Eleven Tips for Successful Photo Shoots

What's under the sink? A few paper bags from fancy shops. Coke cans, yogurt containers, and a few empty bottles of Alaskan Amber. Cleaning products like Comet and Pledge. A dustpan.

What's on the counter? Six coffee mugs in varying shades of yellow, green, and white. Brioche studded with raisins and ginger scones from Cafe Besalu. A trail mix of almonds, cashews, and cranberries sweetened with sugar. And let's not forget the big pot of black coffee, whose delicious aroma infuses the kitchen.

One of the most exciting things about taking part in photo shoots is the joy of physical making: the process of design on a much larger scale than a mouse and Photoshop. Your palette is the world, and your tool is the camera.

Scattered throughout Patrick's studio were all the ingredients for a series of highly planned photos, but that won't stop us from furiously working our way through all of the material that's on the props table, the racks of clothing, the refrigerator.

But all of this material can't be forced onto each photograph. You have to let the scene speak to you, and react as nimbly as possible to sound the right note in the shot.

Clothing gets cycled a few times. The laptop on the table is a bit too heavy-handed, so that goes out the window. We throw some boots in the corner so it looks like the model just sat down on the floor for a quick break. Hair is let down, put up in a ponytail, and blush is furiously applied -- all in the hope that each change will make the scene feel finished.

Though that probably isn't the right word. No photograph is ever finished. Each RAW file is just another slice of time, some feeling more complete than others in their level of expression. If you're quick on your feet and willing to discard your presupposed ideas through each shot, new opportunities emerge that can feel more potent and human. Just by creating a space to allow them.

How do you create that space?

Plan, plan, plan. Then plan some more. Don't just show up and tell your photographer on the day of the shoot what you're looking for with each shot. Pre-plan the shots with enough notice that they can think through the lighting setups. Same goes for discussions with your producer, stylist, propmaster, models, and whomever else is part of the posse. Have sketches of every shot. Do tests of all your locations and your models. Make sure your client is on board with all of it.

Have a story for each photograph. Each shot has a pure idea behind it. You can express it to your models, stylist, and photographer within a sentence or two. Stories create the frame within which the canvas can be painted. It can be as simple as, "Bob and Joanie go to the sock hop and get a drink from the punch bowl."

Get the lighting right before you bring on the models. Through storytelling, you can create confidence in your talent by educating them on what you're trying to express. But once you get the models in front of the camera, they're going to start trying to tell the story, and risk looking forced if they aren't professionals. So trick them a little. Capture a few shots that are "test shots" with perfect lighting. They won't be trying too hard to get across what you want. The best shots often happen here and can't be recaptured. (This happens a lot in recording studios with rock bands. It usually works like a charm.)

Go crazy on props. Even if you've got the "perfect duvet" for that bed photo, it may look horrible on camera. You need sufficient props to test which details make the shot really sing, especially when you're adding that last critical detail to provide believability. That yogurt you'd been eating while they were setting up the study scene could end up being what the model just scarfed down while she was doing her math homework. Prop selection should always be governed by your overall idea for the shot, so you're only winging what's happening within the context of the shot's execution.

Play the full range of emotions. Tighten up on your talent to get what you want, and then let them show you what they'd actually do in that scenario.

Be decisive. If you know you've got the shot, then move on. In this digital age, you often want insurance around the perfect shot and may not trust that you've nailed it. But if you see exactly what you and the client want, approve it and move on. A lot of time, money, and energy is on the line, and often you're just squeezing the lemon.

Be willing to improvise. When your killer shot idea flops, improv like hell with your photographer. Once s/he gets an idea off it, chase it as quickly as possible. Explore things from a few different angles (physically and conceptually). With a good team, you can usually get somewhere tight in 15 minutes or less.

Get it right in the camera. "Fixing it in post" has a cascade effect and impact on time and money spent across the life of a shoot. Take an extra 10 minutes to get the shot right, and you'll save yourself hours of fixing lighting defects and funky expressions. Even if you're a Photoshop whiz and see a way to mash everything together for the most killer shot ever, you're wasting valuable time that could be spent designing the material that will incorporate the photos.

Honor thy client. Have a firm vision of what you want to accomplish, but make sure your client's ideas and input are firmly considered and incorporated whenever appropriate. A photo shoot is one of the few places where you're designing the material in a physical manner, and any client that knows their product well can add a lot of value to each shot.

Trust thy photographer. They're responsible for making the shot, not you. If you've hired the right person for the job, let them do it. Back off if they've got something in mind and let them realize their vision for you.

Thank your team profusely. Photo shoots are great fun, but they are also grueling endeavors. When your shoot wraps, be sure to thank everyone that's part of your team. Photography communities are tight-knit, and word gets around fast about what went well... and what didn't.