Pre-Production is more important than what camera you’re using
The most crucial ingredient in how I shoot isn't the gear; it's the approach. The barrier to entry for photography is lower than ever due to technological improvements making it accessible. The thing that will improve your work the most comes in the form of planning.
It's not enough to turn up and take a good photo because if the result can't be repeated, it's not a skill; it's luck.
Recently, I went for a walk with a model friend, and she complained that the photographer she'd worked with a few days earlier had been a pain to work with. I've had similar conversations with agents, stylists, and producers alike. I am sure models have said the same thing about me, where your time is wasted because things aren't planned out properly and don't fit together.
We think it's turn up at a location, pack what you can, and shoot it. But these sorts of shoots almost always feel incomplete. Your team isn't mind readers, and models aren't to be expected to know what you need.
For my friend she couldn’t find the photographer because it was a long beach, and there wasn't an exact designated meeting point; they’d just referenced the beach to meet at, a mistake I've made myself a few times. The winds were powerful, so she was cold, on top of traveling at 4 am for a sunrise they didn't see as the sun was behind the cliffs because they'd picked the north end of the beach where the sun didn't reach, with a suitcase full of clothes that didn't work for the photographer's vision, it was a flop of a morning.
Being mentally prepared is often just as important as physically; that means knowing whether you have hair and make-up artists on board, who they are, what they plan to do, and what sort of photos you're doing. And if you can’t see eye to eye with a team member, it gives you an opportune moment to replace them with someone who is on the same page.
You want your team involved to be excited and feel good about the work!
Every member of your team should know what they're doing.
It seems essential for any task, but many don't prepare.
It takes work to get everyone on the same page, and if we want our teams to put in an exuberant amount of effort, we should offer clear goals. We all need to experiment and try things, and often, we must fail like this a few times before we get it. However, the more planning, the quicker the path to the result!
Briefing is one way to get around this reliance on magic happening daily.
Planning comes in many shapes and forms, but the most important thing for me is to have an intense brief for everyone on the team.
It's your bible, your god, on a shoot because it allows everyone to see and know the objectives and understand their role and what we are trying to achieve.
My briefs are 3-6 pages these days, depending on the purpose, how much referencing is required, and how big the team is. The bigger the team, the longer the brief, and it comes down to making sure everyone understands the goals you have in mind.
I shoot beach, so I use an app called Sun Seeker, but PhotoPills is excellent and has some features I wish Sun Seeker had! This allows me to see what the sun is doing, where it rises and sets, and, with its 3D view, what will make for the best spots ahead of time.
I always try to go and scout a location first; I know when the sun is setting and what the light will do, and I also pick locations that won't have my talent frozen in place; if someone is cold, they'll look uncomfortable whether they're happy being there or not. I know sometimes we don't have a choice, but even knowing it's going to be miserable allows you to prepare and pack accordingly.
It’s also important to think of your location as part of what sets the mood for your work. It’s as important as talent, and on many shoots, the location is what will make or break the work. Understanding how that will be represented visually and what that means for the logistics of your shoot is incredibly important. It should never be an afterthought; it is critical and something I spend a great deal of time on.
I go the extra mile; I will FaceTime every model I work with first. I want to understand them, get to know them a little, understand their experience, and discuss what sort of shots they want to create. Familiarity helps build trust and rapport; it also can help, especially for newer talent, to be able to bring someone a lot if they don't quite yet feel comfortable being alone with a stranger.
From there, I get picture references, stuff they love, photos they want to create, and the vibe they're looking for; I've had models who have said "I wanna shoot nude," and I've had others who make it very clear that they're not comfortable with anything of the sort, there's nothing wrong with either approach, but the important factor here is I'm not choosing; they are. It's not my body, and you can ask questions, and on occasion, I'll suggest another photographer, but 99% of the time, it builds an understanding of what your talent is looking for; I do the same with any MUA, stylist or assist that wants to work with me, but these are usually a little less formal, and will often involve a coffee or a beer to get to know them. It also gives us a chance to look at our wardrobe and build out our styling kit for a shoot.
I'll usually prepare two mood boards, one of my work, with the elements the talent I'm working with is looking for, and another for newer ideas, stuff I have yet to try. The second board is more stuff to draw outside my comfort zone, but for shoots that step away from my norm, I'll usually go to people who know and trust me first. It's a safe space to create something I haven't tried yet.
I look at many of my favourite photographers and the way they shoot; they have great relationships with the talent that extends beyond one shoot; they understand and appreciate each other, and they know how to communicate and what they are there for. Understanding and good communication are the most important factors for my little shooting genre and are the least talked about.
The other factor across all genres of photography and any creative pursuit comes in the form of respecting your team, and putting that in words makes the expectations explicit and clear. In my opinion, a duty of care form covers this; many of the people you're working with come from very different backgrounds, boundaries, and experiences. We need to acknowledge that, and rather than push people to work the way we do; we need to meet them in a way that allows them to build and grow. To feel safe and inspired, we often stretch ourselves with every shoot, mentally, emotionally, and sometimes physically with what we're asking of each other, and often it's hard to say "no" when you feel obligated, making it clear that this is an option is critical.
We need to leave space for people to say no, disagree, want to do things differently and empathise with the position your talent is in.
A duty of care is just making sure someone feels safe. I've written about that here and here before, and having this in your briefs is critical because it sets a precedent for how all teams are treated.
Finally, I map out my costs, payment terms on the final page, and how they'll receive the work.
You can view a PDF sample brief here. I hope this explanation helps make things more straightforward.
My checklist:
Preproduction meetings: FaceTime with talent.
Location: Scouted and map prepared for the team.
Timings: Confirmed with all team members, and you’ve mapped out how long you need for each shot/story moment, how long Hair/Makeup/Prep takes, etc.
Wardrobe: Decided and packed.
Moodboards: Sent and approved by the team.
Brief & Budget sent and signed off on.
