Capturing your Story With Images - Planning for Your Best Photo Shoot.
1) Be clear on scope of deliverables, prep work, and timing for receiving your images. Things to include in the contract include any assistants required (from photographer or client team), expected length of time, expectations around product presentation (i.e. steamed apparel when photographing apparel), expectations around cleanup and moving things back to original positions following the shoot.
2) Pull together visuals that are in the style you are hoping to achieve. Ideally these should be in the same family as you are shooting. For example – if portraits or headshots are part of your photo shoot find several examples of portraits that you like in the style you like – example black and white with texture.
3) Decide how much exposure you would like. Are you going for more of a moody, dark look? Do you want to utilize natural light?
4) Do like products photographed still or with motion. Without a backdrop or with a backdrop that adds to the story. Are you open to adjusting proportions (often done in photographing spaces) or should the space remain at visual scale?
5) Make a list of shots that you would like to see. Sometimes this is accompanied by low res snaps to illustrate scale and area. When pictures aren’t available napkin sketches also work.
6) Clean things up. This doesn’t apply to photojournalist photography where you are looking to share everything and everything. For everything else, we are looking to have the photoshoot capture our product, space, people at their most inviting. Have the space where you are shooting professionally or thoroughly cleaned. No dust. No finger prints on the glass. If people will be featured in your shoot (beyond blurred background images) consider having makeup or hair done.
7) For longer and off-hours photoshoots plan for snacks, drinks and food as appropriate to keep everyone focused and energized.
8) Choose an art director for the shoot. Have one voice ultimately responsible for providing direction and reviewing images as they are taken.
It's a Crowded Market - Volume Can Help
Let's share what makes you interesting, your passion, the emotion that makes you not just a product or service but something that people genuinely want. A brand is ultimately how it is experienced. Are you ready? Let's amplify your brand.
