Planning Your Photoshoots
Photo: Tanya Pro
Having a successful photoshoot is the result of many moving parts. I am going to dive into what you need to do to prepare for your next shoot.
Inspiration
Use Pinterest to gain inspiration and generate new ideas. I recommend creating a separate mood board for each shoot. As an added bonus, this allows you to show your model(s) the style you are going for. Download your favorite images to your computer and then airdrop them to your phone so you have them quickly available at your location for you to reference. Don’t feel the need to stick to just Pinterest, use Unsplash or any other creative sites to gain inspiration.
Location
If you are able to, I would suggest driving around and scouting locations prior to the shoot. I’ve found it easier to choose places based on in-person experiences rather than online. Once you’ve found a few locations that you are happy with, use Google Maps’ custom map feature on your computer to organize your plan. Create a new layer for each location you will be going to. Then, it will be synced through your account and you can access it on the Google Maps mobile app. You can share this custom map with your model(s) and even download it for offline use if you won’t have access to an internet connection.
Sketch Ideas
Use your sketchbook to generate different composition ideas and poses. This is extremely useful if you are shooting product photography. If you have a drawing tablet, you can even draw right on top of some of your inspiration images to get a better idea.
Gear to Bring
You want to keep your setup as light as possible. After all, the focus should be on the shoot itself. Other than your camera body and lenses, here are a few items you should consider taking with you:
Battery charger and power bank
A comfortable camera strap. I love this one from Peak Design.
Portable bluetooth speaker. Most people wouldn’t think of bringing this but it makes the shoot more fun and relaxed. If the model is having fun, your images will turn out better.
That’s it! Have fun shooting!