything in the photo is made by Douglas. Not only is everything done at home but she is also the only one prepping, shooting, posing, and editing. She even builds whole sets herself.

What's crazy about Douglas is that she never planned to be a model, she wanted to be a celebrity stylist. She went to college in LA to study fashion when she decided to take a different route. She realized she wanted to model when she was styling someone and showing them how to pose. This is where her love of being in front of the camera began to blossom. When she started, she didn't even have a camera so she used her phone and household items like curtains, fake flowers, and mirrors to create magic. Because she didn't have the money to pay someone and buy studio props, she would research economic ways to have DIY photoshoots. Her plan was to do shoots like this until she eventually had the money to pay someone. Four years later she has 300k on Instagram, models for other photographers, and is sticking to her DIY roots. Her new dream is to become a creative director as well as a model since she has discovered this passion for creating these elaborate photoshoots.

Douglas inspires me because she is so creative with her shoots and ingenious with her resources. She shows other creators and I that it is possible to be successful without a bunch of expensive tools. With 300k followers on Instagram she proves that smaller influencers can compete with the professionals on the platform. She also shows behind the scenes pictures which makes her even more inspiring because it shows humility. Many photographers and models wouldn't dare show anything but the finished product because being mysterious sells. It gives the illusion that being on their level is unattainable which adds to their allure. Douglas is not afraid of revealing her secrets and this makes her more appealing for other at home creators like me. It shows that she truly does everything for the shoot and there is no illusion to it, just a girl, a camera, and some household items.

The Process

1. The Idea: Douglas' concepts are "inspired by anything and everything" so sometimes she'll see a picture in a magazine or on social media and sometimes it will just come to her.

2. The Research: Douglas will spend hours researching how to pull off an idea. She watches many Youtube videos and reads articles on how to build her set, and how to get the shot she wants. She also researches the most economic ways to get the props she needs. Most of her shoots end up costing less that $40 or they are free. This is because many of the items she uses can be found in any household.

3. The Shopping Spree: The next step is to obtain the props you need and some craft supplies. Douglas will often get her props at the dollar store. She also uses a lot of hot glue so be sure to stock up on glue sticks.

4. The Build: Building the set is probably the most daunting part of the process because it can take eight to twelve hours. Douglas usually spends the longer part of her days just building the set; especially when she creates what is basically a mini room.

5. The Decor: Now that you have a set, what goes in it? Besides herself, there are usually many objects in Douglas' sets. These details add to the real and editorial vibe of the photos. Her attention to detail to creates visual art in her photos.

6. The Setup: Where you set up the phone or camera is crucial in a shoot like this. You can use a tripod for a front angle, put your camera on a ladder for a higher one, put the camera on the floor for a low angle or sometimes Douglas will even tape her camera to the ceiling. Because there isn't a team, Douglas has to achieve unique angles on her own. Whether she is uses a tripod or the ceiling, she always employs a creative camera angle to get the editorial look in her photos.

7. The Fit: Douglas always has fire outfits in every shoot. She says that she looks through her closet and her mom's closet to find the perfect fit. If you don't have many options in your closet you can go to the craft store and DIY a fashion masterpiece or upcycle some thrifted pieces. Since the style here is more editorial, you could even try to mis-match some items to create a more funky look.

8. The Shot: This is the moment that you get to shine and unleash your inner model. The fun part about editorial fashion photography is that the models are often put in unconventional poses. So try every pose you can think of, even if you think that it looks stupid. For Douglas, modeling did not come naturally so she would look at other models in magazines and on social media for inspiration. She would often practice posing in her mirror.

9. The Edit: I don't care how good of a photographer you are, in this day in age editing is everything. If you're using a camera I suggest using Adobe Bridge to look through your photos and pick your favorites. On some of Douglas' photos, there is minimal editing and on others she will photoshop new objects into the foreground and background. For a simple edit I suggest Adobe Lightroom (yes they have an app). Then for complicated edits I suggest using Lightroom and Photoshop to achieve the most real effects.