Today I want to touch on a few tips for conducting a successful team photo shoot. These tips will help your shoot be productive and go smoothly!
Step 1: Plan ahead
Planning in advance of the shoot prevents downtime and confusion on the day of the shoot. Decide what your goal is for your shoot and thoroughly communicate your ideas with your photographer. Make a list of each person, location, or group of people that will be photographed. Then, determine what type and style of photographs you want. Are you looking for just headshots? Group photos? Maybe lifestyle, brand-focused photos as well? Keep in mind that it’s always better to have too many photos than too few.
During the planning phase, consider the time of day that is best for obtaining photographs. For example, a shoot might interfere with the work of a busy department, and you may need to schedule your shoot before or after traditional working hours to avoid disruption. If you expect to shoot a large number of the same type of photographs, such as headshots, it’s a good idea to choose just one location to avoid continually resetting the lighting. If you are hoping for outdoor headshots, work with your photographer to choose the best time of day for lighting. Your ideal location might not work out if you conduct your shoot in the middle of the day (typically harsh lighting).
Step 2: Communicate with your team
It’s so important that your team is aware of the photoshoot and prepared to look their best. It seems self-explanatory to inform the team, but I have shown up for group shoots where only some members were told they were getting their photo taken. It is a good idea to send out a predetermined schedule to participants that let them know what time they need be at the shoot and where it will take place. Send reminder emails to all participants the day before the shoot and remind them to dress nicely. If you would like the participants to wear special clothing, note exactly what you want them to wear.
Step 3: Allot 15-20 minutes more shoot-time than you think you’ll need
On the day of the shoot, pad your time! Make sure you give your photographer enough time to set up their equipment and take a few test shots before you begin. If you have multiple locations for your shoot, factor in the travel time between locations and at least another half an hour of set up time for your photographer. For shoot days it’s better to have too much time than to feel rushed.