The most important part of preparing for a photoshoot is planning what you would like to execute on the day of the shoot. It is important to be intentional and organized to make sure you walk away with a final product you are proud of. In this post, we are going to cover all the steps to help allow you to be successful.

 

1. Start looking for inspiration

Pinterest, mood boards, Instagram. These are easily accessible inspirations to help you understand and elevate your vision. Take some time to think about the style, colour schemes, environment and other elements in a photo you would like to achieve. Discuss your ideas with your photographer and put your trust in their hands, they may have ideas that can build on your ideas.

2. Put together a shotlist

Think about where and what these shots will be used for. You need to put your ideas down on paper (or on a keyboard) and create a shotlist. Describe what is important to you, this could be quick notes or detailed descriptions with sketches or doodles. It is a starting point to communicate what you need from your photographer. Do you need a broad range needed to span a long social calendar? Are you building a catalogue that will need specific angles to show your product? It is important to think if these photos will be for a banner on a website, visuals for a specific social platform, or printed/digital advertisement and to tell you photographer if you need a specific crop. This should be determined prior to the shoot as this will change the look and layout of the photos the photographer needs to capture. Once you have pulled all this together, review it with your photographer so they can determine if there are any questions or need any additional equipment to get you the photos you desire.

3. Gather props

Think about any additional props, backgrounds or styling components that will help tell your story and elevate your vision. Having more elements will allow more flexibility and a wider range of shots to express your brand’s story to the fullest. What kind of vibe are you trying to express in your photos? Is this photoshoot a summer theme with lots of fun colours or are you hoping for lots of white and airy natural tones? Will your product need a model to help display them? If so, ensure they understand how they will need to be dressed, if they will need hair and makeup on location, and don’t forget to confirm dates and times with your model.

3. Prepare your products

Before the day of your photoshoot, make time to organize all your items and assure everything is clean and in good condition. The more prep work that is done beforehand the quicker and more budget-friendly your shoot will be!

 

Now more than ever, we are in a visual world where great photos of your product are table stakes. Preparing and planning what you need prior to your shoot day will ensure your success.

For more information or inspiration, check out our product photos here.