Have you ever felt totally overwhelmed on a brand photoshoot day, worried you might miss an important shot? Or maybe you’ve left a shoot feeling a little…. bored by what you captured? I’ve been there!
About a year into my brand photography business, I started leaving shoots feeling like I had more to offer my clients. They only knew they needed a “headshot” and “social media shots,” so I had to figure out the rest! I needed a system and process for creating powerful, customized, yet simple shot lists for every shoot.
So I created the tools and workflow to make it happen and will share them with you in this post!
I’ll walk you through creating brand photography shot lists that go beyond the basics, are customized to every client, and ensure your shoot days go off without a hitch. Let’s get to it!
Creating Custom Brand Photography Shot Lists
01. Educate Your Client
When I first worked with clients, they struggled to specify which photos they wanted or needed. They simply weren’t familiar with the possibilities. You don’t know what you don’t know, right? That’s when I realized that educating my clients was key.
So, I developed a resource, the Brand Photoshoot Shot List: 7 Must-Have Photos for Any Industry (grab it here!). I provide this to my clients as part of a digital welcome packet. This resource inspires and guides my clients to prep for their brand shoot before they fill out their questionnaire (more on that next!).
Even if I’m primarily constructing the shot list, this resource can spark specific ideas from my clients that I can help facilitate. It expands the possibilities for their shoot and allows me to incorporate ideas I might not have thought of. Anything I can do to help clients visualize and construct their vision for the shoot is a win! By showing clients various shot types and marketing uses, I empower them to feel creative and collaborative.
Ready to implement client education into your workflow? Start with a shot list! Download my free Brand Photoshoot Shot List: 7 Must-Have Photos for Any Industry resource here, and go further with the Brand Photoshoot Shot List Template. This template allows you to personalize it with your own photos and branding, creating a tailored and educational experience for your clients.
02. Understand Your Client
The most pivotal way to transform your brand photography shot lists is by asking the right questions. This single step has helped me create more comprehensive and effective shot lists for my clients, directly contributing to their satisfaction and the quality of the shots I deliver.
To achieve this, I created a client questionnaire that I send to my clients in the planning stages of their brand photoshoot. In this post, I share 3 ways a questionnaire helps you streamline your process, and I’ll summarize here:
First, the questionnaire provides clarity on your client’s vision and hopes for the shoot. This clarity allows you to set realistic expectations and fulfill their vision with shots tailored to their initial ideas and goals.
Secondly, the questionnaire insights inspire shot ideas that go beyond the basics and cater specifically to your client’s unique needs. For instance, knowing their business goals enables you to create shots tailored for specific purposes like a product launch, a new website, or a new marketing campaign.
Thirdly, the questionnaire helps you automate and streamline your process. Once the client fills out their questionnaire, I organize my shot ideas into a Notion template. Which brings me to….
03. Organize Your Shots
Time to organize and brainstorm! This is where the magic of creating your shot list truly happens! Here, you’ll translate the answers from your client questionnaire into a tailored, customized shot list. You can approach this in several ways based on your brainstorming style. One method is to review your client’s answers, compile a list of shot ideas, and then categorize them into themes or sections. For example, I often use the 7 types of shots from my Brand Photoshoot Shot List download to organize ideas into categories like “Process Shots,” “Personality Shots,” and “Detail Shots.”
As a self-proclaimed organizing queen, I like to be super thorough and systematic while brainstorming. I use a Notion template designed to align with the questionnaire and help me organize my shot ideas efficiently. If you don’t know Notion, it’s an easy-to-use, customizable productivity and note-taking tool. My template includes sections for specific images and dimensions needed for marketing channels, so you never miss a critical shot. It also features dedicated areas for each questionnaire question, allowing you to brainstorm shot ideas, list props, and make notes. It’s the ultimate tool for strategically organizing your shot list ideas!
Want a detailed behind-the-scenes look at how I do this? Check out my workshop, Plan Your Perfect Brand Shoot in 1 Hour, for a step-by-step guide. You’ll get instant access to my method and the Notion template.
04. Plan the Shoot Day
The final puzzle piece is presenting your shot ideas to your client in a polished, collaborative format. We all know brainstorming sessions can sometimes look less than presentable to a client, so distill your notes into a clear and visually appealing blueprint.
In my business, I use my Canva Brand Photoshoot Planner Template to present a shoot plan to my client (you can grab it in my shop here!). It helps you create a comprehensive plan for your client’s shoot day, covering everything from the shot list and schedule to inspiration and prop lists.
Once I’ve brainstormed in my Notion template, I transfer my ideas into my Canva template. Depending on the shoot, I organize the shots by theme or location. The beauty of the template is that it’s standardized, but you can customize it for each client as needed.
My clients love seeing their shoot come to life in the Brand Photoshoot Planner template. They’re so impressed by the thoughtful organization and attention to detail. A brand shoot can be overwhelming, and the shoot planner consolidates all the details into one well-organized plan, helping them feel confident and prepared.
Create Brand Photography Shot Lists Your Clients Will Love
There you have it! In just 4 steps and a few essential tools, you’ll be up-leveling your brand photography shot lists in no time. By educating your clients, understanding their needs, organizing your ideas, and presenting a clear plan, your shoots will run smoothly and deliver more impactful results. Give this workflow a try, and let me know the results in the comments!
Grab Your Tools
Canva Brand Photoshoot Planner Template
Brand Shoot Planning Pack– bundle all 3 tools and save!
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