Morning everybody, how are you all doing? Good, I hope. This past week has been emotionally draining for me and my family, I won’t go into too much detail as the situation it’s regarding is a private matter that doesn’t just involve us, but I will say that I’m trying to remain hopeful that something good will happen soon, so we can regain some normalcy and I can get back to my passion of photography which I’ve had to take a step back from because of the circumstances that have arisen which brings me to today’s post…
Learning how to prepare for a photoshoot is a crucial step in making sure everything runs smoothly the day of. If a person is a beginner in the photography business, it is important to learn how to prepare for a photo shoot. Entering this career means more than grabbing a camera. It also means making a big deal in creating a masterpiece of photos. Before working on photoshoots, there are a few things to consider. These include choosing the best location, equipment, and concept. As a photographer, it’s your job to work with your clients and models to create a fun atmosphere. To capture the best images, you want your subjects to feel comfortable with you, and trust you know what you’re doing. In order to make that happen it’s crucial you’re well prepared!
Plan Your Time Wisely
Time management isn’t about squeezing as many activities as you can into a day, or spreading yourself thin “multitasking”, it’s about crossing off items on your to-do list in the most efficient way possible. It’s essential to have a game plan to ensure a time-efficient shoot. Quality can be compromised when rushed, so always plan to include extra time in your schedule to accommodate for any unplanned circumstances.
Create a Mood Board
Before you do anything else, it’s a good idea to sit down and create a mood board for your shoot. Pinterest is great for this, giving you time to focus on ideas, styling, color schemes, and narrative. You can ask your client for one or come up with one yourself. Asking your clients for a mood board or images that represent the desired aesthetic will ensure that everyone involved in the photoshoot is on the same page.
Scout Locations
If you’re shooting on location, its always worth trying to get there a few days before and have a wander around, making a note of all the best viewpoints so you don’t miss anything on shoot day. It’s also worth making sure you have a backup plan on location, just in case of inclement weather. Location scouting is like a big adventure! It can be time-consuming to drive around, research, and explore different spots, BUT when you find that new dream location, it will all be worth it! Also, be sure to keep a list of places you love to shoot at, places you want to look at, places you have scouted, and whether you liked them or not. This will help you keep track of locations, and add notes about each location that will help you later!
Check permissions
Before you settle on a location, don’t forget to check whether you need permission or a license to shoot there. If you are just walking around with your camera and shooting casually, you generally don’t need a permit. You will, however, need a permit if you are shooing on public property OR if your shooting will impact others and/or the environment. Whilst it might be tempting to ‘shoot now and ask for forgiveness later, the last thing you need is the police turning up and disrupting your shoot.
Think About If You Need An Assistant
You don’t need to be shooting for the front cover of Vogue to qualify for some extra help. Depending on the location or how much set-up is involved, having an extra set of hands goes a long way. Having someone else there to help you during all stages of a photoshoot makes a big difference. Whether it be just to hold a bounce in place, move a light stand, or help you move gear. All these little things eat away a lot of time when it’s left to one person to do. Consider whether or not you’ll need some extra help well ahead of time while you prepare for a photo shoot. Giving as much notice as possible helps people to arrange their schedules.
Make A Call Sheet
Most shoots have lots of moving pieces, and call sheets will help ensure that everyone shows up at the right place at the right time with the right equipment. The best way to make sure everyone is exactly where they need to be is to create a call sheet by including information such as contact details, location address (plus map if your location is hard to find), and key timeframe for the day.
Check The Camera Settings
Before the shoot, don’t forget to transfer or erase older photos from the memory card. Turn off all unnecessary settings and start at a neutral point. Photographers have the option to set the camera to the mode they are comfortable with. One example of camera mode is the aperture priority. It gives photographers direct control over the depth of field. They can adjust how much of the subject to put in focus.
Clean your Lenses And Filters
Rather than doing this the day of, clean all your camera gear while you prepare for a photoshoot. This way you can just pull out your camera on location and start shooting without the worry of smudges! Having a clean lens and sensor can significantly save you time in post production because you do not need to spend time editing out little dust specks. In addition, your final HDR images will be better quality since dust specks can kill the detail in your images.
Charge the Cameras’ Batteries
Aside from having extra batteries, the cameras’ batteries should be fully charged. During photoshoots, no one knows how many shots the photographer will need. That’s why having batteries should be a top priority. Photographers should have at least two fully charged batteries. This will ensure that if the first one malfunctions, the other one will save the day. Instead of buying disposable batteries, rechargeable AA and AAA batteries are a money-saver.
Pack The Day Before
If possible, pack your photography gear the day before. Have a checklist of the gear and accessories you need to bring to shoots and refer to it whenever you are packing for a photoshoot. This will leave you plenty of time to remember anything you may have forgotten to put in your bag. If you’re shooting outdoors, make sure you bring extra batteries with you, as cold weather can affect battery life.
Check The Weather
No one wants bad weather. But it is sometimes inevitable. It is always best to prepare for the worst. Since the weather is unpredictable, don’t forget to check the news a few days before the photo shoot. If the news says that it will be rainy, bring extra clothes, a waterproof jacket, raincoat, and umbrella. Even though the forecast says that it will not rain, it is still best to be prepared.
Arrive Early
Being early comes with many advantages. Arriving ahead of time will give you more time to prepare everything. Sometimes, the venue caters to different types of events. So, there might be times that the area needs to be rearranged. Apart from that, the length of preparation depends on the type of shoot the photographers will do. So, if the shoot is more complicated, preparing for it might take more time. For a studio photoshoot, photographers need to check and test the lighting. It can take an hour or more just preparing that. Plus If you’re early, you could always treat yourself to a coffee.
Bring Snacks
Shoot days can be long, so bring some location friendly snacks to keep you sustained throughout the day. As a photographer, you don’t get much rest during a photoshoot. To keep your energy levels high and your brainpower at 100%, bring some snacks and water. Keeping a few things to eat in your bag is always a good idea for a pick-me-up at midday. By keeping yourself well fueled you’ll notice a huge difference in your focus and attention to detail throughout the photoshoot.
Communicate with People on the Set and Stay Proactive
Make the atmosphere comfortable for other people. It is best to chat with the models and ask about their careers or other modeling-related topics when taking photos. Photographers can also share several things about photography. With a comfortable atmosphere, artists or models will feel more at ease. Speaking throughout the photography session can make the model smile and laugh. This might even result in better candid shots. Making the scenes more enjoyable can earn the photographers a good reputation. It shows that, despite being professional, they know how to amp up the situation and make the work professional and fun.
The above suggestions are some of the best tips when it comes to preparing for a photo shoot, as it helps photographers act professionally on set and work worry-free. Being prepared before the photoshoot can avoid unnecessary problems on the set. So, making sure to have backup batteries and lenses is a must. It gets easier each photoshoot you do so don’t let yourself get overwhelmed. Eventually, you’ll find a groove that works for you to make every shoot run smoothly.
Thank you for visiting my blog and reading today’s post, I hope you all enjoy the rest of the week, and I will see you next week!
Peytons View 