Marketing Resources Startup

How to Plan for Your Photoshoot

Your brand hinges on amazing images to communicate the lifestyle, brand and products you are selling. This is one area I never suggest cutting corners. You can do this on a budget, but don’t go all the way cheap.Planning  for a photoshoot is a daunting task, but one you have to do it at least twice a year. Here is my checklist for a successful photoshoot.

  1. Plan in advance, especially if you have a budget.
  2. Develop your mood boards on pinterest or ppt. There should be one for hair/makeup, one for models, one for photoshoot art direction and one for locations if you are looking to do it somewhere specific.
  3. You will need in total around 200 images. Thats a combination of lifestyle shots, product shots, behind the scenes, and photos to use for social media. You should make an exact list though: #of pics for website, # for social media # for lookbook etc. Communicate this with your photographer beforehand so you can negotiate pricing.
  4. Budget costs appropriately.
    • If you don’t have any amazing photographer friends, not many of us do, then you should plan on $2,000 for a two day shoot with a good photographer. I’ve spoken about this in the past, and its true that you get what you pay for. You should expect 30-50 edited pictures at the minimum from a 2 day lifestyle shoot, and a higher amount of pictures if you are in studio.
    • There are lots of places to find models, but you probably want good ones. That means that you won’t want to just put up a post on Craigslist. If you are on a budget plan to spend between $250-$500 per day on a model that has experience and can move in front of a camera. Make sure you meet them in person and do fittings before the shoot. Don’t make decisions just based on their cards.
    • Hair & Makeup. Try to double up on this. Find someone who has both hair and makeup experience to work with you the entire 2 days of the shoot. Shoot for $500/day.
    • Assistant. Yes, you will need someone to help you prep, grab coffee’s keep everything organized. Don’t underestimate the power of help. You won’t be able to manage everything. If you have a friend that can help, amazing. If not, plan to spend $10-$20 an hour.
    • Food/Transport/Location. If you plan on shooting at a hotel, you might need a permit, double check. Any Uber’s that you and the team take around town, guess who is paying? Coffee, candy, sandwiches – anything you need to keep everyone pepped and happy.
  5. Prep everything you need for the day of at least 4-5 days in advance. Make sure you have things like: tape, safety pins, hangers, clamps, bobby pins. Its the little things that can trip you up on the day of.

Good luck on your next photoshoot! You are making a great investment in your brand by deciding to do this well.