Having an up-to-date library of images to use for your business is a really important element when it comes to your brand assets. It means that your messaging across socials and other materials is always fresh and offers the most accurate representation of you, your team and your business. It also makes for much lighter work when it comes to picking images to share with your audience and helps avoid reusing the same images too much. 

So, you know you’d like more new images for your business, but where should you begin? Whether you are taking the photos yourself or have hired a photographer, it’s always best to be organised and have a plan for the session.

Preparation really is key for a shoot day and you’ll find that the day will run a whole lot smoother with a plan, than if you were to wing it. Hopefully, our helpful list of tips will guide you towards a stress-free and enjoyable day full of photography. Let’s get into it!  

1. Understanding the Purpose of Your Photoshoot

The best place to start is to define your goals and objectives. Why are you getting new photos, what will they be used for and where will they be going? 

It’s also very important, that if you're hiring a photographer, you communicate these aims with them so that they can help deliver the best outcomes possible.

2. Plan your shots

One of the number one tips that we would always encourage is to make sure to have a list of shots you’d like to take on the day. It’s very easy to get caught up in the busy nature of the day and things can be easily forgotten, but with a shots list to refer to, your memory can soon be jogged and nothing gets missed. 

It’s always a good idea to think in advance about what those shots might be. If you define your key images ahead of the day, you can organise to have the right people, props and equipment at the ready. This is a great task to undergo as it really gets you thinking about what images you need and would like, as well as offering any external photographer great direction for the day, as you must remember that you know the business best. 

If you struggle to think of ideas, do a little research, find inspo pics you like and have them to hand on the day. 

3. Pre-shoot prep

Whilst this doesn’t require overthinking, it’s good to make sure there’s consensus on the style or theme for the photos and that includes things such as clothing and accessories (for shoot days that include people of course). You may want to discuss colours and make sure the team complement each other and represent the brand, whether that means more professional attire or relaxed casual wear. 

There may be other preparations that people choose to do, including a haircut for example.

The most important point here is to make sure you and your team are comfortable and feeling your best as this makes for much more relaxed images and a happier team on the day! 

4. Think about staging

Shoot types can vary, you might be a restaurant or clothing store, or perhaps you run a local library and for the most part, there may be a lot of the shots that are naturally present within the establishment to photograph, though this is not always the case. More often than not, a photo shoot is confined to a certain timeframe and everything that you want to capture may not organically happen during this time without a little intervention, so this is where staging comes into play and this could involve:

🥕 Preparing food

🛍 Demonstrating a customer experience

🚗 Highlighting a service you provide

💅 Live client work

🗣 Group meeting

📅 Day to day activities

Have the right people, props and locations lined up to stage the shots you need which might not be happening within the working day. 

5. Location, Location, Location

Location is key and funnily enough helps to set the scene! This might be a simple one to check off the list if your service is confined to one space but perhaps you have a main office with various smaller spaces, a shop floor with numerous sections, or a salon with spaces for different treatments. Think about where you’d like to shoot and which shots need to be taken there. 

You may also need images away from the premises, in which case you should scout out those locations and make sure they’re feasible within the time frame you’re working with. 

6. Scheduling and Timing

So’s to make for the most relaxed environment possible, we suggest thinking about a schedule for the day. Check your shots list and see which shots can be grouped together, whether they are to be captured in the same location, using the same people or including the same props. You can be flexible here, but having an idea of what everyone will be doing and when makes for a very productive shoot day. Things you might want to bear in mind when doing this might be: 

⏰ The time of day- does the shoot need to span all day or specifically in the morning or afternoon? This might come into play if the natural light is a big factor in the day. 

☀ The weather- If your shoot is predominantly outside, you will want to do your best to arrange it for a day when the weather is fair. We understand that this is much easier said than done, especially here in the UK. 

👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 Participant involvement- there may be some people have to leave at a certain time and so should be prioritised. 

📹 Live work/ demonstrations- If you’re having a real service photographed that is scheduled already, make sure this fits in nicely with the rest of the day. 

☕ Breaks- depending on how long the shoot is, don't forget to keep fed and hydrated; keeping your energy up on a shoot day is essential! 

We can see that being organised and prepared can make a significant difference when it comes to a photoshoot, there’s lots to consider. So, by understanding the purpose of your photoshoot, planning your shots, prepping beforehand, considering staging, choosing the right locations, and carefully scheduling your time, you ensure that your shoot day runs smoothly and efficiently. These steps will help you achieve a collection of great images that effectively showcase your business, making the effort well worth it.

If you are considering taking the photos yourself and are a little unsure on where to begin, check out our blog that introduces you to some top tips that all photographers will be bearing in mind when taking their photos.