A great shoot starts before the camera comes out. A little preparation makes the day smoother, the images better, and your team more relaxed. This is the checklist I walk clients through.
Start With The Why
Before anything else, decide what the photos or video are for. A website homepage, a Google Business Profile, social media, recruiting, a sales brochure, and a trade show booth all call for different images. The purpose shapes the framing, the orientation (vertical for social, horizontal for web), and how many shots we need.
Build A Shot List Together
You know your business better than anyone. I know what works on camera. A quick shot list gets us both on the same page. Common items include:
- The exterior, signage, and entrance, so customers recognize you when they arrive
- The interior spaces customers actually see
- Your team at work, doing what they do best
- Close-ups of tools, products, or process
- Portraits and headshots of owners and key staff
- Any signature moments: a service being performed, a finished project, a customer interaction
Prep The Space
The camera sees everything, including the things you stopped noticing months ago. Before the shoot:
- Tidy surfaces and remove clutter, loose cords, and personal items
- Turn on lights, open blinds, and clean glass and mirrors
- Move vehicles, trash cans, and anything else that distracts from the scene
- Replace burned-out bulbs and fix small things now rather than in editing
- For job sites and shops, organize equipment and have safety gear ready
What To Wear
- Solid colors photograph best. Very small stripes and busy patterns can look distracting, especially on video.
- Your normal work attire is usually ideal: uniforms, branded shirts, hard hats, and safety vests all tell your story.
- Bring a backup layer in case we want a second look.
- Wear what's comfortable. If you're comfortable, it shows.
Let Your Team Know
People relax when they know what's coming. Tell your staff the date, the time, and what to expect. Pick one person to be my point of contact on the day, and let me know ahead of time if anyone shouldn't be photographed. A list of names and job titles is also helpful if the images will be captioned.
Gather Your Brand Assets
If we're producing video or branded content, have your logo files, brand colors, and any tagline or key messages ready. If you have photos or videos from other brands that you love, send them along. Examples are the fastest way to communicate a style.
On The Day
You don't need to "perform." The best images come from people doing their normal work. I'll give direction when it helps, and I'll let you know if I need a moment to repeat something or reset a shot. Plan for a few minutes of portraits, keep water handy, and try to enjoy it.
Every Location Is Different
I've worked in office environments, manufacturing facilities, medical offices, and construction sites, and each one comes with its own rules: safety gear, patient privacy, noise, and access restrictions. If your location has requirements I should know about, tell me before I arrive so there are no surprises.
Ready To Book?
I'm based in Albany, GA, and I work throughout Georgia, including the Atlanta area. If you have a shoot coming up, send me a note and we'll build the plan together. You can also browse recent work in the photo gallery or see how a shoot comes together on the behind-the-scenes page.