Many business owners have a story about a photoshoot that they felt just didn’t go well. Whether the photos were not good quality (blurry, poorly lit), you didn’t get the images you wanted (certain angles or specific shots), or they just didn’t work for what you needed them for – all of these scenarios can be a bit frustrating!
Luckily, there are things you can do to prevent this from happening. Here are a few tips for ensuring a successful photoshoot!
Find a Quality Photographer
This one can sometimes be the hardest step! There are many photographers out there to choose from. It can be tempting to select one that can do it for the cheapest. However, you might end up regretting your decision. To find the best photographer for your photoshoot, spend your time looking at their portfolios and experience. Are their photos consistently good quality? Do they have examples of the kind of photos you are looking for? Are they nicely edited, sharp, and well lit? As you look at their portfolio, keep these questions in mind. Another thing to think about is if they have the right skillset for the photoshoot you need. For example, a photographer may create absolutely beautiful photos in natural light outdoors. But if you need studio lit images, they might not be the best option for you. So to find the best match for you, take your time to study their work!
Establish Expectations
This can make all the difference between a successful photoshoot and one that you don’t absolutely love! When coming into your photoshoot, I’d recommend having a general idea of what you are wanting, and what you don’t want. For example, if you are looking for clean, light product images for your website, a few lifestyle images for social media, and a headshot for your about me page – let the photographer know, and even show them some example images! This can help the photographer pick the location, style of lighting, and editing that will best highlight exactly what you’re looking for.
Be as specific as you’d like. It even helps if you know what aspect ratio you want your images in (for example, if you want them mostly horizontal or mostly vertical). As you talk with your photographer, they’ll let you know of any concerns or questions they have as they sit to create your vision.
Ask Questions
If you have a question about something regarding the photoshoot, don’t hesitate to ask! Usually the photographer will let you know most of they information beforehand, but if you are left wondering about anything, don’t be afraid to ask.
Be Prepared
This is a simple thing you can do to ensure the success of your photoshoot. Be on time – in fact, be 10 minutes early. Don’t forget to bring the props you need. Know in advance what the plan is, and be prepared for that plan. This will help the photoshoot go smoothly, and will help you avoid hiccups along the way.
If your photoshoot goes poorly – take what you can learn from it and move forward
If you’ve had a photoshoot where you didn’t like the outcome, the most valuable piece of advice I can give is to write down what you liked and didn’t like about the experience and the photos. This is actually valuable, because it helps you learn more about what photos you love and don’t love for your brand. Then, when you hire a photographer in the future, you can let them know what you loved and didn’t like as much. This will help
further clarify your vision, and communicate what your looking for.
I hope these tips were helpful! Comment below with any questions you have!
