photo shoot

noun

variants or less commonly photoshoot
plural photo shoots also photoshoots
: a photography session and especially one in which a professional photographer takes photographs of someone or something for commercial use (as in a magazine)
… Cohen, 63, arrives at a PEOPLE photo shoot where his wife is being fawned over by hair and makeup artists …Kate Coyne
The women exuded such strength and joy in front of the camera, who would have thought it was their first professional photo shoot?Essence
To celebrate her 90th birthday this past spring, she had a photoshoot in Reynolda Gardens that included a pink tutu, crown, and cake.Chad Tucker

called also photo session

Examples of photo shoot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Chanel staged photo shoots there during that time, including one featuring French supermodel Inès de la Fressange. Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026 This hometown boy was thrown into interviews and photo shoots. Michael Schneider, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026 Before joining the team in 2023, Stephen managed the photographic archive for multimedia publisher Future, working on everything from picture editing and content licensing to directing photo shoots. Stephen Kelly, TheWeek, 26 Mar. 2026 The roadsides are often awash in blue, providing picturesque backdrops for impromptu photo shoots. Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for photo shoot

Word History

First Known Use

1941, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of photo shoot was in 1941

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Photo shoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/photo%20shoot. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster