Photo shoots require some work to achieve success, but when done right, the results can help your business greatly. Whether you own a boutique/store front, are trying to market yourself as a doctor, model or fitness instructor, or whether you are trying to market a product in a company for which you work (or your own company), below are some fundamentals to evaluate before making a decision.
- Know what your goals are: You have made the decision that hiring a photographer to take new pictures will help you, your business or your company, but do you know what your goals are? If you own a business and you want to draw more potential customers to your store, think about what will make them want to visit your store. Is there a particular item that you are known for? Is there a certain image you want to show or build? If you own a clothing store, you will want to show items that are in fashion for the age group you are targeting. If you own a fitness center, you will want to show your training specialization, whether it is cross fit, heavy weight training, boxing, etc. If you are a model and you want to build a portfolio, what image do you want to portray? Do you want to get into runway, fitness, etc.? if you are a doctor, who are the clients you are targeting? The key is to think about what sets you apart from your competition so that the photographer can use creativity to help your image and bring you new customers.
- Hire the right photographer: Once you have identified or clarified your goals, it is time to find the right photographer. You may already have names in mind, and it is always a good idea to ask for recommendations to people you know have used a photographer in the past. Also, look at their website to make sure their style is a good fit for yours. A photographer whose experience is focused on abstract photography may not be the best fit for a high end clothing store or a doctor’s office. Asking for references is also a good idea, because you want to know as much about the photographer as possible before meeting him/her. Another key detail to discuss ahead of time before making a decision is the turnaround for the pictures. If you need the pictures to be ready within two weeks for printing, you do not want to find out after the fact that the turnaround time is six months.
- Discuss your goals with your photographer: Now that you have selected a photographer, make sure he/she understands your goals. A photographer should do research, have experience and come prepared for a shoot, but it is important to communicate what you are looking for in advance. Discuss the best day and time for the photo shoot, recommendations on what to do to prepare, and whether adding models to the photos will help, in which case advance planning to research the right models for the pictures is important (you will also want to consider a make-up artist).
- Be prepared for the photo shoot: The day of the photo shoot has arrived. If the photo shoot is for a boutique, the items you want featured must be placed well in the store so they stand out in the pictures. If you are a fitness center, it has to look inviting as well, so it must be clean and organized. For some of the pictures, adding a model will help bring some life to the pictures. For a gym, adding a fit model working out will help potential customers visualize themselves at the gym. If you are looking for product photos, make sure they are selected and ready for the photo shoot. Models looking for portfolio photos need to have their wardrobe ready, hair and make-up done, etc. all of this will have been discussed ahead of time, but needs to be ready for the day of the photo shoot.
A lot of preparation goes into a successful photo shoot from understanding your goals, selecting the right photographer, meeting with the photographer, etc. The key to a successful photo shoot is to plan, plan, and plan! The more planning, the better.
Please contact Images by Seb to schedule your next photo project
Images by Seb - Website - Seb@imagesbyseb.com Wedding, Fitness, Fashion, Portrait, Maternity, Commercial/Advertising & Fine Art Photographer in Scottsdale, AZ