Congratulations! You have finally jumped into the entrepreneur world! You have decided to become a business owner. And let me tell you: you have made the best decision. You bet for yourself and now you are your own boss, the CEO of your own company!
You have got your designs, your products ready to see the light. And nowadays you know that online presence is key.
Yes, it is time to organise a photoshoot! But where do you start? Let me help you:
- Put some ideas together: when it comes to get ideas and visual references, I jump straight into Pinterest. You just have to type what you are looking for and lots of images will appear. Create boards and pin with images that represent your ideas. I also would suggest to look at your competition, see what they are doing and also at the market: see what is going on in your niche.
- Plan a smart budget: if you have limited budget, be smart and invest on what you really need for it. Cut out on other parts that they may not be that essential. I would suggest invest more on your team than on your props: you can get the most beautiful table, but if you don't have a good stylist to style it or a good photographer to capture the picture there is no much point.
Be aware of which budget you are working with. Be realistic about your expectations. If you aren't getting professionals for your photoshoot, you may not get a professional result.
You can save on:
- doing your own props instead of buying them or rent them. More eco friendly as well.
- borrowing from friends or from your team: on the last shoot I did, my client was looking for a blow up mattress ( she thought she had one but realised last minute that she didn't). Lucky enough that I had one so I told her that I would bring it to the shoot and she didn't need to buy one. You also make the client happier!
Keep also a bit of extra money margin for those annoying last minute changes
- Find a studio*: plan where the shoot will take place. It can be in a studio or location. If it is outdoors, I recommend you to go there before the shoot and check when is the best light, the accessibility, the weather forecast for the shoot day... Sometimes scouting locations is part of a service that an art director or photographer can offer.
- Get your trusted team: this is a very important part of the process. Find the right people who understand your project, that fit into your budget and that you have a good feeling about them.
Check their portfolios, reviews on their website, testimonials... Ask around to your friends. Research, find them on instagram and check their website. Don't hesitate to contact them and ask about their prices.
- Set up dates and work policy: make clear when the shoot is happening, location, times, contact details. Put a call sheet together and send it to the whole crew. Remember to get diets covered and drinks as well.
Remember to get mask and sanitiser and to keep the safety measures in place.
- Have fun! There is always going to be some level of stress on a shoot, but if you have planned everything accordingly and found a good team, it is going to be fun for sure :)
- Thank everyone for the amazing work they did. It is always nice to receive an email the day after thanking you for your work, little details matter more than you think.
*I offer photoshoots in my studio which is full equipped, with enough space to social distance and masks and sanitiser will be provided.
