You’ve decided you need new, on-brand images to populate your website, improve your social media and make your marketing pop. But how do you get a photography project off the ground?
The first step is to talk to a commercial photographer and get a bid specific to your project. Here at Novella Studio, we start by asking questions such as:
“Do you have a date in mind?”
“How will you be using the photos?”
“Do we need to hire models?”
A successful photo shoot is all in the planning. Before the photographer ever shows up, much time and energy has gone into all aspects of the shoot. A smooth, turnkey project begins with a bid that includes the following considerations:
- Shot list: Make a list of your goals – what photos do you need? What are the must-haves and the wish list?
- Inspiration: If you’ve seen photos you love, share them with the photographer so they can understand your vision.
- Timeline: What is your deadline / timeframe?
- Budget: What is the budget you’ve set aside for the project? Let the photographer know what you can reasonably spend – this helps determine things that can be included, or not.
- Subjects: Decide if your photos are of interiors, exteriors, people at work, people doing something, employees, customers, landscapes, products, etc.
- Talent: If there are people in your photos, are they employees or would we benefit from hiring some models or actors?
- Stylist/Hair & Makeup: Will you need products styled? Food made to look perfectly plated for the camera? Hair and makeup?
- Location: Will we be shooting at your business? Our studio? Or, a location we find or can rent? We often use Airbnb’s, borrowed spaces, outdoor settings, etc. Not sure where an ideal spot would be? No problem. We can scout the best location for your shoot.
- Props: Are you bringing all the product and any props needed for the background or for the models to use?
- Video: Do you need behind-the-scenes video for social media or high resolution video for digital ads or your website?
With this information, a bid is created with a list of the photo or video shoot parameters and everything that’s included. Pro Tip: Make sure to ask about any potential hidden costs and your usage and rights to the photos. Here at Novella, we are upfront and we don’t stick you with any extra costs that you did not approve. Generally, we include all the usage and rights fees. Most photographers do not include ALL the usage and rights so that is a good thing to confirm.
Need to update your photo library? Reach out to Jenny Wheat at [email protected] or call 816-226-6958.
