Planning your photo shoot and being well prepared is vital. Your efficiency and creativity will both be enhanced. Knowing what you want to achieve from the portrait photo shoot narrows down your options and makes planning more effective.
So, how do I plan a photo shoot? Pre-visualising the photos you want will enable you to prepare for them. You may consider including your model(s) in this planning stage. I like to draw up a list of ideas and discuss this in advance with my model.
Obtaining a signed model release prior to starting the portrait photo shoot is always a good idea. Don’t risk leaving it until the end and forgetting about it.
You also need to pack well. Check and double-check you have the gear you’ll most need. It can be very disruptive to find you don’t have the right lens or your flash batteries are in the bag you did not bring. This type of oversight will affect your creative flow during the shoot. It will also impact your credibility as a photographer.
6. Include the Location in Your Portrait Photography
We all love photos taken in great locations. So many popular Instagram accounts are proof of this.
Plan your portrait photo shoot to embrace the locations you will be taking your model. Including the surroundings can make your portraits more interesting. Look for the best angles and lighting to compose with.
5. Variety Is Key to Better Portrait Photos
Make certain you take a real variety at every photo session. Having planned well and chosen the locations you want to make the most of them.
Stay within your game plan. But be sure to mix up the poses, expression, outfits, composition, lenses, and camera settings. Get your wide, medium and close up photos. Look for additional details everywhere and include them. I have a background in editorial photography. Therefore, I typically approach every photo session aiming to produce a spread of photos.
4. Control the Lighting for a Better Portrait
Be in control of the lighting. Bad lighting will ruin a portrait photo shoot of even the most attractive person. I find it best to use some kind of accessory, like flash and/or reflectors.
Having the ability to play with ambient light will allow you to control the mood of your portraits. During your planning, you will have decided on the look and overall feel you wanted to achieve. Much of this will be determined by how you control the lighting.
3. Communicate With Your Model for Easier Posing
Take time to connect with your model. You will get better pictures. If you are distant and non-communicative, your model will not respond so well.
Talk to your model before the photo session. If you know your model, ask some more specific questions. Ask them what they want to achieve from the photo shoot and share with them what you want. Working together in this way you will have more ideas to work with.
2. Don’t Fiddle With Your Camera During the Photo Shoot
During a photo session, you need to be focused on your model, not only your camera. The more you are paying attention to your model, the better your photographs will be. To be successful in this, you must know your camera and your craft.
Spending most of your time and attention on your camera and fiddling with the settings will likely lead to failure. You should know how to set your camera for the style of photos you have planned.
1. Follow Up After the Portrait Photo Shoot
Once you have finished, stay in touch with your model. If the photo session has gone well and you hope to work with your model again, this is crucial. Make sure to send them a thank you text or email.
Follow through with getting whatever copies of the photos you may have promised. Then follow up again a few days later to see what they thought of the photographs and of the experience.
