4 Things to Consider When Preparing for a Photoshoot

4 Things to Consider When Preparing for a Photoshoot
By Demarcus O’Dell - 09.13.21

The key to success is organization and preparation. Don’t assume a photoshoot will go well without them. 

Create or request a mood board from a client. Moodboards should showcase clear ideas about the potential final product. I like to create separate inspiration folders on Pintrest; clothing, hair, makeup, lighting, props, and poses.

 Moodboards are guideline for practice. I can assess how a lighting concept works. I can find correlations between light intensity, poses, shadows and highlights. During the photoshoot; guesses or pray and spraying will land you few images on target.

Moodboards are a great way to see if all parties agree on concept before the conclusion of the photoshoot. Test the idea and nail it in practice, this will grant more confidence. The photoshoot will be more of a breeze if you have all the tested concepts and ideas near by.

You’ll want to scout the location or studio. You need to get an idea of the location, it’s pros, cons, limitations, varying factors, and the time to get there and setup. If outdoors; some of the same factors apply. Overcasts, variable weather conditions, time of year, sun locations can affect the outcome. 

Scouting aids in the discovery of the equipment needed for a photoshoot. Check camera settings and to take notes of the successes and specifics. Take note of the exact setup that worked, the distances and angles of light in correlation to the subject. You should not have any kinks to work out while on the photoshoot. 

Gear can make or break a photoshoot. Having the right gear ensures you will nail the goal of the photoshoot. One goal is to prevent surprises and unnecessary time loss.
While putting together an equipment list; reference notes from your practice and research. 

Grip equipment, and practicals such as flags, bounces, vflats, etc.; may not fail but I recommend you bring extra batteries, chargers, cf/sd cards, cameras, lenses, and even lights and diffusion mediums. 

Cards fill up when shooting in RAW. I can recount having to delete accidental shutter release images, and images I thought would not make it to the editing process. All whilst sweating beads trying to make space to complete the photoshoot. I can also recount needing a little diffusion from a 3$ rental scrim that I didn’t consider, or praying the one battery I have would make it through the entire shoot.  

 

Find a rental / production house in your immediate or surrounding area. If you can’t afford to buy the necessary equipment; consider renting for a small fraction of the price. Rental prices for average grip equipment, lighting, cameras and lenses together can be under a $100 in some cases. Again, prevent mistakes and failure by bypassing your limitations and be resourceful. 

Hiring an assistant can speed up your workflow and give you space to focus on one thing. Wether in need of a back up photographer for events, or someone to hold reflectors, change batteries, change light intensity, or to double check equipment lists; help goes along way. I hire an assistant to also capture behind the scenes footage for the client or I, while I focus on the images and goals. 

Hiring an assistant shouldn’t be a daunting task, consider students or people interested in photography. The experience is usually more worthy than the amount of pay they should be expecting. From my experience in the film industry a production assistant’s day rate is usually around $100-$150. 

Be an hour early to the photoshoot, reference test shoots for setup, assess any last minutes tasks, have contracts ready and be familiar with what is within them, and be confident, you’ve got this! For more check back here.