Planning a photoshoot – a quick how-to guide
Having a plan is half the battle!
Timing is key!
Which assets (equipment & accessories, wardrobe, set decorations, etc.) and people do you need? When do they need to be where? These fundamental questions are the next step in planning a successful shoot. In short: What will be shot and when? And how long will it take? The answers to these questions will come up almost by themselves once you know the topics of the shoot.
For an outdoor session that aims to capture the scenic beauty of a tourist region, you probably already know: Landscapes and places are simply magical, especially at daybreak. So you might want to schedule this topic at the very beginning of the shoot.
Are you shooting with a family and small children as your models? Then it’s quite obvious that you can't shoot until late at night and that the little ones’ nap times and attention span will likely dictate the pace.
Are your models only available at a certain time? Once again, the circumstances determine the framework for when to shoot which topics.
Models and extras
Now you already know the time frame and the location. Next, you need to figure out which people and objects play an important role in the shoot. How long do the models and products need to be available to you on day X? With this information in mind, you can make a booking with a model agency and reserve all the necessary props (accessories and set decorations) as soon as the rough thematic focus has been established.
Props and accessories
Props and accessories play a major role in many photos. Nothing should be left to chance. Do you want to shoot in a hotel room, and you want green plants there as props? Then you need to note down in the shooting plan that you’ll need plants.
Who is doing what and when? You should also specify who is responsible for providing and organising the props and accessories. This applies to all assets that are indispensable for a production and that form an essential part of the final shot (e. g. specific clothing, accessories, decorative objects, etc.).
Goodbye to flexibility? Of course not!
With such detailed planning, there can hardly be any room for spontaneity on set – or can there? Well, there definitely is! During the planning phase, you can take that into account and schedule time buffers. For what? For creative gimmicks! Time buffers not only leave you with enough room for creativity, but also serve as a safety net if things don’t go quite as planned.
Time buffers make room for spontaneity on set
You can't always trust the weather to be the way you need it. There might be other environmental influences, and sometimes a brilliant shooting idea only comes up while already on location.
So think about which of the time blocks could be shifted around. This will mainly depend on the overall flow of the shoot, but also on the priorities regarding the output.
Prioritising made easy
When coming up with your plan for the shoot, you should ask yourself the following questions:
- Which scenes must be shot that are absolutely essential for the final output?
- What’s considered "nice to have"?
Prioritising what you’ll shoot will allow you to keep your cool while on set. And you’ll start to see your plan not as something that’s set in stone, but rather as something to fall back on when things get a little crazy.