What Is the Difference Between a Photo Shoot and a Photoshoot?

Photo and shooting are two words (a noun and a verb) that mean photography and taking photographs, and they are used when you want a section of pictures. It’s generally best to use the two-word version because it is the more common spelling. That doesn’t imply it’s incorrect to write it as a single word—a photoshoot.

The photoshoot is a compound word created by removing space between the two words.

No matter how you spell it, both versions have the same meaning in every variant of the English language. It is an event in which a photographer takes photos of people, models, items, or other subjects, in one section that can be indoors or outside.

Photoshoot or Photo shoot?

The photoshoot is (not very popular) a noun with meaning: a session in which a person, not necessarily a photographer, takes pictures of someone for publication or important life events, like weddings and graduations.

The photo shoot is a countable noun with meaning: A photo session in which a professional photographer takes a bunch of pictures intending to publish them in a magazine, newspapers, blog, etc. Mostly pictures of celebrities or brands.

Today, photo shoots are more common, but photoshoting may become more popular in the future.

How Do You Spell Photoshoot?

If you are wondering which way is accurate, we have good news for you: both ways of spelling, photo shoot or photoshoot, are correct. However, a more common way to spell the term is a photo shoot because a photoshoot is yet to gain popularity. Never use a hyphen for a compound word, and since a photoshoot is a compound word, you don’t need a hyphen.

A photoshoot can also refer to as a photo session, a shoot, or a photoshooting. You can use terms interchangeably. However, some people consider a photo shoot and session less formal.

Finally, we must add that some people believe it is a mistake to spell one word.

When to Use Photo Shoot?

You can use “Photo Shoot” in a formal conversation when you are officially looking for a session of images. The word is a noun phrase that refers to a photography session.

It is common to have photoshootings for major life events such as graduations, weddings, birthdays, holidays, etc.

Sentence examples

The photographer can book up to five photo shoots on the same day without any problems.

Mom booked photo shooting for your birthdays.

Her photoshoot included both winter and spring collections in several locations for the New York Times.

If the weather is good, we will have photoshoots tomorrow evening.

American English vs. British English

When we examine the grammar of the English language more closely, we notice that several nuances between American and British English exist for no apparent reason, and this is another example.

When we look up the terms photo and shoot in the British version of the language, we find that they define the same noun and verb. In the United Kingdom, the term “photo session” is used instead of “photo shoot” to have the same meaning. In the United States, the terms photography and photography are commonly used as synonyms for “photo sessions,” but we do not distinguish between their meanings in British English.

Summary

Both versions of photoshoots and photo shoots have the same meaning, and both spellings are correct. Two-word version is vividly used because some people think it is the only correct way of spelling. So, for the next photoshootings, bring your best look and smile, and don’t worry about grammar because you can’t go wrong either way.

While photo shoot currently has the feature spread, photoshoot may have the final say because it is becoming more popular.