Through my years as a photographer, there’s many mistakes I’ve made and learned from. One of them being, to always have a product photoshoot shot list. It may seem like a piece of homework to create, but a shot list can make or break the success of a photoshoot.

When I first started my photography business, I wanted each client to feel like I could take care of everything. That all they would need to do was show up. While my intentions were good in wanting to create a good experience for them, I learned that I was actually doing a disservice by not including them in the photoshoot planning. This ultimately lead to me taking photos that I thought they needed, instead of what they actually they needed. They would realize later they forgot images they needed, which lead to disappointment. So I’m sharing with you why it is so important to take the time to create a photoshoot shot list.

A product photoshoot shot list ensures no photos are forgotten

Imagine that you are updating your website. You want to work with a photographer to create a really amazing banner image for your homepage. Now imagine if you received your images back and none of the images work, or fit, your homepage banner. You are now left disappointed and without an image for the most valuable spot on your website. If a detailed banner image was requested on the shot list, the photographer would have known to make sure that the image could be cropped to fit the specs.

Another example of this is forgetting combined products. I once had a client who told me they only wanted e-commerce images for each of their product listings. It wasn’t until I provided them the photos that they completely forgot that they sold some of their products as a bundle.

A product photoshoot shot list help avoid additional fees

It takes a lot of time to set up a photoshoot, so avoid having to reshoot for this mistake at all cost. The client I mentioned above ended up paying double their initial invoice because they kept forgetting images they needed. I would often ask them for a detailed list and never receive one. After I kept getting calls from them about images we forgot, I decided I was not moving forward until they provided written confirmation of the images I was going to retake. This kept everyone accountable and informed them of any additional costs that would come if they came back with additional requests. Creating a shot list should have been the first step to avoid the additional fees they had to pay.

Helps create a better experience

Going into a product photoshoot with shot list allows me to plan more efficiently. It also helps me to stay organized and know which set to start with. You also avoid potential delays in product launches by providing all the images need the first time. This creates a an overall better experience on your investment.

To follow along and see what I’m up to, check out my Instagram or Pinterest page! To get started on a project, click the Contact page.