How to Prepare for a Brand Photoshoot

The difference between a good shoot day and a great one is almost entirely preparation. None of it is complicated, and all of it happens before the photographer arrives.

Two weeks out: decide what the images are for

Not 'photos of the business' — specific destinations. A homepage banner. A Google profile set. Portraits for the team page. A hiring image. Ten product shots. When you know the destinations, you know the shapes and quantities needed, and nothing important gets missed.

Two weeks out: tell your team

People photograph better when they've had notice and worse when they're ambushed. Say what day, roughly what time, what to wear, and that nobody will be made to pose awkwardly. Fear of the camera is the largest single cause of stiff images.

One week out: fix what a camera sees

• Replace burnt-out bulbs, and match color temperature across a room
• Clear cables, boxes, mops and personal clutter from the edges of rooms
• Deal with the cluttered noticeboard and the mismatched signage
• Wash the windows and the front of the building
• Tidy the parking area — exteriors are the most-used images and the least prepared for

One week out: wardrobe

Solid colors photograph better than busy patterns; small stripes and fine checks can shimmer on camera. Avoid large logos other than your own. Ask everyone to bring a second option — it costs nothing and doubles your variety.

The day before

Confirm the schedule hour by hour. Identify the quietest working period; the best photographs of a business are usually made while it's genuinely operating, not while it's staged. Plan the exterior for the right light — golden hour for warmth, overcast for even detail — and don't leave it to the end of the day.

On the day

Assign one decision-maker who can be reached quickly, and otherwise let people work. The most useful thing an owner can do is carry on with the day. Real activity photographs better than arranged activity, every single time.