


And, sometimes, I make a real collage of photos, hand-drawn sketches, and descriptions. “Sometimes, I just sketch in a diary, on a piece of paper, or write in my cell phone notes. “Sometimes, it’s just a bunch of inspirational photos in a folder.’ “In most cases, I make a mood board for my shoots,” Sarajevo-based portrait, lifestyle, and food photographer Anna Lukenda explains. There’s no wrong way to make a mood board, so experiment with different formats and media to see what works for you and your team. Digital Mood Boards When creating a mood board, experiment with various methods to find one suitable to your own work ethics. These days, apps like Mood Board make it easy to lay out your ideas and share them with others, with an array of templates to try. Traditional mood boards might feature magazine clippings and other printed material mounted on foam, while others are stored online in various formats. The photos are supposed to represent the qualities of the brand or the desired aesthetic.”Ī mood board can take any form you’d like, from a poster to a notebook. “They usually contain elements that won’t even appear in the final images. “Mood boards are about inspiration rather than copying,” Vancouver-based photographer Darina Kopcok tells us. Mood boards are used as an inspirational tool in the creative process. They often come into play during the brainstorming process, and they can also foster collaboration and the exchange of ideas, even virtually.

Also called “inspiration boards,” mood boards are simple collages or assemblages of images. But, in the last decade it’s come into its own, with photographers of all genres using online tools like Pinterest to gather inspiration and generate new ideas. Mood-boarding has always been popular in the advertising and fashion industries. Here are our top tips for creating your own mood board. From sketches to magazine clippings, a mood board can take on various forms.
