Photographing Melody Oz and Her Brand OZELO in My Toronto Condo Studio
Some photoshoots are super planned.
Moodboards everywhere.
Pinterest tabs open.
Shot lists.
Timelines.
And then there are photoshoots that happen because you randomly come across someone online and immediately think, okay… I NEED to photograph this person.
That’s honestly how this shoot with Melody Oz started.
I had been following her for a while and every time she would post, I kept thinking the same thing:
this girl is literally made to be photographed.
She just had this super cool effortless energy about her while still looking really soft and feminine at the same time. Her style never felt overly forced or try-hard either, which I loved.
And obviously my photographer brain immediately started planning photos every time I saw her posts.
After a while I finally messaged her because I was like no seriously, I need to photograph this girl.
How This Shoot Actually Happened
A little later, her team got back to me and mentioned that she actually had her own clothing line called OZELO, which honestly made me even more excited about the shoot because I already loved her personal style.
At the time, they had already done professional product and website photography for the brand, so this shoot wasn’t really meant to be a formal campaign or anything super commercial.
It was more just creatives creating.
Which honestly are sometimes my favorite types of shoots.
They came to my condo studio in Toronto’s Financial District, and I remember being genuinely excited waiting downstairs to pick them up. Melody came with her boyfriend, and from the beginning everything felt really easy and comfortable.
The Kind of Shoot You Don’t Want to Stop Editing
At the time, I was still shooting on my Sony Alpha 6600, which honestly carried me through so many creative projects and shoots.
And I swear the second they left, I immediately ran back to my room and started editing the photos right away because I was THAT excited about them.
Usually I force myself to take breaks after shoots first.
Not this time.
There was just something about the lighting, the energy, the outfits, and Melody herself that photographed so naturally together.
Some people understand the camera without needing to overperform for it.
And I think that’s exactly what made this shoot work so well.
Why I’ll Always Love Shoots Like This
I think this shoot reminded me why I love reaching out to creatives online in the first place.
Because sometimes one random message turns into a really beautiful creative experience you genuinely remember afterward.
And honestly, I had such a good time with her.
We’re already planning another shoot together now, and this next one is going to feel completely different from this one creatively, which makes me even more excited for it.
I already know it’s going to be something special.
Go Check Out Melody & OZELO
If you haven’t seen her work already, definitely go check out Melody Oz and her brand OZELO.
Her style, her branding, and the whole energy behind everything she creates honestly feels super inspiring and refreshing creatively.
And shoots like this always remind me how much I love photographing women who already have such a strong sense of self and style.
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