How to prepare for a photoshoot
Congratulations, you’ve booked the shoot and now you’re going to have proof of your beautiful work that you can show off and attract your dream jobs!
If you’ve never arranged a photoshoot before or you’re wondering how you can best prepare and get the most out of the day - I have you covered.
Communicating with your client
If we’re shooting at a house where the client currently lives, it’s likely you’ve been liaising with them to find a date to shoot your project.
First things first, you cannot over communicate.
Being super clear about what will happen on the day, letting them know how many hours the photographer will be there and which spaces will be captured will help put your client at ease and set the day up to run smoothly.
Your client will spend time cleaning and preparing the house for the shoot, so if you’re up front about the rooms that will be captured - they won’t spend unnecessary time preparing spaces that won’t be featured in any photos.
If you’ve had a call over the phone with them, also recap what was discussed in an email so they have something to refer back to. We’re all busy, and these details can easily be forgotten or misunderstood if they’re not in writing.
In almost all cases, it’s more comfortable for everyone if the client is not at the house while the shoot takes place. While the photographer will always be respectful of their home, it can still feel uncomfortable to have people moving around their space. It’s a good opportunity for the client to book an appointment and get out of the house for the day!
Prepare the space
While your client will usually prepare their home for the shoot, I would always recommend arranging to be there well ahead of the photographer to do any additional cleaning and/or styling. If it’s possible to do this the day or night before, that would be best.
The shoot officially commences when the photographer arrives, so any time spent cleaning and preparing the space will eat into shooting time.
Prioritise
When you book a shoot with me, we’ll discuss what the most important rooms are in order to map out a timeline of how much time should be spent on each space.
If there are any ‘must-have’ shots you would like captured, share these with your photographer ahead of the shoot so they can ensure they’re covered.
PHOTOSHOOT PREP LIST:
If your client is currently living in the space that will be photographed, let them know what will happen on the day, the duration of the shoot and which spaces will be captured.
Discuss how the house will be cleaned and styled.
Arrange for the client to be out of the house on the day of the shoot if possible.
Recap what was discussed with your client in an email.
Arrive well in advance of the photographer to do any additional cleaning or styling. If this can be done the day before that is ideal.
Map out a priority list so your photographer can plan how much time should be spent on capturing each space.
If there are any ‘must' have’ shots, share these with your photographer ahead of time so they can ensure they’re covered.
