How should I prepare for a photoshoot

Good preparation for a photoshoot is crucial. Knowing what information the photos need to convey, and who you are trying to communicate with, is at the top of the list. The more understanding we have about our expected outcomes, the better the photographs. This should help with who and what needs to be in the photographs, and allows us to work out a shot list and a realistic running order. With that information, I can give an accurate price before we start.

Making sure that everything/everyone is organised and having a reasonably tight plan of how the day will unfold, should give us the best chance at efficiently getting through the shot list. Everything doesn’t need to run exactly to plan, but it certainly helps to know where we are heading. 

I’m not an expert in your field. I’ll need adequate instruction, in real-time, to be able to create plausible situations to photograph. Real experts need to be able to look at the finished photographs and not have reason to pick them apart.

Everyone who is going to be involved needs to be informed that the photoshoot is taking place and be willing to participate. Taking into account that I keep the stakes very low and go out of my way to make the process stress-free. They should present looking tidy, in the right clothing, and if applicable, with PPE. Any areas or equipment needed in the photographs should look their best, too.

Make sure that we have enough time to do good work. Building a balanced photograph that is well-lit and captures a good performance will take time. I work quickly, but I’ll need to shoot variations and have enough time to set up and pack down. 

Great photos get used more often and for longer. It’s way better value to come away with a handful of great photographs rather than loads of rushed shots.

Good weather is a magic ingredient. Dull light = dull photographs. If it’s an outdoor shoot, it should be shot in the best possible conditions. Don’t compromise on the weather, you’ll have the photos for a long time.

How do you work out a price for a shoot?

Once we have established what’s involved and agree on how long the shoot will take.

Once the photoshoot is done, I’ll do a comprehensive edit and present you with proofs of only the strongest images. You decide which images you want me to do post-production on. 

Simple and no surprises!

I’ll let you know how much the shoot will cost before we start, and then you decide how many images you want to purchase from the shoot.

You can come back any time and select more images at the per-image price.

Surely it’s better value for me if I get all of the photographs you take?

Not in my experience.

A photoshoot is a pathway to the handful of photographs that fully encapsulate the brief. The rest of the photos are no more than the evidence of what it took to get there.

The goal of a commercial photograph is to catch the attention of your target audience, make a memorable first impression, and be in a position to communicate with them about the significance of your brand.

What is Post Production?

I shoot in RAW format. You can think of RAW files like a par-cooked meal, the basic ingredients are all there, but with the right care and attention, they can become something special. 

Post-production is the development and refinment of the image. Balancing the exposures and ensuring that there is detail in highlights and shadows and removal of any unwanted blemishes or artefacts. Every image I deliver goes through individual post-processing, my work looks refined because it is.

I trained in film but was an early adopter of digital, which means that I now have vast experience in deeply complicated post-production. Photographs that combine sections of several photographs to build a final image. Post has become a means to build virtually any conceivable final image. 

Image usage.

As the photographer, I automatically own the copyright to the photos I take. I am happy for my clients to use the photographs that I have put through post-production for as long as they want and across all platforms. As I own copyright, you, the client, can not sell them on to a third party.

I supply proofs from each shoot, which are solely for the purpose of selecting photographs for post-production.

Can I have the raw files?

 Sorry, but no!

The only way I can guarantee consistency in the quality of my work is if I see it through to completion and to not share unfinished work. I do all of my post-production in-house. I’m spending enough time with each photograph so that I am satisfied that every single image I deliver is up to my standard.