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.
- Plan in advance, especially if you have a budget.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.