How To Choose Props That Will Make Your Photoshoot Feel Personal
Props aren’t just “extras” in a photoshoot. The right ones can completely shift the mood, add depth to your images, and make your photos feel like still frames from a movie. But here’s the thing: the best props aren’t random. When chosen with intention, the smallest object can transform your session from pretty portraits into a scene that feels pulled straight from a movie.
Anyone can bring a pretty bouquet or a vintage suitcase. But when you bring the mug you drink from every morning, or the guitar you were playing the night you met your partner, your photos suddenly feel alive. They stop being just portraits and start becoming storytelling.
That’s the heart of cinematic photography: not just documenting what you look like, but showing who you are.
Why Props Matter in Cinematic Photography
Cinematic photography is about atmosphere and emotion. Props become part of that atmosphere: they give your hands something to do, they spark laughter and movement, and they instantly make your photos more personal.
Think of them as the supporting characters in your love story. They don’t take the spotlight, but they help tell the plot.
It’s not about creating a perfect set, it’s about creating a scene that feels like your life, only elevated.
How to Choose the Right Props for Your Photoshoot
Instead of asking, What looks pretty in photos? ask yourself:
What do we actually love to do together? (Cook? Read? Go to concerts? Play board games?)
What objects are part of our everyday life? (Evening car rides, records, a pet?)
Is there something symbolic in our story? (The flowers from your first date, the hat you were wearing when you met)
What would make this feel more like an experience than a photoshoot? (Sharing ice cream, painting, roller skating)
What mood do we want to set? (Playful? Intimate? Adventurous?)
When you answer these, your props stop being “things” and start becoming extensions of your story.
Matching Props to Your Location
Props don’t exist in a vacuum, they interact with the space around them. A picnic basket belongs in a field or by a lake. A bouquet of flowers fits perfectly in a garden session. But your favorite coffee mug? That makes sense in a cozy in-home shoot or tucked into the corner booth of your local café, not in the middle of the woods.
When planning your props, think about how they connect with the location. Where are you most at home? Where does the scene make sense?
✨ If you haven’t checked it out yet, I wrote a full guide to choosing the perfect location for your photoshoot. Start there, and then layer in props that naturally complement the space you choose.
This way, everything feels cohesive.
A Few Examples
For the homebodies: let’s cook pasta together in your kitchen, flour on your hands and music playing in the background. Afterwards, you can curl up on the couch and watch your favorite movie with your dog and well loved blanket.
For the Sunday regulars: if you always go to that one coffee shop, bring your favorite mugs and let’s capture your usual corner booth.
For the adventurers: maybe you’ve been dying to go on a road trip (bring your vehicle, an old map that we will draw on with markers, and finger food for a picnic) or want to try cliff jumping into the nearby lake (props could include towels and rafts/ tubes to float on.)
For the nostalgic ones: if you met on the tennis court or in a bookstore, let’s revisit it. The props will already be there, waiting.
Notice how each of these props creates action, mood, and connection, not just decoration.
Less Is More
The key with props is intention. You don’t need ten things—you just need a few that feel true to you. Overloading a session with props can feel staged, but two or three meaningful items? That’s when the magic happens.
Final Thoughts
Props aren’t about making your photos look trendy. They’re about making your photos feel like you. They turn your session into more than a photoshoot, they turn it into an experience, a memory, and a story worth telling.
So bring the football. Bring the motorcycle. Bring the guitar or the dog or the stack of books that you’ve read a hundred times. These are the details that transform your photos from pretty pictures into cinematic memories.
Ready to Plan Your Cinematic Session?
If you’re dreaming of a photoshoot that feels like a movie: personal, artful, and full of emotion, I’d love to help you bring it to life. I specialize in cinematic photography in St. Louis and beyond, where props, atmosphere, and story come together to create images that feel like your favorite film stills.
📸 Click here to book your cinematic photoshoot and let’s plan the details that will make your photos uniquely yours.
