Planning a Photo Shoot Part I: Discovery Calls
Welcome to a new series on planning a product photo shoot! When I onboard my clients, I often start by taking them through the process step by step. I love this part of my job—educating clients about the way we’re going to work together create amazing assets just for them and their brand is incredibly rewarding for me.
Why plan for a photo shoot?
Over the years that I’ve been producing photo shoots for consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands, cookbook authors, and more, I’ve learned that it’s the work that we do in the planning process that determines how the final assets turn out. Planning ahead for a shoot ensures that clients can see the vision that I see when I pick up my camera to capture the essence of their products. It helps me, the photographer, get on the same page with my client whether or not they’re joining me in my Chicago studio. The process that I’ve honed over the last few years kicks off with a discovery call, which is the subject of the first post in this series.
What is a discovery call?
A discovery call is the first real step to kicking off a successful photo shoot. Once the contract is signed and a deposit is received, we get to the fun part: discovering what it is that you as the brand manager, creative director, or chef want from this photo shoot. We call it a discovery call because there’s a lot of research and discovery involved to get a good idea of the aspirations we have for the photo shoot and final assets.
What to expect in a discovery call?
In the discovery calls I do with my clients, I always start by asking them to share as much as they can about their brand and their vision for the photo shoot. This helps me get an idea of what they consider to be the key parts of their brand that we need to figure out how to represent in the photos. Sometimes, the discovery call can feel like an interview: I have lots of questions that I ask based on what I’ve seen of their brand so far on social and their websites; the mood board they’ve sent over to me so far; and my past experiences working with products in the category. I take careful notes, and then, once the call is over, I compile it into a guide to use as I plan out the shoot.
What should I have prepared for a discovery call?
I always tell clients to bring whatever they think might help me get an idea of what they’re looking for, whether that’s existing branding materials, samples of work they love, or samples of work they hate. From there, anything else is extra! I require clients to have packaging in hand so we can work from accurate colors and sizing, but otherwise, I’ve had clients show up to discovery calls with everything from full-on Pinterest boards to Post-It notes with brand words.
What comes after a discovery call?
Tune in next week for Planning for a Photo Shoot Part II: Shot Lists!